Jews dont believe in after life so why do they still stick to their religion?

Question

it seems that they are lost

Answer 1

Judaism is a world-affirming faith, not a world denying faith. We concern ourselves with the life God gave us and the world we are place here on to live our walk with God in Tikkun Olam. Tikkun Olam means Repair of the World. It is a concept that runs deep within Jewish law, customs and ethics and it is how we try to fulfill the very role of the covenant of Israel, to be a light unto the nations.

Tikkun Olam means that we are working as partners with God, here on earth to repair, restore to justice, and righteousness for all. We work side by side with our fellow humans, Jew and Gentile alike to try to make this world a place of compassion, social-justice and mercy. Micah summed it up..what does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.

Judaism has a concept of the afterlife, but it is not focused on as much as LIFE is focused on. We were given this spirit of life by God for a reason and we best honor the gift of life by how we live it. We're a short time living and a long time not.

It is one thing that distinguised Judaism in ancient days from the many pagan beliefs around it, including the Egyptians, who were focused so much on the afterlife that they often neglected the living and lived in a manner that overlooked ethical and moral decisions here because they believed that they'd be rewarded in the afterlife for placating the deities.

Judaism teaches us to enjoy the fruits of our labors and this world, while we try to leave it a better place for those who come after us.

This is one reason why there have always been a high percent of Jews seeking professions such as medicine, science, social work, civil rights workers, teachers and environmentalists. It is a part of our path of our walk in faith with God.

That's why we "stick" to our religion....it is a way of life and it is more deed than creed.

Shalom :)

EDIT I hadn't read anyone else's answer before I posted my own stream of consciousness ramblings..so I hadn't noticed the jokes..
If you're gonna talk about Israel being LOST..don't forget the REAL reason why Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years...

Moses was a man..and what man would stop to ask for directions??

If Miriam had been leading the way the Hebrews would have been in Israel in a week!

MY LAST EDIT..it's a long one..I began thinking..I wrote something similar to my answer once before, but much longer ( I'm never brief!) and I went to find it..While the following responds more to reasons why Jews don't feel a need to convert to Christianity's offers..it also answers this question in depth.
Here is my essay More Deed Than Creed:
The way of “ salvation” and way of getting rid of guilt of Christianity is quite enticing: just accept our god and all your sins are forgiven, past, present and future. Why do you think Christianity has always been so popular in prison? Once a member of the get out of hell forever free club, they aren’t accountable or responsible for their “ sins” anymore. That aspect of their dogma does not teach them to deal with guilt in an emotionally mature way. Being forgiven just because you believe in Jesus is a quick abdication of accountability for past, present and future behaviors. Instead of feeling bad about themselves for any “ sins”, they can obtain bliss for joining an exclusive rights club! It’s far easier to displace feelings of guilt rather than to integrate the lesson of a mistake and ameliorate it by accepting personal responsibility and making amends, restitution where possible, and asking pardon from offended parties.


On the other hand, if you’re not raised with a specter of eternal hellfire for not adopting a particular dogma, you look at your actions differently. If you believe that as individuals we are always accountable for what we do at every moment of our life, then you’re far less likely to feel compelled to act out of fear but from a sense of not wasting this life. That kind of ethics leaves the hereafter to the hereafter. One doesn’t have to be a theist to understand or live like this, yet this is precisely the way that Jews, believing that we can work with God to repair and restore this world to unity ( Tikkun Olam) fulfill our purpose of existence. We are taught that we are known by our actions. Doing good works can lead to greater accountability for self and others. I often hear Christians try to tell me, your belief has it all wrong, and you can’t “get to heaven doing good works”. Jews are taught that we cannot expect God to forgive us of any wrongdoing if we haven't been truly repentant, demonstrating that in thought and deed. And if you practice doing good things and adhering to certain behaviors just because they’re doing things for someone or something outside of yourself, you learn compassion and patience as well as learn to have an easier time making good choices. If you act on bad impulses with regularity, those become habit and the easier choice. I try to make things easier on myself; I want it to be easier to make the sometimes-hard decision to do the right thing. Practice makes perfect.


