Happy Jews, Unhappy Christians ?

[fiat lux]

In The Broken Road, the young Patrick Liegh Fermor, walking in 1934 to Constantinople along the Danube in Rumania, had a conversation with a old Jewish innkeeper, 'Domnul David', comparing the Christian and Jewish religions and the older man said;
"I'll tell you the great advantage of our religion over yours: nobody can practice Christianity properly and lead an ordinary life. You Christians, unless you are saints, are always falling short of what you should be; you are never in the right for a second, always guilty, always miserable, always, try as you might, in disgrace. But the Jewish religion is made for human beings, there are a few easy rules we mustn't break, that's all.
We can practice our religion faultlessly, and still live like ordinary humans. It's easy to be a good Jew, impossible to be a good Christian. But Christians are no more virtuous than Jews are they - about the same? - So what's the odds? And the result? We are happy in our religion, you are all miserable, that's all. We've lots of other troubles but not religion".
Do you think he had a point?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Yes.

 

[Brickjectivity]

nobody can practice Christianity properly and lead an ordinary life

Let us hope that is not the case and the people he observed were practising it incorrectly.

 

[CMike]

No. In fact I think it's rather the opposite.

It's the Christians whom say because we are 100% we all need Jesus to get to heaven.

According to Jews we don't need to be perfect, nor are we expected to be perfect.

It's a lot harder to be a good Jew, where you actually have to perform actions to gain merit, whereas as all Christians have to do is believe jesus is whatever they want jesus to be in order to get to heaven.

 

[Buttercup]

Yes. As a former devoted Christian, if I had to pick a religion to follow again, I'd pick Judaism over Christianity, hands down. It's much easier to lead an intellectually stimulating life without guilt and with a genuine smile on your face as a Jew. My first love was Jewish and I'll never forget the fun and stimulating times at the dinner table discussing topics Christians wouldn't dare talk about.

 

[fiat lux]

whereas as all Christians have to do is believe jesus is whatever they want jesus to be in order to get to heaven.

I think there's a bit more to Christianity than that! Isn't for example the requirement of celibacy in the (Catholic) clergy a very big ask? Though perhaps you are being ironic?

 

[Brickjectivity]

Isn't for example the requirement of celibacy in the (Catholic) clergy a very big ask?

It seems like a big ask both for them and everybody else who has to take their advice about relationships.

 

[Akivah]

So what's the odds? And the result? We are happy in our [Jewish] religion, you [Christians] are all miserable, that's all. We've lots of other troubles but not religion".

Though I've never been a Christian or lived like one, I think being Jewish means being far happier than being Christian. They've got that whole devil, hell and eternal punishment thing to worry about, that the slightest mis-step will bring them down. They seem to be weighed down with far more guilt than a Jewish mother could ever dispense. Plus they always seem to be in doubt of many facets of their religion, but equally in fear of the consequences of their doubt. Several Christians that I personally know relate tales of fear and punishment in their childhood religious schools. In my childhood religious schools, we were encouraged to doubt and discuss.My Jewish school was a happy place.

We seem to have it far easier than Christians. There is no expectation that we will be without sin. There is only an expectation of doing better. We are encouraged to enjoy G-d's world, to eat every fruit, and to celebrate with the opposite sex and enjoy our married life. While Christians are taught that Earth is a failing and to be forebeared, we are taught the Earth is enjoyable and should be embraced.

 

[Flankerl]

They seem to be weighed down with far more guilt than a Jewish mother could ever dispense.

That's quite the hypothesis.

 

[CMike]

I think there's a bit more to Christianity than that! Isn't for example the requirement of celibacy in the (Catholic) clergy a very big ask? Though perhaps you are being ironic?

That is for a very specific and small group within Christianity.

However, we are commanded to be fruitful and multiply, so it seems to be going against that commandment.

 

[rosends]

In The Broken Road, the young Patrick Liegh Fermor, walking in 1934 to Constantinople along the Danube in Rumania, had a conversation with a old Jewish innkeeper, 'Domnul David', comparing the Christian and Jewish religions and the older man said;
"I'll tell you the great advantage of our religion over yours: nobody can practice Christianity properly and lead an ordinary life. You Christians, unless you are saints, are always falling short of what you should be; you are never in the right for a second, always guilty, always miserable, always, try as you might, in disgrace. But the Jewish religion is made for human beings, there are a few easy rules we mustn't break, that's all.
We can practice our religion faultlessly, and still live like ordinary humans. It's easy to be a good Jew, impossible to be a good Christian. But Christians are no more virtuous than Jews are they - about the same? - So what's the odds? And the result? We are happy in our religion, you are all miserable, that's all. We've lots of other troubles but not religion".
Do you think he had a point?

I am reminded of the line Obi Wan spoke to Luke in episode 6, "what I told you was true, from a certain point of view."

I think the speaker never defines his terms or takes in to account the range of beliefs and expectations within both religions. The continuum of practice and the diversity of each faith make the statement true for some but not for others.

Would I be happier as a Christian if all I had to do was believe something, love God, be nice to people and go to church a couple of times a year? Sure. But I'd be overjoyed as a Jew if my particular belief about how to be Jewish was reduced to a similar level. A Christian whose level of observance and understanding of the pervasiveness of his faith in his daily life is commensurate with a Chasid might have the same capacity for happiness in his satisfying that level as the Chasid.

 

[CMike]

I doubt they know what a Chasid is.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I doubt they know what a Chasid is.

Are you talking about those kosher hot dogs?

 

[fiat lux]

That is for a very specific and small group within Christianity.

This is true of course, but there are other more universal issues effecting, and making those (including myself) trying to walk something of a Christian path and inevitably failing, forever feeling guilt-ridden, such as not serving God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).
Having arrived at a sufficiency, how many give their entire surplus wealth to the needy, as Christianity and no other religion*
requires?

*As far as I know.

 

[Iti oj]

Mod post thread moved

 

[CMike]

This is true of course, but there are other more universal issues effecting, and making those (including myself) trying to walk something of a Christian path and inevitably failing, forever feeling guilt-ridden, such as not serving God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).
Having arrived at a sufficiency, how many give their entire surplus wealth to the needy, as Christianity and no other religion*
requires?

*As far as I know.

How do you define surplus wealth?

I doubt you will find any religious groups that give more to charity than the Jews.

This is another topic, but an interesting one.

G-D wants us to be prosperous, and do good things with your money.

If you give away your money then you will become poor. G-D doesn't want that.

 

[rosends]

Are you talking about those kosher hot dogs?

I have never heard them referred to as hot dogs.

Once Upon A Chasid - Contemporary Voices

 

[Brickjectivity]

So it is the sought after ideal of a Jew as defined by Torah. That I can partially comprehend.

 

[Iti oj]

How do you define surplus wealth?


If you give away your money then you will become poor. G-D doesn't want that.

Scriptural bases for that?

 

[CMike]

Scriptural bases for that?

No problem

Avraham, the first forefather to the Jews, was filthy rich. He was richer than the king.

Yet, when the three angels came, he himself served them.

Sarah, his wife, had a house filled with servants, however, she kneaded the bread for them.

Avraham used part of his money to teach thousands of student.

Issac and Jacob were very rich as well.

Obviously Kings David and Solomon were loaded as well.

The majority of our greatest Jews were very wealthy.

As Reb Tobia said from Fiddler On The Roof "There is no shame to be poor, but it's no great honor either".

A good chunk of the mega churches are pretty loaded. The Vatican has billions of dollars.

Why don't they give their money away to the poor?

Perhaps you can explain the benefits of being poor?