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Rank: Newbie
Joined: 1/9/2012
Posts: 25
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Location: New Zealand
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I had run into situations whereby there had been discussions about who could be assimilated into Judaism, Orthodox Judaism has it's guidelines and other Judaism denominations could have theirs.
What is surprising is in the Christian Bible Old Testament In the Book of Nehemiah chapter 13 has a situation whereby the Israelites returning from Babylon made a decision to not absorb foreigners into their community. There is also reference to Israelites who are not descendents to 12 sons who made up the geneology of Israelites, in the Book of Nehemiah.
You would thus expect the Isrelites today to have a sigular racial appearance, regardless of what ever they looked like back in Nehemiah's day, intermarriage among themselves per the Nehemiah situation, would result in a unified appearance of Israelites today. It is most likely that they had a unified racial appearance when the Israelites returned to Israel from exile, in the days of Nehemiah.
It is a situation or else I would not had brought it up.
Including consequences as well according to the Christian Bible.
When you see a people like Herod who were running the Israelite Temple in the days of Jesus.
It leaves much to be desired from the preaching of the Christian leaders/reverands by not thinking deeper than the surface.
This is no way says that the Israelite Old Testament today describes what the Christian Bible says.
Cheers.
A Star In The Morning.
Light of Night.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 2/13/2010
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It is a rather unique situation:
Whatever the intentions, there was clearly massive cultural, social, and "intimate" interaction between peoples, especially after the diaspora. This happened over centuries, people blended with the societies they lived in. Of course there were cross-cultural marriages.
What I find inspiring is that across 20 centuries, there was a cohesiveness based on faith and culture that transcended the loss of the Israelite homeland. Any other people would be lost to the sands of time. Not these hardy folks.
They held fast to their traditions and beliefs, and found their way back home. I think Judaism and the Israeli state is truly a belief system, much more so than it is a particular set of DNA. Israel is an idea, more than an ethnicity. Much like the USA.
"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong". (Knight's Oath, Kingdom of Heaven)
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Rank: Advanced Member
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To Star In The Morning: I am not sure what you are saying. Could you explain your post more. Thank you. Marissa.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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To HWN: You have some interesting points in your post. However, Jewish people may disagree with you on the point you made concerning their identity as a 'people'.
"They held fast to their traditions and beliefs, and found their way back home. I think Judaism and the Israeli state is truly a belief system, much more so than it is a particular set of DNA. Israel is an idea, more than an ethnicity. Much like the USA."
I say this because of the one time in particular, of my several attempts at converting to Judaism, when speaking with a Rabbi of an Orthodox sect of Jews, I was told that it was impossible for me to convert unless somehow my Jewish spirit had somehow wound up in non Jewish body. Though I thought this was a very strange reply coming from a learned man, I actually think that this is true in my case... But the reason why I tell you this is because it reflects the belief held by (some?)Jews that to be Jewish one must belong to a particular ethnicity. I wonder what you and others think about this Rabbi's reply.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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From the stand point of the Christian Greek Scriptures to be a fleshly Jew is an irrelevance to God.
Romans 2:28,29.
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
So it is not one's Jewishness according to the flesh, but rather one's proper relationship with God that is important. According to Jesus God abandoned the Jewish nation through their rejection of his son, and their lack of faith. So now according to the scriptures anyone, from any nation, who serves God acceptably, is approved by him.
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Thank you Percival for your reply.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Joined: 10/21/2009
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Location: Pakistan
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Islamic teachings confirms the verses percivalpecksniff brought from the Christian Greek Scriptures. They can be applyed also for making a Muslim. Quran also says that those who beleive in God and the day of resurection would hold his right to be in Paradise.
Exept the beleif in the last two Prophets Judaism teaches exactly what Islam does. At the rising of Islam Jews were considered those who were the descendents of 12 sons of Abraham. Before Islam a Prophet was limited to his own tribe to preach the faith. So Judaism appeared as a certain ethnic religion. They kept their lineage as carefully as they held fast with their faith.
EDIT: The Arab Muslims are also known for keeping their paternal lineage where many claim of having the Jewish lineage while they strongly abide Islam.
*It's wonderful to know that all languages are Greek if not understood.*
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