Not all who espouse Christianity fully embrace the personal abdication of responsibility for deeds, and thankfully so. Behavior toward others is the clearest indication of values and ethics that a person follows, much more so than any words in a sermon or statement of belief. Humans make mistakes; sometimes we allow our emotions to control our conscious efforts and fail. I’m not expected to be perfect, only to strive toward it, reach out to help others along the way and be willing to accept others help when I am in need. By connecting to, rather than separating from my human nature, the world around me and all life in it, I find a greater sense of purpose. My faith is a world affirming, not world denying faith.


To “ accept” Christianity as the missionaries beg me to do, would be to reject very many things about my life I value deeply. It would be to separate myself from my understanding and faith in God. It would be a rejection of logic and reason. It would be a step backward in emotional growth toward mature thinking. It would be incompatible with my self-concept as well. My self-concept is not one of a being born with a burden of sin; having a nature that cannot be considered worthy of merit of it’s own accord. I believe human nature is fully capable of making a daily willful choice to seek a path of righteousness. We are often faced with those choices many times a day, and for all of our life.


Some essential aspects of the Christian dogma are abhorrent to me and conflict with my chosen ethics. Human sacrifice is an atrocity that was once performed by perhaps the majority of human civilizations. I’m proud that Judaism learned thousands of years ago that it is unacceptable. Whenever those who were of the covenant of Abraham strayed into idolatry that had human sacrifice, they were condemned and the scriptures show that meted out the worst curses in the Tanakh. This shows to me the weight of that particular sin. Even if one were to claim that Jesus is not human, his sacrifice for sin would be entirely unpalatable as well as contradictory to a concept of a monotheistic omnipotent incorporeal deity. Israel moved beyond human sacrifice and a God concept that was as much human as divine. To relate to Jesus as a medium for salvation or atonement in any form would be to me a step back into superstition and fear. It is at variance with my intellect, my reasoning, my faith and my ethics. Ritual sacrifice of any form is not mandatory for salvation and blessing from God according to the Torah.


I’m not a Biblical literalist, strict dogmatist, frum, or fundamentalist. I also see that over time all religions have changed. New religions form when those changes deviate so far from the previous belief as to be contradictory or entirely incompatible with the former. And most of the time the new replacement theology either demonizes or misrepresents the former belief in order to justify their way. Seeing so clearly how the New Testament misrepresents aspects of Jewish history, scripture and belief, and how Islam does the same thing to both Judaism and Christianity has led me to wonder how much the Hebrew Bible did the same to the people they were at odds with. Little is left in the way of documentation to allow us to ever know the degree that happened with certainty. This fits in with a statement of belief I’ve made many times before:

I was raised and raise my child to be respectful and tolerant of the right of individuals and groups to have their own unadulterated culture, customs and beliefs UP TO THE POINT where the EXPRESSION of those beliefs violate certain standards of behaviors: If they attempt to violate another’s civil rights, seek to incite harm to anyone, willfully deceive another or misrepresent the beliefs of others then my tolerance ceases.


Another time in another blog, perhaps I’ll continue with explaining aspects of my beliefs. Some of these things I’ve said in direct response to recent questions that have arisen in discussion with Christians who are curious why Jews don’t believe the way they do and refuse to “ accept Jesus” This lengthy essay isn’t all inclusive, but it’s definitely enough in itself to reject the claims of those who seek to entice me away from my chosen faith. There is absolutely nothing positive Christianity has to offer I do not already possess.

“ Every man’s way is right in their own eyes but the Lord weigheth the souls.” I’ll just have to trust in that, do my best and leave the rest….to God.
Copyright © 2006 mama_pajama_1

Answer 2

"Jews dont believe in after life so why do they still stick to their religion?"

Your question is based on a flawed premise.

Imagine if I were to ask you: "Christians don't believe in salvation so why do they still stick to their religion?"

You'd probably say (especially if you are a Christian): "Nonsense! The belief in salvation is a central doctrine of Christianity!"

Of course Jews believe in an afterlife (at least the ones who still stick to their religion). Christian beliefs regarding the afterlife are based on (a corrupt version of) Jewish beliefs regarding the afterlife. Most of the stuff you guys believe in, you took from us in one way or another. Add a charismatic Jewish cult-leader executed by the Romans, write an egregiously inaccurate translation of the Hebrew Bible, strip the Torah of its essential oral tradition, add a dash of idolatry, and voila, you have Christianity.

So, you can call us lost, but you're the ones driving with half a map (a map written in a language familiar to us and foreign to you, no less)!

