Well, the Messiah isn't supposed to exemplify Judaism (in the Jewish concept). S/He is just supposed to bring all Jews back to Israel when the world is ready for it.
Christians tend to interpret this as Armageddon (i.e., the crazy ones I deal with frequently). Judaism simply interprets this - apparently - as a new age of world peace, where anyone righteous no matter their religion would theoretically be welcome as long as they adhered to the Noachide laws (which admittedly have a huge bias towards Jewish thought and belief - no polytheistic worshiping or idolatry). Though from what I've read even "bad" people can only get locked out of Heaven/the new age/whatever can only be gone for up to a year, so it sounds like everyone gets there in the end (coincidentally, this is the belief of most Muslims, apparently - we have a lot in common for two groups that fight so much). If you look up the Noachide laws, though, get it from a Jewish source - a lot of "Noachide groups" which seem to actually be Messianic Jewish fronts stick up their interpretation of it, which is quite different.
Now, Orthodox/Fundamentalist Jews tend to be of the belief there is an afterlife, but many believe this new age would simply be for the people living in that time. Orthodox Jews - at least rabbinic authorities - will tell you it's iron-clad. Conservative, some Orthodox, and liberal groups think it's just the time and people who are there at the time. Frankly, a lot of this afterlife stuff in Judaism came under Roman rule just a bit before Jesus and I tend to think it's a lot of BS.
My mom's Roman Catholic. It's why I have to convert. I'm much more fluent in Judaism now, but I understand Christianity pretty well too, which is probably why I'm no longer identifying as Christian. Forget how they behave towards non-Christians and try to make their law part of state law and all the other stuff I can dislike the more extreme Christianity for -- I see the theology of Christianity as flawed, Jesus and the Trinity aside. There's no responsibility in it. I'm forgiven if I repent. I'm forgiven if I accept Jesus Christ as my savior. I can do anything, and be forgiven by someone other than whom I transgressed against.
In Judaism, that's not how it works. Period. If you kill someone, you will never be completely forgiven because they cannot grant it to you. You must be forgiven by the specific person you transgressed against in order to be forgiven. Transgressions against G-d? Forgiven through a process called Teshuvah (then if you abstain from sinning twice, you're forgiven). You're completely responsible to fix up your own mess. Paul twisted this around to mean that no one could get through life without being damned, but in truth, humans aren't meant to get through life without ever missing the mark in Jewish theology.
Man. That was a long speech. Christian theology really does bug me, I'll admit.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-01-18 05:58 am (UTC)Christians tend to interpret this as Armageddon (i.e., the crazy ones I deal with frequently). Judaism simply interprets this - apparently - as a new age of world peace, where anyone righteous no matter their religion would theoretically be welcome as long as they adhered to the Noachide laws (which admittedly have a huge bias towards Jewish thought and belief - no polytheistic worshiping or idolatry). Though from what I've read even "bad" people can only get locked out of Heaven/the new age/whatever can only be gone for up to a year, so it sounds like everyone gets there in the end (coincidentally, this is the belief of most Muslims, apparently - we have a lot in common for two groups that fight so much). If you look up the Noachide laws, though, get it from a Jewish source - a lot of "Noachide groups" which seem to actually be Messianic Jewish fronts stick up their interpretation of it, which is quite different.
Now, Orthodox/Fundamentalist Jews tend to be of the belief there is an afterlife, but many believe this new age would simply be for the people living in that time. Orthodox Jews - at least rabbinic authorities - will tell you it's iron-clad. Conservative, some Orthodox, and liberal groups think it's just the time and people who are there at the time. Frankly, a lot of this afterlife stuff in Judaism came under Roman rule just a bit before Jesus and I tend to think it's a lot of BS.
My mom's Roman Catholic. It's why I have to convert. I'm much more fluent in Judaism now, but I understand Christianity pretty well too, which is probably why I'm no longer identifying as Christian. Forget how they behave towards non-Christians and try to make their law part of state law and all the other stuff I can dislike the more extreme Christianity for -- I see the theology of Christianity as flawed, Jesus and the Trinity aside. There's no responsibility in it. I'm forgiven if I repent. I'm forgiven if I accept Jesus Christ as my savior. I can do anything, and be forgiven by someone other than whom I transgressed against.
In Judaism, that's not how it works. Period. If you kill someone, you will never be completely forgiven because they cannot grant it to you. You must be forgiven by the specific person you transgressed against in order to be forgiven. Transgressions against G-d? Forgiven through a process called Teshuvah (then if you abstain from sinning twice, you're forgiven). You're completely responsible to fix up your own mess. Paul twisted this around to mean that no one could get through life without being damned, but in truth, humans aren't meant to get through life without ever missing the mark in Jewish theology.
Man. That was a long speech. Christian theology really does bug me, I'll admit.