In Reply to: symbolism posted by Acheick on February 21, 2006 at 01:44:49:
After spending innummerable hours in conversation with an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi, as well as attending several Jewish learning conferences, it is my firm belief that one cannot fully grasp and understand Judaism and come away with their Christian faith intact.
My original motive for deliving into Judaism was to better understand Christianity. Unlike Protestant Christianity which relies entirely on the texts (multiple translations, no less), half of Judaism is the Talmud -- the oral tradition -- which supports the Torah. I wanted to imbibe of that tradition. (Catholicism also relies on oral tradition, however, I felt that Judaism would get me to the root of Christianity faster than Catholicism would).
I do understand that there are Messianic Jews. However, I cannot understand how, if they have studied the texts, they are able to reconcile the Torah and Talmud with New Testament teachings.
The belief system of Christianity is in direct opposition to the belief system of Judaism. As an example: Christianity acknowledges that we are all sinners and must have a savior. Judaism believes that we (or at least Jews, converts to Judaism and non-jews who have done the best they could given the information they had) are automatically granted a place in Heaven.
In fact, Judaism has no hell. And if there is no hell, no need for a savior in the Christian sense.
Jews cannot accept Christianity's claim of Christ's divinity because the Torah itself does not allow for the possibility of God having a "son" or an offshoot of Godness. (One fundamental precepts of Judaism is in the "oneness" or "unity" of God). In fact, Orthodox Jews have a difficult time understanding Christianity's claim of monotheism. Christians themselves often don't understand their own claim of monotheism and for the most part are unnable to explain the doctrine of the trinity in a way that abides with the rest of the Biblical texts.
-- This is besides many of the other issues surrounding the Jewish Messiah.
That said, I am not Jewish, however I can appreciate the fact that Jews do not believe in taking anything by faith and as such many devote the majority of their waking hours to the study of Torah in an attempt to understand exactly what is meant by the words that have been passed down.
They have an advantage in that they are studying the texts in their own language and therefore understand the nuances of the words in addition to the literal meanings. They also have the written words of Rabbis from the last several thousand years who add their opinions on difficult to understand passages.