 |
|
| Browse | Ask | Answer | Search | Join/Login |
|
- Yehoshua - Joshua
- Shoftim - Judges
- Shmuel A - 1 Samuel
- Shmuel B - 2 Samuel
- Melachim A - 1 Kings
- Melachim B - 2 Kings
- Yisheyah - Isaiah
- Yermiyah - Jeremiah
- Yechezchial - Ezekiel
- Hoshea - Hosea
- Yoel - Joel
- Amos - Amos
- Ovadiyah - Obadiah
- Yonah - Jonah
- Michah - Micah
- Nachum - Nahum
- Chabakuk - Habakkuk
- Tzefaniyah - Zephaniah
- Chaggi - Haggai
- Zechariyah - Zechariah
- Malachi - Malachi
- Tehilim - Psalms
- Mishlei - Proverbs
- Eyov - Job
- Shir HaShirim - Song of Songs
- Ruth - Ruth
- Eichah - Lamentations
- Keholet - Ecclesiastes
- Esther - Esther
- Daniyel - Daniel
- Ezra - Ezra
- Nechemiyah - Nehemiah
- Divrei Yamim A - 1 Chronicles
- Divrei Yamim B - 2 Chronicles
|
||||
|
Our similarities?
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html
I am not sure if anyone remembers this link I posted here sometime back.. I did the beliefnet quiz and the results.. Islam (100%) Orthodox Judaism (100%). Now I am wondering where are the similarities,which matches my beliefs? Thank you in advance. |
||||
|
||||
|
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.? Kind of 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: 1. Islam (100%) 2. Orthodox Judaism (100%) 3. Reform Judaism (98%) So we seem to be on the same wavelength. Hope this helps you understand Judaism a little bit better. Feel free to ask any more questions you may have. Elliot |
||||
|
||||
|
Interesting! Here are my top 3 results:
1. Reform Judaism (100%) 2. Orthodox Judaism (88%) 3. Islam (86%) How interesting... 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. |
||||
|
||||
 Originally Posted by RubyPitbull
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. Originally Posted by ETWolverine
(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? Originally Posted by ETWolverine
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 wasn't 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? Thanks again. |
||||
|
||||
|
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 Deity 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. |
||||
|
||||
|
Originally Posted by simoneaugie
|
||||
|
||||
|
Hi Firmbeliever-
We both have purer monotheistic Faiths. We both are fervent in our Faiths. We both do not believe G-d is a man. We both do not believe G-d could actually die. We both share in the Decalogue (commandments). We both have dietary religious laws, rituals, and traditions. We both share some of the Biblical patriarchs. We both love our parents. We both love our children. We both wait upon a Messiah that fulfills his duty by bringing about a messianic age. We both, generally speaking, want to live in a world of peace. Beliefnet: Belief-O-Matic, Religion Beliefs, What Religion Am I Quiz -- Beliefnet.com 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. Anyway, here are my results: Orthodox Judaism (100%) Islam (95%) Reform Judaism (83%) Bobby |
||||
|
||||
|
Hi again, Firm.
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. Elliot |
||||
|
||||
|
Originally Posted by firmbeliever
According to Jewish law, there are 3 kinds of sins. These are: Mayzid - a sin done on purpose. Shogeg - a sin done by accident, but which could have been avoided with more care. Oness - a sin that was done completely because of something beyond our control. For example, if I turn on a light on the Sabbath (an act that is prohibbited) simply because I wanted to, and didn't care that I was violating the law, that is a Mayzid. If I accidentally turned on the light either because I forgot is was the Sabbath or because I wasn't paying attention and turned it on out of habbit, that is a Shogeg. If I turned on the light because someone was sick, and I needed light in order to help save their life, that is an Oness. In ancient times, during the time of the Great Temple, we had a sacrificial system by which we sacrificed animals. Some of these were for daily worship, some were for holiday worship, some were for for thanks for a special event, etc. And some were for asking forgiveness and repentance. These atonement sacrifices were ONLY EFFECTIVE for Shogeg sins. That is important to note, as it becomes an important factor later in this explanation. So keep it in mind. The other two forms of sins did not require sacrifices. An Oness was not our fault, and so G-d doesn't hold it against us, and no sacrifice is needed. A Mayzid, which was a sin done on purpose, was considered too awful for a sarifice to be effective, and so OTHER actions had to be taken instead. These included prayer, acknowledgement for the sin, requesting forgiveness directly from G-d and a resolution to never do it again. So "atonement" is an ongoing, life-long effort, not a one-shot deal. Since the destruction of the Second Great Temple in 70 AD, we have not had a sacrificial system in place (according to Jewish Law, sacrifices can only be performed on the alter of the Great Temple). In place of the daily, holiday and special sacrifices, the Rabbis established a system of prayers... each prayer period representing a sacrifice that would have been performed in the Great Temple. Similarly, the Rabbis instituted a system of prayers to represent the sacrifices for thanks and for forgiveness