judaism

Interesting topic. I should say the Ten commandments and the fundamental belief in an omnipotent, supreme, incomprehensable and single deity. I wasn't brought up a Jew, but my family are Jewish but it has been toned down quite a lot since much of my family moved from Germany before the second world war. But I do still feel some affiliation and connections to the aforementioned "fundamental tenets" of Judaism. However, this belongs in another section - theology.

"Don't raise your voice - we all know how lovely it is!"
Triano, in "Mosterella" by Plautus! Read it...now!

Here's a good piece which Joseph Campbell wrote:

Tom: But if you throw out the Bible as history, don't you also throw it out as a moral imperative?

Joseph: Yes. I don't think the Bible is anybody's moral imperative, unless you want to be a traditional Jew. That's what the Bible tells you.

Tom: Doesn't it tell you how to be a good person?

Joseph: No.

Tom: Lots of people think so.

Joseph: Just read the thing. Maybe it gives you a few hints, but the Bible also tells you to kill everyone in Canaan, right down to the mice.

Tom: What was the passage you quoted to justify their exclusivity ideas?

Joseph: "There is no God in all the world but in Israel." That leaves everybody out except the Jews. This is one of the most chauvinistic views of morality.

One of the great texts is in Exodus, when the Jews are told to kill the lambs and put the blood on their doorsteps so the angel of death won't kill any of their children, but will kill the first children of the Egyptians. And the night before they leave, they're to invite their Egyptian friends to lend them their jewels and so on. Then the next night, they run off with the jewels, and the text says, so they fleeced the Egyptians. No, so they despoiled the Egyptians. You call this good ethics?

http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC12/Campbell.htm

Killabee wrote:

Oneness of God (Shema Yisrael), .

I think that this would be the core tenet of Judaism. The other references merely build on this concept. In the Christian Bible, the text is taken from Dueteronomy 6:4 "Hear O Isreal that the Lord God is One". (various translations exist)

Good point.

That covenant between God and Israel was given on Mount Sinai (ten commandments). I think that there were earlier references to a convenent though such as the encounter between Moses and God at the Burning Bush or the references to a Covenant with Abraham.

Edited by Cryptic - 22-Jan-2008 at 17:51

So is it compulsory to be circumcised in order to become a Jew.

Cryptic wrote:

Good point.

That covenant between God and Israel was given on Mount Sinai (ten commandments). I think that there were earlier references to a convenent though such as the encounter between Moses and God at the Burning Bush or the references to a Covenant with Abraham.

Noah should be included here (Genesis 9-9), either way im not sure him and Abraham are exclusively Jewish, they certainly are not uniquely Jewish. The deluge story dates back a further and Abraham is a father of a belief system that jews are simply a branch of.

Leonidas wrote:

Noah should be included here (Genesis 9-9), either way im not sure him and Abraham are exclusively Jewish, they certainly are not uniquely Jewish. The deluge story dates back a further and Abraham is a father of a belief system that jews are simply a branch of.

According to the Quran, Abraham (puh) (1) was not Jewish, moreover (2) Muhammad (puh) is instructed to follow Abraham(puh).

(1) They say: "Become Jews or become Christions, and find the right way". Say: No.We follow the way of Abraham the upright,who was never an idolator."

[2:135]

(2) "So we commanded you to follow the way of Abraham the upright, he never was an idol worshipper."

[16:123]

And again according to the Quran, Abraham was the first one called himself and his people muslims.

"Strive in the way of God with a service worthy of him. He has chosen you and laid no hardship on you in the way of faith, the faith of your forbear Abraham, He named you Muslim earlier, and in this (Quran), in order that the prophet be witness over you, and you be witness over mankind. So be firm in devotion,pay the zakat, and hold on firmly to God.He is your friend:How excellent a friend is He, how excellent a helper!"

[22:78]

Edited by Scorpius - 02-Feb-2008 at 00:44

Omar al Hashim wrote:

gcle2003 wrote:

FAQ FAQ wrote:

So is it compulsory to be circumcised in order to become a Jew.

Not for women.

and for men?

[QUOTE=Omar al Hashim] I'm not sure you can become a jew. Either your are born a jew, or your not a jew. The Khazars still aren't considered "real" jews by many.

and I used to think there are no more Turkish Jews.

If you see the diversity among Jews you would realize that they do not belong to one race.

Why is my first statement within quotes???

Edited by FAQ FAQ - 03-Feb-2008 at 08:09

Well on a history forum you generally aren't refering to today at all.

"O Byzantines! If success is your desire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to remain then give the pledge to this Prophet"
~ Heraclius, Roman Emperor

Contrary to what most people think Judaism is not a monotheistic religion. The 5th commandment of the ten commandements says

"You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me"

Other Gods were supposed to exist but the Jews only had to worship "Yahweh".

Some say that that is montheistic enough but then in that way most other cultures were monotheisitc as tribe and cities only worshipped a single God but it was only when the Gods of all the tribes and Vities were reckoned that there became many Gods.