jew/gentile moral expectations

[Abira]

ok to keep it simple:

I was thinking today how jews follow a set morality laid down for them and yet only expect geniles to follow the seven laws of noah…

do they as a faith believe that these two levels of morality will have an effect on how we are to be judged? or roles in the world to come?

i’ll leave it there

 

[Valke2]

ok to keep it simple:

I was thinking today how jews follow a set morality laid down for them and yet only expect geniles to follow the seven laws of noah…

do they as a faith believe that these two levels of morality will have an effect on how we are to be judged? or roles in the world to come?

i’ll leave it there

First, there not the Noah’s laws. They’re the laws that we believe Noah was obligated to follow. Since Noah was a righteous man, and since these were the only laws that he was required to follow, we believe that a non-jew, one who does not share our covenantal responsibilities, can live a righteous life and have a sharfe in the world to come by keeping the Noahide Laws. This is one reason given for discouraging conversion. Because a convert will actually have a harder time in earning their share in the world to come, since they will have to keep all the commandments.

THe Noahide laws ensure that one lives an ethical/moral life and that societies based on the laws (system of court’s, believing in the Onensess of God, etc.) will be ethical and moral societies. We believe that all of humanity are bound by these laws. A non-jew who keeps all of the Noahide laws, because of awe of God, is on the same level as the most pious jew.

 

[mommyof4]

I’m feeling really stupid right now, but what ARE Noah’s laws? I’ve never heard of this???

 

[Valke2]

1. Do not worship false Gods
2. Do not murder
3. Do not steal

4 Do not be sexually immoral (covers the usual – beastality, incest, male homosexuality, sodomy…)

1. No blasphemy
2. Don’t eat a limb that was torn from a living animal.
3. Set up an honest judicial system

THere are a lot of laws that fall under these seven. For example, Number 6 is seen also as a general prohibition agianst cruelty to animals.

It’s all based on the fact that, according to us, Adam and Eve were given 6 commandments (you have to go to the Talmud to figure out how we arrive at this). Plus the one law given to Noah (don’t tear the limb).

 

[mommyof4]

Thank you for your quick answer. Much of this seems to correlate with the 10 commandments.

 

[Abira]

Clear answers - thanks!

I don’t understand how it can be right for two peoples to follow different moral codes within the same society …

it just doesn’t seem fair!

 

[Valke2]

Clear answers - thanks!

I don’t understand how it can be right for two peoples to follow different moral codes within the same society …

it just doesn’t seem fair!

I guess because it is not the goal of Judaism to make everyone a Jew but to make a world where everyone worships and acknowledges the One God and where we all live in an etehical and just community. It really is Judaism’s attempt to be all inclusive and at the same tijme remain different. Think of it as being similar to certain rules applying to priests that don’'t apply to the congregation. That doesn’t mean one is superior to the other

 

[Abira]

when someone is a christian it is their duty to spreal the word of God.

If someone is Jewish is it their duty to spread the word of God aswell??

It’s just I’ve never heard or been approached by a Jewish person trying to convert someone… how else will they createa world where we all acknowldge the one god?

in a way christianity has carried their message through the old testament in a much more effective way…

does this give a new meaning to the whole (i can’t quote exactly … no one can get to the lord except through jesus idea

the world sees god only through jesus and christinity. Why don’t Jewish people spread the word outside of their own communities?

 

[Valke2]

when someone is a christian it is their duty to spreal the word of God.

If someone is Jewish is it their duty to spread the word of God aswell??

It’s just I’ve never heard or been approached by a Jewish person trying to convert someone… how else will they createa world where we all acknowldge the one god?

in a way christianity has carried their message through the old testament in a much more effective way…

does this give a new meaning to the whole (i can’t quote exactly … no one can get to the lord except through jesus idea

the world sees god only through jesus and christinity. Why don’t Jewish people spread the word outside of their own communities?

''Judaism tends to frown upon trying to convert non-jews. One reason being that to do so would impose additional burdens on such people. We generally believe that we should be trying to lead by example, and the way to do that is to live by the commandments.

Having said that, it is certainly possible that we don’t try to convert people because it would undoubtly have increased the persecution of Jews and that through much of history, it would have been suicide.

The other issue is that Judiasm simply isn’t a religion that is geared toward converting the masses. It is a difficult religion, requires a lot of work and a lot of eductaion. It does not seem to be meant for everyone. I have said in another thread that one of the positive aspects of Christianity is that it has been able to spread the idea of monotheism and essentially obedieince to the Noahide laws to the gentiles in a way that Judaism could never accomplish (other than by being the tree from which the fruit of christanity was borne).

 

[Abira]

thanks for your answers I’ll probably think of lots more questions… but not right now

 

[meedo]

Hello valke,

Is it an Obligation for Jews to Invite people to the Beliefs of Noah? or is it a recomendation?

If your friend is a Christian who worships Jesus. Obviously the Jewish beliefs about Noah contradicts that this was the belief of Noah or the law that he should have followed . What do you do ?

thanks

Meedo

 

[Valke2]

Hello valke,

Is it an Obligation for Jews to Invite people to the Beliefs of Noah? or is it a recomendation?

If your friend is a Christian who worships Jesus. Obviously the Jewish beliefs about Noah contradicts that this was the belief of Noah or the law that he should have followed . What do you do ?

thanks

Meedo

There’s a difference between Noah and Noahide Laws. My understanding is that the Noahide Laws would be embraced by a Christian (Do not murder, Do not steal, estalbish fair courts, do not tear the limb from a living animal, do not blasaphey…)

As to whether we should be preaching to the masses to follow the Noahide laws, I believe you could find suppoprt for a yes answer to that question. But Jews don’t generally do this, unless it is to other jews.