Messianic Jews say they are persecuted in Israel

[Sepharad]

I had a friend who converted from orthodox Judaism. He kept some things around that reminded him of his roots and were sentimental to him. One was a little item that he hung above his door or mantel. It contained a small piece of paper with the name of God written on it. He regarded it as very sacred. I knew nothing about it, never heard of such a thing. He asked me to help him move and I went to his house and we loaded vans and cars and were taking them to storage. This little item fell out of a box onto the back seat floor of the car. He saw it and exploded in anger. I was astonished having no intention of doing anything offensive. I even think it him not me who loaded that box in the car. I did not respond to him, but thought his response was bizarre, pretty crazy, as I do think the public demonstration of fury and Bible burning in Israel is pretty nutty, at best.

That is rather peculiar, that your friend “converted from Orthodox Judaism” yet kept so many deeply Jewish artifacts, and blew up at you for accidentally dropping one (in Judaism, if one drops a holy book, one usually kisses it to show respect.) Most Jews I’ve met who converted to Christianity (MJism excepting) usually tried to hide their Jewishness, or run away from it.

Sounds to me like your friend’s “conversion” wasn’t all that genuine. Maybe, in light of what you said, he will eventually return to his people and his faith.

 

[angelusm]

Jews hated Jesus and His followers 2000 years ago and they do it now as well. We just have to pray for their conversion so they could see the truth.

 

[Sepharad]

Actually, I have no problem with the person of Jesus at all; I think he said some pretty profound things in the NT, which he learned from the Judaism he grew up in.

My problem, and that of most Jews, actually, is with the religion that was created in his name.

 

[grandfather]

That is rather peculiar, that your friend “converted from Orthodox Judaism” yet kept so many deeply Jewish artifacts, and blew up at you for accidentally dropping one (in Judaism, if one drops a holy book, one usually kisses it to show respect.) Most Jews I’ve met who converted to Christianity (MJism excepting) usually tried to hide their Jewishness, or run away from it.

Sounds to me like your friend’s “conversion” wasn’t all that genuine. Maybe, in light of what you said, he will eventually return to his people and his faith.

I have met a number of Jews who converted to Catholicism. They all without exception still feel connected to their Jewish roots and the Jewish people. Saint Paul was the same. They all are attracted at some level to try to be both Christian and Jewish, have the Messianic Jewish experience. You are right that this is a Protestant phenomenon. In the early centuries there were many Jews who converted and wanted to maintain Jewish religious practices. The pope at the time condemned this and said they had to chose one or the other.

Anyone’s conversion from one religion to any other religion has some chance of not being permanent. I know a man who was a devout Protestant and suffered an emotional trauma that caused him to lose his faith. He became Jewish, moved to Israel and married a woman there and lived on a kibbutz. He fought in wars in the IDF. After many years he returned to a Christian faith and meets with other Jewish Christians who consider themselves both.

 

[Sepharad]

I have met a number of Jews who converted to Catholicism. They all without exception still feel connected to their Jewish roots and the Jewish people. Saint Paul was the same. They all are attracted at some level to try to be both Christian and Jewish, have the Messianic Jewish experience. You are right that this is a Protestant phenomenon. In the early centuries there were many Jews who converted and wanted to maintain Jewish religious practices. The pope at the time condemned this and said they had to chose one or the other.

Anyone’s conversion from one religion to any other religion has some chance of not being permanent. I know a man who was a devout Protestant and suffered an emotional trauma that caused him to lose his faith. He became Jewish, moved to Israel and married a woman there and lived on a kibbutz. He fought in wars in the IDF. After many years he returned to a Christian faith and meets with other Jewish Christians who consider themselves both.

My experience has been a bit different. While most of the Jews I have met who converted were converts to “messianic judaism” or evangelical forms of Protestantism, I have met about 5 in my life who became Catholics. I even met one who became Eastern Orthodox. Three of the latter group did not want to discuss their Jewish heritage, and two of them spoke very disdainfully to me of it. One woman indicated she became Catholic to get away from a Jewish family that she found hard to handle (btw I may have met more than the “normal” share of this kind of person, due to my work in exit counseling).

I have found that the more “churchy” a church is that a Jew joins, the less that Jew seems to want to continue to identify with their Jewish heritage. But that makes sense if you think about it. After all, why go to the trouble and disgrace (from a Jewish POV) of joining a very “churchy” church, only to continue identifying as Jewish?

 

[qui_est_ce]

Three of the latter group did not want to discuss their Jewish heritage, and two of them spoke very disdainfully to me of it. {snip}
I have found that the more “churchy” a church is that a Jew joins, the less that Jew seems to want to continue to identify with their Jewish heritage. But that makes sense if you think about it. After all, why go to the trouble and disgrace (from a Jewish POV) of joining a very “churchy” church, only to continue identifying as Jewish?

I guess you’ve never met Rosalind Moss or her brother David.

Salvation is from the Jews.

 

[Therese_Martin]

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This thread is closed. Thanks to all who participated in the discussion.