1) A book on the spiritual writings of the Talmud.
2) Patriots: The Men Who Started The American Revolution by A.J.
Langguth.
The woman at the counter who rang me up said, "Wow, what a strange pairing of books for one person to buy on the same day."
I replied, "Not really. Both of these books are about how to change an entire culture from the ground up."
Can anyone name any bigger revolutions in the history of mankind? As a Christian, I would say that Christ was the most important revolutionary of all time. However, I recognize that many do not comprehend his importance.
Behind Christ, I would rank the Talmud and the American Revolution.
Any other ideas?
10 comments:
The Talmud includes differing commentaries on every page regarding scripture and law. Debate is in its "DNA." As is the aspiration to achieve a more perfect union with God.
The idea that God is supreme and all ONLY subservient to the Lord was anathema to tyrants - especially those who claimed divine authority.
The founding of America was by God-fearing folks who sought to found a New Jerusalem on Earth. A new "Promised Land."
EXCERPT:
We are all Jews
By James Woolsey
Jerusalem Post | October 3, 2003
I sometimes get asked these days if I’m Jewish — it’s my neoconish views on defense and foreign affairs, I suppose. For a while I would just say, "No, Presbyterian,‘ but I’ve started saying instead, ’Well, I anchor the Presbyterian wing of JINSA (the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs)."
What with anti-Semitism growing in Europe and a hideous variety thereof metastasizing in the Middle East — not to speak of the American Left’s (and a small part of the Right’s) hostility to Israel, which sometimes veers off into anti-Semitism — it seems to me our Jewish friends could use a bit of solidarity these days. Today, the first day of Rosh Hashana, celebration of the Jewish New Year, is as good a time as any to explain why.
It’s not only the other two great Abrahamic religions, Christianity and Islam, that owe a substantial debt to Judaism, it’s the world as a whole. The reason is that between three and four millennia ago something happened in the Sinai among a tribe of refugees from Egyptian oppression that introduced the world to the concept of the rule of law — the idea that the law is not the whim of, but rather has its source above, those who rule.
This concept is at the heart of what makes decently-governed societies possible, whether you sign on to Jefferson’s formulation that we are "endowed by our Creator" with basic rights or prefer the more secular notion of natural law.
In the absence of one or the other of these bases for the notion that the rule of law somehow derives from a source above the rulers, electoral democracy can degenerate into mob rule and capitalism into theft. This supremacy of the law is what most Americans mean when they say that we have a "government of laws, not men."
...
Jews have almost always been the first target of tyrants, because their beliefs and religious practices, honed by nearly two millennia in Diaspora, clearly declare that in their view the law is above the ruler: dietary laws, the dress of the Orthodox, a propensity to contend about what is a fair interpretation of rules, all stamp Jews with this belief’s being the heart of their history and religion. As a consequence they are often the first group that dictators, secular or theocratic, feel they must suppress.
... http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/
Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=10135
MORE HERE:
http://www.aish.com/literacy/jewishhistory/
Crash_Course_in_Jewish_History_Part_55_-_Jews_and_the_Founding_of_America.asp
MORE HERE:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/
Articles/Article.aspx/7044
more elsewhere...
Interesting thoughts, Pastorius. Please tell us the title of the book on the Talmud that you bought.
And, the Talmud led the way from the animal sacrifices of the Temple era, to the sacrifices of the broken and contrite heart; the helping of the widows and the orphans.
This change is reflected in the prophets, and in Jesus Christ's teachings.
It's called
The Talmud: Selected Writings
It's part of the "The Classics Of Western Spirituality" series put out by the Paulist Press.
It is no mistake that Jesus was Jewish.
I think after 2,000 years of not always harmonious interaction Jews and Christians are finding their common ground, especially in America.
I kew a very Christian engineer once who was part of one of those "strange" Christian sects that are always popping up. He celebrated Passover. I always told him he had the right idea. LOL
Thinking about my somewhat tounge in cheek comment, it might not be a bad idea if Christians and Jews had a holiday in common.
I can think of no better one in terms of its meaning for all men for all time than Passover.
"Proclaim liberty throughout all the lands unto all the inhabitants thereof."
My family (a Christian family) celebrates Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Passover.
We are members of a mainstream Evangelical church. No one else, that I know of, within our church does what we do. We do what we do because it makes sense to us.
After all, as you note, Jesus (Yeshua) was a Jew. He celebrated the Jewish holidays. All of his followers were Jews. It wasn't til quite awhile later that a schism arose. And, of course, that schism persists to this day.
But, as far as I am concerned, there is no difference between Judaism and Christianity.
I think thee are many differences.
I am reminded of a JOKE:
The Chief Rabbi of Israel is asked, "Which of all the religions of the world is closest to Judaism?"
He answers, "Lubovichers."
One difference is:
The so-called "old" Testament is about Gods and Jews; it is the history of the Jews - the dates and experiences whichg are key to our exisitnece.
The so-called "new" Testament is about Jesus, his life teachings etc.
Jewish holidays celebrate and memorialize these events and the events of the COSMOS.
Christian are mostly related to the life of Jesus: his birth death resurrection etc.
For Jews, ALL good gentiles go to Heaven - if they have mostly kept the Noachic Code, the seven commandments.
BUT... Jews must keep EXTAR commandments, just for Jews. This is NOT added privilege but added RESPONSIBILITY. Unless ONE thinks it is an added privilege to have added responsibility.
Christians teach that one accept Christ to get to Heaven.
This is less universalist than Judaism.
SURE, all people are able to accept Christ - except the ones who have never heard of him, were never taught of him, and those who died before e was born, and babies.
This is a REAL "issue" for the RC Church and they are currently relooking at the notion/TEACHING of LIMBO.
But I do agree that Christianity is a sect of Judaism.
And maybe it was a preliminary part God's plan for Judaisization the World.
But what do I know.
NOTHIN'.
Except without Jews there'd be no Christians, and without Christians there'd be no West. There'd be either barbarian or Muslim wasteland from Turkey to Spain and beyond.
Reliapundit,
You got that right:
Without Jews, there would be no Christians.
It seems like a lot of Christians don't realize that.
From your perspective, it is more accurate to say that Christianity is a sect of Judaism. From a thinking Christians perspective, it is more accurate to say there is no difference between the two religions.
Yes, Yeshua's birth, death, and resurrection are the center of Christianity. But, a Christian who understands Yeshua's place within the historical continuum of the Bible believes that He was the sacrificial lamb promised in lieu of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. His blood was the Passover Blood.
This is the historical perspective in which Christians see Jesus.
From that perspective, in my opinion, there is no difference between the two religions.
Yes, I recognize the fact that there are differences. And, I recognize the fact that both Christians and Jews believe there are differences.
I'm just telling you that from MY PERSPECTIVE, there is no difference.
there may be no differences from GHod's perspective: Judaism is for Jews, and Chriustinainty for gentiles.
as Pope benedict said, both the old and new testaments are true.
one does not cancel out the other.
if there are contradictions, then they are just mysteries beyond our ability to know.
like: the dsecond coming for gentiles may be the 1st for Jews.
and he has said - as many other christians have - that the new did not abrogate the old for Jews.
a contreact is a contracvt and Giod did not cancel the one he gavce Moses.
the muslims believe that this contract was canceled.
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