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That is an interesting website. I checked it out and took the quiz. It is very generalized. It has to be I think. The questions you marked that you agreed with that link Orthodox Judaism and Islam are, I think, "Do you believe in roles for the different genders?" Some of the political questions had weight that may not necessarily tip the scale the way you would think.
I checked out several of the religiions I scored high on. I see how they did it, it is generalized. The idea is that you look through the different faiths and see which best fits you. Your answers may not "put you 100% in the faith you choose." The faith I choose is at 90%, the faiths I grew up with are 78% and 80%. I do not follow the faith that I scored 100% on.
Two of my lowest scores were Islam and Orthodox Judaism. You and I probably shouldn't get into a religious argument.
FB, I am not sure how legitimate that test is. I am not an Orthodox Jew but I did take the test and my beliefs come out more along the lines of a Unitarian Universalist. ???? Kinda weird.
Have you found anything specific between Islam and Judaism that are similar that you would like to talk about here? Or the differences? Or do you have any other questions that you would like clarification on?
I am not sure if any of the Orthodox Jews here know Islam well enough to tell you what they think are similarities between the two religions. I do believe that the one "Creator" concept is the same, along with not eating pork, anti-abortion, and anti-gay marriage. Possibly the atoning for sin is the same and the views of what happens when we die? How do Muslims atone for sin? What is believed will happen when a person dies?
There are quite a few similarities between our religious beliefs, Firmbeliever.
1) We both believe in a single, all-powerful, all-knowing G-d, who created the world from nothing over a 6-"day" period.
2) We believe that this G-d has no body and has none of the limitations of humanity.
3) We believe in the concept of punishment for sin and reward for doing right.
4) We believe that G-d has spoken to man and given him a set of rules and laws to live by.
5) We believe that those laws are a valid today as the day they were given.
6) We believe that eventually a messianic figure will come and bring an end to pain, strife, and disease, and that this messianic figure will teach the entire world to believe in G-d.
7) We believe that the best people to learn about life from are the great religious leaders of our community.
9) We believe that what we eat affects our spiritual cleanliness, and therefore, we have similar dietary restrictions.
10) We have similar concepts of honoring parents and elders.
11) We have similar concepts regarding conception and right to life, and when life begins.
12) We have similar concepts of which lands are holy and important to our religions. (This has, of course, caused more problems than it has solved, but it is still a point of comonality.)
13) We believe that suffering exists as a part of G-d's plan.
14) We believe that G-d HAS a plan, and that we are not able to know or understand that plan, but that if we fulfill G-d's commandments we are doing our part for that plan.
In short, Orthodox Judaism and Islam have more similarity than they have difference. Which makes the fact that our two religions seem to constantly be at war with each other all the more ironic.
By the way, when I took the quiz, my results were:
The first thing I found fascinating is how close this calculator puts reform Judaism to Orthodox! Although the questions are very general, so the degree of 'resolution' is not very good.
Second, I have always thought that the plain text of Islam is very close to Judaism, and so that does not surprise me. I think I'd feel more comfortable as a Muslim than a Xian.... isn't that weird for Jew to say?
There are quite a few things I'd like to rip out of the Quran, starting with the "Jizya" tax, and a few sentences here and there about killing the non-believers. But if you get past that, there are quite a few parallels. Here's the 'Five Pillars of Islam' as stacked up to Judaism:
1) Publicly bearing witness to the basic affirmation of faith
** Parallels the Sh'ma
2) Saying prescribed prayers five times a day
** Jews are to say prescribed prayers 3 times a day
3) Fasting during the month of Ramadan
** Jews have many fast days, especially Yom Kippur
4) Giving a tithe or alms for support of the poor
** Giving charity is also a commandment in Judaism
5) Making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during the believer's lifetime, if this is possible
** All Jews should at least visit Israel if not move there
Also, our dietary laws are very similar, we both profess faith in a single, all-powerful, non-corporeal G-d, have similar views on a judgement day, emphasis on righteousness through following the law, etc.
Of course Islam is simply a very corrupted form of Judaism... and Xianity is a VERY, VERY corrupted form of Judaism, so I won't actually have either one.
FB, I am not sure how legitimate that test is. I am not an Orthodox Jew but I did take the test and my beliefs come out more along the lines of a Unitarian Universalist. ???? Kinda weird.
Have you found anything specific between Islam and Judaism that are similar that you would like to talk about here? Or the differences? Or do you have any other questions that you would like clarification on?
Possibly the atoning for sin is the same and the views of what happens when we die? How do Muslims atone for sin? What is believed will happen when a person dies?
That site was just some place I tried once a while back..not sure how accurate they are,but the result got me thinking about Judaism.
As I believe, we are of the same source as in belief in the same Almighty Creator,and I find it interesting that many Jews are as steadfast in adhering to the right practices as many muslims.Honouring parents and elders is one thing that is lacking in many parts of the world,but I think Jews and muslims pay more heed to the parents than most others.
I am not sure about the atoning of sins as per Jewish practices,but we believe that doing good and staying away from evil sometimes helps in sins.Major sins,must be atoned for with extra prayers,fasting,charity that sort of thing.
We also believe that when we fall ill or face difficulties in this life,if we are steadfast in our spiritual duties,patient and thankful for the small favours,it works as an expiation of sins.
When we die,we believe we have something called a punishment of the grave which everyone will face in varying degrees,which works as an expiation for some sins which we might not be punished for on the Day of Judgement.
We stay in an intermediary state since death until the Day of Judgement,when we will be raised all of us together to be judged for good and bad we did in this world.
From there we are either sent to Hell or Heaven.Some of those who enter Hell, once the sins are punished for,will get to enter Heaven.