Perhaps you got confused and came to the conclusion that Judaism doesn't teach belief in an afterlife because we don't place as much emphasis on it as Christianity does. That's because Judaism is all about teaching us how to make the best possible use of this life. Because once it's over, well, the next world is a world of being, not a world of doing, and we lose the opportunity to perform G-d's commandments and, in so doing, to improve ourselves. When the Jews left Egypt, they were leaving a land and a culture obsessed with death. Huge monuments were erected where the Pharoahs were buried, with all their wealth, as if it would do them any good. So yeah, Judaism teaches that the soul is eternal, and also teaches that, in the messianic era, the dead (at least those who merit it) will be brought back to life. But in a good way, not like, in a zombie way.

So yeah, I hope this helps clear things up, and if you have any further questions, feel free to contact me directly.

Answer 3

The thought process of some Jews here is hitting the mark, it only make sense! If you do well in this world, you will be successful in the world to come. The emphasis is Here & Now.

Going through the replies reminds me of a saying by British Motorcycle Champ, Barry Sheen’s approach to competition riding, ‘Speed comes my itself, all you have to focus when you approach the corners is on the Line, braking Distance, earliest possible Acceleration, and hope no Serpent or a hindrance comes in your way to snatch away your victory.’

Answer 4

Not as lost as the kind of idiots who post things like this. Any religion one sticks to out of fear of an afterlife isn't much of a religion. But go right ahead and let yourself be led around by the nose.

Answer 5

Traditional Judaism firmly believes that death is not the end of human existence. However, because Judaism is primarily focused on life here and now rather than on the afterlife, Judaism does not have much dogma about the afterlife, and leaves a great deal of room for personal opinion. It is possible for an Orthodox Jew to believe that the souls of the righteous dead go to a place similar to the Christian heaven, or that they are reincarnated through many lifetimes, or that they simply wait until the coming of the messiah, when they will be resurrected. Likewise, Orthodox Jews can believe that the souls of the wicked are tormented by demons of their own creation, or that wicked souls are simply destroyed at death, ceasing to exist.

The spiritual afterlife is referred to in Hebrew as Olam Ha-Ba (oh-LAHM hah-BAH), the World to Come, although this term is also used to refer to the messianic age. The Olam Ha-Ba is another, higher state of being.

In the Mishnah, one rabbi says, "This world is like a lobby before the Olam Ha-Ba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall." Similarly, the Talmud says, "This world is like the eve of Shabbat, and the Olam Ha-Ba is like Shabbat. He who prepares on the eve of Shabbat will have food to eat on Shabbat." We prepare ourselves for the Olam Ha-Ba through Torah study and good deeds.

Answer 6

Before you ask a question like this, wouldn't it be a good idea to look it up in a reliable source? Anyway, you are wrong. Jews do not believe in the heaven and hell concept as Christians do. But we do believe in a World to Come.

Answer 7

Er, no, we're not lost at all, but thanks for the 'concern'...

We believe that all who lead righteous lives, whatever their religion, have a place in heaven, or 'Gan Eden' (garden of eden)

Judaism does not focus on what happens after death much. It's much more about trying to lead a moral life while here on earth.

As to why we 'stick' to our religion - we've been around longer than Christianity and Islam, and have survived despite centuries of persecution. Kinda makes you wonder if we know something that you don't...... ! :)

For more info: http://www.whatjewsbelieve.org/

http://www.jewsforjudaism.org

Answer 8

How would you know that they don't? Every religion has different govennants and doctrines. Who are we do judge them? Would be the same about question like :"They celebrate Christmas but they do not believe in Jesus Birth?" I think to properly answer such question we should rather educate our selves. I make it my personal journey to learn about other religion.

Answer 9

1) We DO believe in an afterlife.
2) We are NOT lost.
3) We 'stick' to our religion because it teaches us to be moral people, to do good, and to bring light into the world.
More on Judaism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism
Mora on the Jewish view of the afterlife:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_eschatology#The_afterlife_and_olam_haba_.28the_.22world_to_come.22.29

Answer 10

Jews don't believe in a Christian style life after death, with a unique soul experiencing heaven. Jews believe that after death, if they followed god in life, they are then joined with god. Understand now?

Answer 11

Say What!!!! Where did you get that impression!?

Granted, the Jewish concept of what comes after death is, in many ways, quite different from the christian view, Judaism does hold there is a world to come.