Converting to Judaism in ancient times

[The Minsky Moment]

I was under the impression you only got "credit" for doing a commandment if you did it to please God, not if you just happened to already like not eating pork and resting all day Saturday.

AFAIK internal motivation is irrelevant for Jews and for non-Jews alike.  What matters is conduct.

[Valmy]

AFAIK internal motivation is irrelevant for Jews and for non-Jews alike.  What matters is conduct.

Alrighty then.  I was confused by all those angry prophets telling the Jews that God spits on their sacrifices because they do not do it with the proper feeling.

Still it is not like the Jews go around preaching the seven laws of righteousness to the Gentile community.

[Malthus]

Not really - you could just do all that stuff because you don't particularly care to murder folks or eat living animals, and you don't happen to worship idols. An atheist could be a "righteous gentile" as long as he didn't go around bad-mouthing the Biblical God . The prohibitions are entirely negative except for the last.

I was under the impression you only got "credit" for doing a commandment if you did it to please God, not if you just happened to already like not eating pork and resting all day Saturday.

This points to one of the major differences between Judaism and Chistianity, and one which those more used to Christianity always find wierd.

In Judiasm, God allegedly doesn't care what you believe, as long as you do what he said. 

[Valmy]

In Judiasm, God allegedly doesn't care what you believe, as long as you do what he said. 

He sure sounds like he does in the OT.

[Malthus]

Still it is not like the Jews go around preaching the seven laws of righteousness to the Gentile community.

True enough. Though increasing the overall righteousness of Jews and non-Jews alike is supposedly a Jewish aim.

Door-to-door Jewish 'missionaries' telling random people not to eat living animals would be hilarious. 

[Malthus]

In Judiasm, God allegedly doesn't care what you believe, as long as you do what he said. 

He sure sounds like he does in the OT.

Really? Where?

God zaps you in the OT if you do stuff he disapproves of, not for failing to believe the right things.

[Sheilbh]

Really? Where?

God zaps you in the OT if you do stuff he disapproves of, not for failing to believe the right things.

It's a big difference between Old and New Testament, and Judaism and Christianity more generally.

[Valmy]

Really? Where?

God zaps you in the OT if you do stuff he disapproves of, not for failing to believe the right things.

The part about how God is tired of sacrifices because he has enough dead goats and shit like that comes to mind...but I do not have time now to look it up.

[Valmy]

It's a big difference between Old and New Testament, and Judaism and Christianity more generally.

Yeah Jesus just craps on the law is all like 'hey I am Jesus fuck you' about it.  I always thought that was a little weird.

[Siege]

Dude, last time I read this thread, it was in page 2.
Now is in page 7.
And my setting is at max for number of posts per page.

[Valmy]

Dude, last time I read this thread, it was in page 2.
Now is in page 7.
And my setting is at max for number of posts per page.

What?  Does it bother you when gentiles discuss Judaism?

[Jacob]

The part about how God is tired of sacrifices because he has enough dead goats and shit like that comes to mind...but I do not have time now to look it up.

I can't be bothered to look it up either, but I always thought the point of those bits were "you're sacrificing goats and so on, but you're doing all kinds of other bits that are bad so the goats won't get you off the hook".