Jews and the old testament

[Jenny A]

Hey all!
I'm an orthodox Christian and just wanted to know both sides of the religious arguments.
This is my first post.

So my first question is- Why are only Christians asked about the OT narratives? I mean the stoning of adulterers and all. Jesus stopped the stoning of the woman, among other things and showed a newer and better way to live.
No one asks Jews what they think of the old testament. It's THEIR book (Tanakh). Now seriously I don't hate Jews or have anything against them. But why are Christians accused of following a god who kills people and orders them to stone homosexuals when the Jews follow the same god. Atleast we have the NT after that.

I can't tell you why everyone brings up the OT, but I can tell you why I do.

1) I live in a country full of people who take the whole Bible literally.

2) Jesus may have changed the rules but the Christian god still at one time required all those nasty laws you'd like to jettison. So lets be clear the problem with the rules you no longer feel obligated to keep is not that I think you want to keep them, but that you can envision a god that ever, ever, wanted such rules.

3) Many Christians still want to bring up those old rules when discussing gays, masturbation, abortion, contraceptives, divorce and other things. A few generations ago those laws were used by Christians to justify slavery. Then the question comes, why do you pick some of these bronze age laws but not others?

4) As to why I don't ask Jews about them. First of all they don't try to convert anyone. Second, I don't find them in politics trying to ram OT morality down the public throat.

I know what many people will reply with- Only Christians shove their beliefs down everyone else's throats. But no . . . even non proselytizing Christians ( Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) are accused to a fair extent of believing in a god that orders all that.

What ever gave you the idea that Catholics don't try to convert people or force their interpretation of Christianity on others. You have noticed the birth control and abortion laws in Ireland?