I am split between Judaism and Christianity

Scroll to see replies

Here's a clip from a recent rally in PNG.

So, the video description says, "God recovers sight of the blind woman." Firstly, how can I be certain this woman was blind in the first place? Secondly, should we assume she was blind, where is the proof that she could see afterwards?

As David Hume said:

"no testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle unless the testimony be of such a kind that its falsehood would be more miraculous than the fact which it endeavours to establish"

What is more likely, that we have been misled into believing that a blind woman was healed and now can see, or that a miracle has taken place? I would say that the former is far more likely and does not contradict science or out understanding of the world. In fact, everybody can tell you of a time they were misled by another person. It is a common experience all humans share. The same cannot be said of miracles.

Reply 61

troubadour.

Original post by The Epicurean

PRSOM.

Reply 62

Xelfrost

Speaking as someone from the Jewish community I would advise converting to a different sect of Christianity unless you want to join the Reform lot, not because of ideological reasons but purely on the basis I've seen first hand the way some of our Orthodox and conservative lot talk about and treat most of the Gentile converts.
Remember that becoming a jew is a huge commitment, a lot more than becoming christian, you will have to be taught our traditions by a Rabbi who -will- make a conscious effort to dissuade you. (This isn't anything personal, but the Talmud tells us to only allow the most devoted to join our ranks.) The entire process will take roughly a year and then you will be taken to a court of Rabbi's who will assess you before performing a Bris. This is the big one for a lot of people as the process is irreversible and if you decide you don't want to be jewish after you'll be left without a foreskin.

Reply 63

Howard

Original post by Anonymous1502

For a while I feel like something is missing I feel like I can't speak to God anymore I feel so lost.For a while, Judaism has been fascinating me I kind of want to convert however maybe I just want a new beginning I feel like I can no longer speak sincerely to God.I do not know what to do I was raised Catholic, but I don't want to be Catholic because many are homophobic and sexist (not all but some) also the news keeps making the catholic church look bad.I am against smoking and alcohol, but I don't want to be Muslim because it is not a religion that interests me.Am I coming to an age where I have lost my identity and maybe religion will help me find myself again?Should I just look for a different type of Christianity or do what? I don't know whether I believe or not I believe in Jesus, I never thought about it.I guess being raised Catholic I just accepted it and did not think about it.

Can't you just be yourself? Do you have to join a particular group of people to worship with?

If your only problem with Catholicism is that some are homophobic and sexist then find a more liberal catholic church in your area or try another denomination altogether - there are hundreds to choose from.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 64

Anonymous1502

From what I have heard from a rabbi when I visited a synagogue during a school trip, Jesus is not considered the messiah by the Jews because when the Messiah will come suffering will end.This is what I have heard anyway, I am not sure whether this is correct.This makes me not believe in Jesus if I think of it as there is, so much poverty and suffering in the word.I have thought of the question whether Jesus is the Messiah, this is my conclusion.

Reply 65

Anonymous1502

Original post by Howard

Can't you just be yourself? Do you have to join a particular group of people to worship with?

Well I think having a religion would give me more fulfillment in life as well as when I am worried about something and I pray to God, and I ask God to help me it helps me and I feel like my worries do not come true and my prayers are answered,I am not sure whether it makes sense, but I am hoping that finding a religion that has similar views to my views I would have a new beginning.

Reply 66

troubadour.

Original post by Anonymous1502

For the vast majority of Jewish denominations, it's correct.

This makes me not believe in Jesus if I think of it as there is, so much poverty and suffering in the word.I have thought of the question whether Jesus is the Messiah, this is my conclusion.

You're assuming that the statement 'when the Messiah comes, suffering will end' is necessarily true to come to that conclusion.

Reply 67

troubadour.

Original post by Anonymous1502

It's better to believe in a religion because you think it's true rather than because you agree with its preachments more than you do with your current religion's.

There are other sources of comfort than some god. Have all your prayers been answered? I suspect not. :tongue:

Reply 68

Howard

Original post by Anonymous1502

Sounds to me that you are trying to find a God that agrees with you! Good luck.

Reply 69

Anonymous1502

Original post by Hydeman

For the vast majority of Jewish denominations, it's correct.

You're assuming that the statement 'when the Messiah comes, suffering will end' is necessarily true to come to that conclusion.

This is what I have heard it sounds like a good explanation for suffering.But then what if we suffer because of our sins as we have free will?

Reply 70

troubadour.