as well. But remember from above that sacrifices only mattered for Shogeg sins. So this edict only effects a very specific group of sins. And what we have done is to institute the same prayer system that we use for Mayzid sins. The reasoning is that if prayer and repentance are enough to atone for a Mayzid, a deliberate act of defiance, then surely it is good enough to attone for an accidental sin, which is much less serious an offense in the eyes of G-d. So in the end analysis, the way we attone for our sins is through prayer and action... prayer for our sins, and the action of never doing that sin again. Please note that the above explanation only applies to sins against G-d. For sins against our fellow man, not even sacrifice and prayer will bring attonement. The only way to atone for a sin against our fellow man is to ask his forgiveness. Often, this is harder to do than to ask G-d for forgiveness. G-d is infinitely merciful and he WANTS to forgive us. But our fellow man holds grudges and his mercy has limitations, and obtaining his forgiveness can be very difficult. That is why there are many who say that a sin against your fellow man is much worse than a sin against G-d... G-d forgives, man might not. So that is a short, but complicated, primer on atonement of sins according to the Jewish religion. As for views of the afterlife, there are two basic views in Judaism, but they basically amount to the same thing. Upon our death, our souls come before G-d and are judged. One angel, called Soton, acts as the prosecutor at the trial, while another angel, Micha-el, acts as the defense attorney. The actions of our lives are judged by G-d. If we are judged to be "good", we enter Gan-Eden (Garden of Eden/heaven), there to bask in the joy and glory of G-d. (Don't ask me what that means, I have no idea.) If we are judged to be "evil", we spend a time in Gehinom (hell), where we suffer for a time until our sins have been purged. Once that is done, we are then able to enter heaven, there to bask... yada, yada. To make things more complicated, there are those who say that heaven and hell are the same thing. If we are found to be "good", we are able to enjoy being in front of G-d. But if we are found to be "evil", we are ashamed of our sins, and that shame makes us suffer. We are shameful of being before G-d in a state of sin, and that shame is infinitely painful. But after a time, the shame fades (how long it takes is proportional to the level of sin), and then we are able to enjoy being before G-d. Thus, according to this belief, the punishment we receive is simply the consequences of our actions, the shame we feel at having committed the sins in the first place. Again, these are very simplified explanations of these concepts, and huge volumes have been written about them. Naturally, since the only people who could possibly tell us what happens after death are people who have died, there is no way to really know what "reward" and "punishment" are and what forms they take. But Judaism doesn't waste too much time with it. We know our responsibility here on Earth, and the mechanics of whatever happens in the next life is not germain to that responsibility. It is enough to simply know that if we do what G-d wants, we will be rewarded, and if not, we will be punished. The details aren't that important to Jewish philosophy. Hope this helps. Elliot |
||||
|
||||
|
Thanks Elliot for your simplified explanation.
You would be surprised to know that I understand your explanation as it is somewhat similar to my beliefs(which is no surprise to me). I have another question... :) How about the spiritual realm?Do you believe in the existence of Satan and its evil forces among men and spirit? Humans seeing ghosts? And souls?Do you believe in the return of souls into this world after death like some believe to appear to loved ones or wronged souls being stuck in limbo sort of thing? Thanks again. EDIT:... I was talking about your last answer regarding sins. |
||||
|
||||
|
Originally Posted by BABRAM
Originally Posted by ETWolverine
On free will and divine pre-ordainment I think we are very similar. I agree the Almighty is all aware of the past,future and present of everything that exists in this world and beyond. Where do you stand on evolution,blood donation (I ask this because only recently I realised that some faiths forbid the donating or transfusion of blood into them even to save lives) ? And where can I find stories of the Prophets according to Judaism? Thanks again.. |
||||
|
||||
|
Firm,
