Christianity and Judaism

To be a Jew means that one didn't have to practice Judaism but provided he or she knows where he came from. For instance, all Jews originate from Israel and speak Hebrews but that has changed, and a Jew can be anybody who has adopted the culture of Jewish people. Arguably, a Jew is anybody who comes from the Israel lineage but may have a different lifestyle and may practice whatever religion he or she feels like practicing.

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Jewish is explained as a race and not a nationality or religion. For instance, the speaker says Jewish people are referred to as the children of Israel. Israel, in this case, is Jacob after his name was changed. In this case, the origin of the Jews is traced back to Jacob, and thus all Jews are considered as his children. Jews as a race is evident when the speaker says Jews are family given the fact that they all have Jews parents. However, anybody can be a Jew through conversion and assimilation of the Jews culture. The Jews race consist of all family members as well as converts. The race furthermore does not imply that the members must practice Judaism but have the freedom to practice any religion they want and the reason why the speaker calls them, "a dysfunctional family."

Kreeft argues that if Jesus were to return today, he would go to a Jewish synagogue given the history of his beginning of ministry here on earth 2000 years ago. Christianity and Judaism intermarry in that Christianity fulfills all that is in Judaism. Anybody whether Jew or pagan, once he or she is transformed into a Christian, then he automatically becomes complete. Jesus says that He came to fulfill the laws and the Prophets thus making the explanation on the point that Christianity is more of Jewish as opposed to Judaism. It is so since Christians have inherited everything in the Old Testament from the Jews which teaches on creation, redemption, sin, monotheism law and faith. These are the teachings that many other religions lack and the reason why pagans and even the Polytheism believe in the existence of good as well as evil gods. Possible explanations as to why the Jews believe in an all-powerful, single and good God is either because they are brilliant philosophers or are "the Chosen People." With the idea of God existing came the idea of creation as learned from the myths of creation. For Christians, God is real, and thus the world is rational but also good.

Furthermore, Judaism is mostly driven by the Law which binds all humans to the divine will of God in this case, "Be holy, for I am holy" (Lev. 11:44). With the law having various levels such as ceremonial, moral, civil laws Judaism just as Christianity are governed by these laws to ensure respect and love for God. However, despite both striving to love God, Judaism only bases on Truth and Life leaving out the Way thus making the fulfilling process different from that of Christianity. However the irony in Jesus' teachings is visible in John 1: 11 where He says, "He came to what was His own, but his own people did not accept Him". The teachings implied that His people in this case Jews did not accept Him as it was written yet they valued the laws. Jews argue that Christians proselytize the teachings as opposed to agreeing while Judaism does not proselytize. Christians in defense to this say that they have been commanded by their Lord not to comply. In conclusion, I disagree with the writer on all the ideas and argument he has provided. For instance, he at times argue that Christianity completes Jewish and later argues on the difference between the two. Christianity is a religion while Jewish is not a religion but a race that has its people practicing various faiths and lifestyles and thus there is no way the two are related. Similarly, Judaism does not differs with Christian largely in the sense that it does not follow all the Old Testament teachings like Christianity.

Reference Links

https://youtu.be/BCmHd_scHikhttp://www.peterkreeft.com/topics-more/religions_judiasm.htm