Converting to Judaism in ancient times

[Sheilbh]

Oh come on, every Christian sect hates teh gays, other than the Episcopalians. 

Catholics don't.  They don't even notice most other sects.  They only acknowledge the Lutherans, Orthos and Anglicans as being anything even approaching a 'church'.  The rest are gnats.

The CofE is also significantly lacking in hate.  'We think you're a heretic doomed to eternal damnation and pain....but, come on, that's no reason not to come to our cake sale!'

[Queequeg]

er, that might work save for the fact that there are irreconcilable and directly contradictory differences between the three Abrahamic religions (e.g. Christians believe Jesus is the son of God, whereas the other two believe he is not the son of God).

Also, I know you have an irrational hatred for the LDS Church so I'm not sure why I'm even trying, but who are you to judge that Mormons are 'bad' Christians?  Mormons of course think that they are the best Christians (and the only Christians who are actually correct in their practices). 

Judaism, Christianity and Islam:
One God, who created everything, and loves either a people or people in general, and revealed himself to several prophets, all shared (except Muhammed and Jesus) in all religions.  Good works and deeds, respect for family, all necessary and moral, all to get an okay place in the next place.  There was or will be a messiah and an end date to history, at which point all peoples shall acknowledge that x faith was right all along.

Judaism and Islam: circumcision, virtually identical dietary restrictions, iconoclasm, existence of a sacred language and land (in Islam's case more the Hijaz than Palestine/Israel).  Very similar organizational structure, similar intellectual tradition.  Shared West Semitic traditions. 

Christianity and Islam: Evangelical faith, huge focus on resurrection and day when Jesus returns (in Islam as well) , some of the earliest Suras take a lot of stuff directly from the New Testament, similar Zoroastrian-influenced dualism and belief in anti-God (Satan, in Arabic Shaitan).

Christianity and Judaism: The Old Testament in its entirety.

Nation of Islam and Mormonism: There are multiple Gods, including female Gods, all of whom are made of flesh.  People who behave well can become Gods.  Both vastly divergent scriptures and focus, largescale ignorance of traditional practice.  Focus on self as opposed to Jewish, Christian and Muslim focus on community (look at the more basic Mormon prayers, they are all focused on personal empowerment)

Mormonism:  Resurrection of Canaanite bull imagery, sun imagery, belief that certain authority figures have direct line with God and talk to him daily.  Virulent anti-Trinitarianism. 


I think Islam, Judaism and Christianity are considered different largely because they attached to different cultures/empires and often focus on the minute differences rather than the vast similarities, but doctrinally they have way more in common than the big Hindu groups.  Especially if we go back to the starts of all three, it would have been obvious that they are all "heresies" of a single faith rather than totally new ones. 

[Siege]

They're amusing to toy with.  I've had several conversations with young men who were doing their missionary service.  Once I told them I was a Jew so they wouldn't bug me... which didn't work.  But they stopped trying to proselytize and proceeded to quiz me about Judaism, since they admitted to knowing nothing about it.  So we had a 30 minute conversation in which I educated them about The Tribe.  They actually told me they found Jews "really neat" and didn't cast aspersions on them.

Yeah I have had conversations with them as well.  As you say they are nice even if the literature and crap they gave me was....a tad disturbing.

But I mean it is not like they are Jehova's witnesses or anything.

Wait, there is a diference between the two?
I thought it was a diferent name for the same sect...

[Siege]

I suddenly feel like testifyin'.

I suddenly feel like hunting down trolls.

[Neil]

I suddenly feel like testifyin'.

I suddenly feel like hunting down trolls.

Your religion is a fraud.

[Eddie Teach]

Also, I know you have an irrational hatred for the LDS Church so I'm not sure why I'm even trying, but who are you to judge that Mormons are 'bad' Christians?  Mormons of course think that they are the best Christians (and the only Christians who are actually correct in their practices). 

Mormons aren't 'bad' Christians since they aren't Christians at all.

[Siege]

I suddenly feel like testifyin'.

I suddenly feel like hunting down trolls.

Your religion is a fraud.

You are a fraud!

[Viking]

The most famous convert to judaism in ancient times were the ancestors of Herod the Great. His family had only been jewish for a few generations.

You can see why an experience like that might make people be more cautious about performing more conversions . . .

Herod got a bad rap from the lunatic fringe of Jewish society. The alternative to Herod was becoming a Roman Province 100 years earlier.

[Valmy]

So the Baptists are just as bad, but you seemed to concede that anyway.

The other mainstream protestant sects at least have a respectable appearance.  The Baptists though openly flaunt their douchebaggery for all to see.

[HVC]

So the Baptists are just as bad, but you seemed to concede that anyway.

The other mainstream protestant sects at least have a respectable appearance.  The Baptists though openly flaunt their douchebaggery for all to see.

All protestants religions are weird. they're basically the crazy cast offs of other protestant sects just like the forebears before them

[Razgovory]

Oh come on, every Christian sect hates teh gays, other than the Episcopalians. 

Catholics don't.  They don't even notice most other sects.  They only acknowledge the Lutherans, Orthos and Anglicans as being anything even approaching a 'church'.  The rest are gnats.

The CofE is also significantly lacking in hate.  'We think you're a heretic doomed to eternal damnation and pain....but, come on, that's no reason not to come to our cake sale!'

I have never seen gone to Mass and seen a Catholic priest rant about gays.  In fact there's not a great deal of fire and brimstone at all.

[Caliga]

Mormons aren't 'bad' Christians since they aren't Christians at all.

Kinda like what I said to Spellus, what authority do you have to decide that?  Mormons of course believe themselves to be Christian, and since it's ALL nonsense to me, I'm not bothered by what they claim vs. the significant differences between them and the other self-proclaimed Christian religions.

[Caliga]

I have never seen gone to Mass and seen a Catholic priest rant about gays.  In fact there's not a great deal of fire and brimstone at all.

No, but the Catholic church still isn't tolerant of homosexuality.  Just because they don't fume about it Reverend Phelps-style doesn't mean they accept it.

[Razgovory]

I have never seen gone to Mass and seen a Catholic priest rant about gays.  In fact there's not a great deal of fire and brimstone at all.

No, but the Catholic church still isn't tolerant of homosexuality.  Just because they don't fume about it Reverend Phelps-style doesn't mean they accept it.

No, but Caliga  still isn't tolerant of homosexuality.  Just because he doesn't fume about it Reverend Phelps-style doesn't mean he accepts it.

[Caliga]

  You're an idiot.