Abortions are permitted in cases of rape or incest, as well as medical emergencies where the mother's life is at risk. As for the spiritual realm: We do not believe in "Satan" as the Christians do. Our "Satan" is the "Soton" I described above... the prosecuting angel. He is not an opponent of G-d who tries to promote evil or capture souls. He is merely a prossecutor. Ghosts and souls returning to Earth: there are those who believe in "Dybbuk" which are souls of the dead that take over a human or animal body. There is a book called "The Dybbuk" which tells a fictional story of a dybbuk that takes over a human body. But it's not something that we HAVE to believe in. Some believe it, some don't, and it doesn't really matter one way or the other. Personally, I don't believe in dybbuks. We believe that it is possible for the souls of the dead to communicate with humans through dreams. But again, that is something that some believe, some don't, and it doesn't really matter. Finally, we believe that souls of Great Men who may have failed to accomplish a specific mission can be reincarnated as another person so that this soul can accomplish that mission, whatever it is, and "complete" that Great Man. This isn't as a punishment, but rather as a chance to finish unfinished business. Evolution: there are two schools of though in Judaism, both of which are acceptable. 1) The world was created in 6 days, there was no evolution. Darwin was 100% wrong. 2) The world was created in 6 "eras", and evolution ocured, but in accordance with the descriptions of the Bible... first oceans, then plants, then lower animals, then more advanced animals, and finally man. Thus Darwin may have been right in some details, but it was through the Hand of G-d and the Divine Plan that evolution took place as described in the Bible. There is no problem with blood donations whatsoever, in Judaism. In most cases of immediate need, organ donations are also permissible, but that requires a questioning Rabinical authority, because each case is different. Stories of the Prophets: in the "Books of the Prophets" which is part of the OT Bible. The following are the books of the Prophets, and most of their stories are available on various Bible internet sites. They also link to a website that translates the Hebrew into English. (Decent translation, but not the best... but it's free.) In addition to these, there are also the "Books of Writtings". They might also appeal to you, so here they are. Enjoy. Elliot |
||||
|
||||
|
Thank you...
Its going to take some time for me to get through the stories of the Prophets. EDIT:... ET, you mentioned somewhere here, about awaiting a Messianic rule,could you explain a bit more detail on what exactly you meant?Are there signs you await before this happens?Does this event mean the end of the world or does it herald Juedgement? Thanks again. |
||||
|
||||
|
I found another similarity while reading through this Judaism 101: A List of the 613 Mitzvot (Commandments).
Both are against usury. This too is similar"That a man shall not wear women's clothing (Deut. 22:5) (CCN179). That a woman should not wear men's clothing (Deut. 22:5) (CCN178)." Another thing I noticed was this "Not to make a graven image; neither to make it oneself nor to have it made by others (Ex. 20:4) (CCN9). Not to make any figures for ornament, even if they are not worshipped (Ex. 20:20) (CCN144). Not to make idols even for others (Ex. 34:17; Lev. 19:4) (CCN10). Not to use the ornament of any object of idolatrous worship (Deut. 7:25) (CCN17). Not to make use of an idol or its accessory objects, offerings, or libations (Deut. 7:26) (CCN18). See Grape Products." If someone could explain further please,does this mean that there are no images of living creatures or humans in Jewish homes? There was another detail I wanted to ask,about a menstruating woman not praying I can understand,but it also says that "That a menstruating woman is unclean and defiles others (Lev. 15:19-24) (affirmative)" Does this mean that she stays away from everyone during this period or is it only in regard to place of worship? And about circumcision, is it done on the 7th or 8th day?Or is it flexible that it can be performed at a later age before adulthood?And does it have to be done by a Rabbi or religious person or is it allowed to be done in a medical facility by non-Jews? Beard,is it only the Rabbis that keep the beard long?Or is it recommended practice for all followers or only the Orthodox? Thanks again... |
||||
|
||||
|
Hi Firmbeliver-
I'm not Orthodox so I don't see fit to follow the laws to certain extent, however I understand the menstruating woman to mean no sexual relations between wife and husband until she is finished and gone through mikvah. However there is more to the Jewish law on Niddah, so yes there are certain further contacts that are not permitted. Perhaps Rosends can give more detail, I think ETW took leave of absence from the board for awhile. Being Reform my wife and I wait till she finishes her menstruation period, but don't actively seek mikvah. As for circumcision it is to be done on the eight day. I recently had my son's bris done with blessing of name on the eight day, followed by festive meal. Facial hair, if your observant to this law, than you should not cut the corners of your head; starting below each ear and around the chin. This applies not only to rabbis, but all older Jewish males past adolescence. I kept a beard for years, back when I was more observant. The length is that you need to be able to at least pinch the hair growth grasping with two fingers. In other words it can be maintained and groomed or you can have it as long as you like. Bobby |
||||
Not your question?
Ask your question
View similar questions
| Question Tools | Search this Question |
Add your answer here.
Check out some similar questions!
Similarities in humans and pigs
[ 1 Answers ]
It was claimed that there are similarities between humans and pigs. Please explain
View more questions Search
|