Original post by Anonymous1502

This is what I have heard it sounds like a good explanation for suffering.

Why does suffering need to have a supernatural explanation? :s-smilie:

You should consider looking at this without assuming it's a good explanation because of how it sounds. Is there any evidence for it? That's the most appropriate question to ask, I think.

But then what if we suffer because of our sins as we have free will?

If you believe that, then you'd also have to believe that any good in the world doesn't come from God, a concession that most religious people won't make. That's the central hypocrisy of a lot of religions: If something good happens, it's because of God and we should thank him and glorify him for it. If something bad happens, it's because God works in mysterious ways. It doesn't add up.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 71

Anonymous1502

Original post by Hydeman

Why does suffering need to have a supernatural explanation? :s-smilie:

You should consider looking at this without assuming it's a good explanation because of how it sounds. Is there any evidence for it? That's the most appropriate question to ask, I think.

If you believe that, then you'd also have to believe that any good in the world doesn't come from God, a concession that most religious people won't make. That's the central hypocrisy of a lot of religions: If something good happens, it's because of God and we should thank him and glorify him for it. If something bad happens, it's because God works in mysterious ways. It doesn't add up.

So what do you think is the reason for suffering?What do you think is a reasonable reason?

Reply 72

troubadour.

Original post by Anonymous1502

So what do you think is the reason for suffering?What do you think is a reasonable reason?

I don't think there's any single reason why there is suffering. The concept of suffering itself is too broad to be considered singularly -- do you mean suffering of a physiological kind? Mental anguish? Poverty? It's too vague. My explanation for why somebody suffers from stage 4 cancer will be a lot different to my explanation for why somebody who had their legs blown off while serving in Afghanistan can't walk.

I consider the question of why there is suffering to be one that isn't worth my time because it's a nonsense question. It's much like asking, 'why do mountains exist?' or 'what is the colour of envy?'

Reply 73

Killuminati1989

If you choose Judaism, make sure you get the metzitzah b'peh performed. Its where the Rabbi sucks the circumcision scar

Reply 74

simbasdragon

Original post by Killuminati1989

If you choose Judaism, make sure you get the metzitzah b'peh performed. Its where the Rabbi sucks the circumcision scar

A glass is used to create pressure to stop the bleeding, which would be done under local anasthetic, not directly using the mouth. Rabbis would be just as averse to the idea of sucking there directly as the circumcised person would be.

Reply 75

simbasdragon

Original post by Anonymous1502

If you have any specific questions about Judaism, feel free to pm me.

Reply 76

Killuminati1989

Original post by simbasdragon

and yet there have been several deaths from infection where a Rabbi infected a newborn with Herpes

Reply 77

Supermonkey92

Original post by The Epicurean

You may be surprised to hear that in rather modern philosophy, Hume's argument against miracles has been strongly challenged if not actually, successfully refuted.

He didn't have the tool 'inference to the best explanation' in his toolbox as it wasn't until a few centuries later that probability theory arose with Bayes. The recent change in impressions of Hume's argument actually started with Humean supporters, who were looking to use Bayes theorem to illustrate the strength of the argument - but it just couldn't work. Somewhat of a watershed came in 2000 when John Earman, who's an agnostic philosopher of science and an able user of Bayes theorem, demonstrated how it fails. To try and give accurate picture of the book in one sentence as I can - Hume's argument is very broad (people lie and blind people don't suddenly get their sight back against scientific reasoning) which only serves to make the prior probability of something happening very unlikely. But what Earman showed is that it is perfectly possible, and in some cases normal, for specific cases to be so unlikely that people lied that it neutralises the prior probability - which is Hume's whole argument down the pan.

If you are interested in the contemporary debate on Hume i can't strongly enough suggest giving Earman's book a read, aptly titled 'Hume's abject failure'

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 78

Anonymous1502

Original post by Killuminati1989

If you choose Judaism, make sure you get the metzitzah b'peh performed. Its where the Rabbi sucks the circumcision scar

I thought a bar mitzvah is when you celebrate that you turned 13 (not sure if it is 13) what glass?

Reply 79

simbasdragon

Original post by Killuminati1989

and yet there have been several deaths from infection where a Rabbi infected a newborn with Herpes

Only the ultra-Orthodox communities do this, which are very resistant to change in general and are mostly seperated from mainstream Judaism. On top of that, all parents sign a consent form that they are aware of the risks, but prefer to take them as they want a link to the practises of their ancestors, with the risk being extremely small