This is just the concept in brief,there are lengthy explanations for each stage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ETWolverine
There are quite a few similarities between our religious beliefs, Firmbeliever.
11) We have similar concepts regarding conception and right to life, and when life begins.
12) We have similar concepts of which lands are holy and important to our religions. (This has, of course, caused more problems than it has solved, but it is still a point of comonality.)
14) We believe that G-d HAS a plan, and that we are not able to know or understand that plan, but that if we fulfill G-d's commandments we are doing our part for that plan.
In short, Orthodox Judaism and Islam have more similarity than they have difference. Which makes the fact that our two religions seem to constantly be at war with each other all the more ironic.
Elliot
I would like some details on your point (11) about conception,right to life and when life begins.
(12)-I find it ironic too that those of whom we share the most history with are the ones we fight the most with,but then I await the Day when all of us believers will face our enemies together under one banner of the One Almighty.
(14)Is this what we call Divine Pre-ordainment and predestination?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ETWolverine
By the way, when I took the quiz, my results were:
Hope this helps you understand Judaism a little bit better.
Feel free to ask any more questions you may have.
Elliot
Thanks Elliot.
I guess I always knew we have more in common than most people realise.
Sorry if my OP was a bit vague on the question,but then I wasnt sure where to begin as there is very little I know about Judaism other than the few basics that I have read here and there during my school years and later.
I have a question regarding the afterlife and atonement of sins as per your books.(Thanks Ruby for reminding me).
How are sins atoned for and do you believe in an afterlife or are we to stay on in this world always?
Thank You for the original question. And thanks to everyone who has shared so far. I've learned a lot.
I am sad for those who believe that almighty, incorporeal God is just waiting for us to die so that we can be punished for expressing our nature. God created us and gave us that nature. It makes no sense to me to grab onto and have faith in a belief, one that continually hangs over our heads causing fear, guilt and hate of those who do not share our views. Does God want us to hate and kill one another? I do not understand.
"No war has ever been waged on the name of Wicca." I accept that your opinions differ from mine. I feel that, if Diety created it, then it was meant to be. Who am I, who are any of us to judge, criticize and condemn? "An' it harm none, do what Ye will" is the wiccan rede. Much easier said than done.
Thank You for the original question. And thanks to everyone who has shared so far. I've learned a lot.
I am sad for those who believe that almighty, incorporeal God is just waiting for us to die so that we can be punished for expressing our nature. God created us and gave us that nature. It makes no sense to me to grab onto and have faith in a belief, one that continually hangs over our heads causing fear, guilt and hate of those who do not share our views. Does God want us to hate and kill one another? I do not understand.
"No war has ever been waged on the name of Wicca." I accept that your opinions differ from mine. I feel that, if Diety created it, then it was meant to be. Who am I, who are any of us to judge, criticize and condemn? "An' it harm none, do what Ye will" is the wiccan rede. Much easier said than done.
Dont be sad for us....our faith and belief is not for the eyes of this world or the judgement of human laws in this world,it is only for the Almighty whom we believe to be answerable on our death.Him alone do we aim to please..
I'm not sure what to make of the quiz. I'm a lot less observant than Orthodox Jewish adherents. In fact, I'm not even Orthodox. Maybe the quiz doesn't distinguish ideology from practice.
The Jewish understanding of when life begins is at conception. From that point forward, the embryo/fetus is considered alive. In that sense, our religions seem to be similar.
However, from a legal perspective, if you kill the fetus any time before it is viable (able to live on its own outside the womb) it is a grave sin, but it is not considered "murder" in the technical sense. Murder can only occur in Jewish law if the vitim would have been able to live on his/her own (with or without the help of machines). So a fetus that is aborted early on is considered a sin, but it is not murder. I believe that our religions differ in this ruling, if I understand Islam's position correctly. I believe that Islam considers ANY abortion to be murder.
Regarding the concept of pre-ordainment or pre-destination, the Jewish viewpoint on this is sometimes confusing to those who didn't grow up learning it. I'll attempt to explain our position, but it may make things more confusing to do so. Feel free to ask more questions.
We believe that everything is pre-ordained by G-d as per His plan. We also believe in the concept of free will. On the surface, these two beliefs would seem to contradictory. If we have free will, then how can anything be pre-ordained by G-d. If everything is pre-ordained, then how can we have free will? The answer to this is that we have the ability to choose our actions, but G-d also knows what choice we will make (being, of course, omnicient --- all knowing). So G-d has already taken our choices into account in his plan.
I like to look at it like this... G-d is like a person holding a snow-globe. The snow-globe is the universe, all of time, space and history. G-d stands outside that globe and is able to look inside from any angle he chooses, is able to shake up the snow-globe, and even has the ability to manipulate the individual snow-flakes. We are the snowflakes. G-d is able to see where each snow-flake will fall or has fallen, and when necessary, he can move the individual snow-flakes around or shake up the whole snow-globe.
Thus G-d is OUTSIDE of time, space and entropy, but is able to see all of time, space and entropy, and manipulate it as he desires. He knows what decisions we have made, are making and will ever make. Most often, he allows the snow-flakes to fall where they may, but occasionally he moves a few of them around as needed. Thus we have free choice, and can choose however we wish, but G-d already knows what that decision is and has already acted to make that choice a part of his plan, and has moved the snowflakes accordingly.
Naturally, this is a very crude and imperfect analogy. G-d is not simply outside the universe, looking in. He IS the universe, and much more. He is both outside and inside the snow-globe, so the analogy of "looking in" doesn't really apply. But this analogy is the best way that I have seen to get across the idea that both free will and predestination can co-exist. But I also know that it is likely to have raised more questions than it answers.
Anyway, feel free to follow up with any other questions.
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