Jews and the old testament

[Vivalarevolution]

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 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.

[Minimalist]

Jesus stopped the stoning of the woman,

A fictitious story which does not appear in the earliest known copies of gJohn.

What else have you got.....and hopefully it is more impressive than your first effort.

http://www.bible-researcher.com/adult.html

Biblical scholars are nearly all agreed that the Story of the Adulteress (also known as the Pericope Adulterae or the Pericope de Adultera) usually printed in Bibles as John 7:53-8:11 is a later addition to the Gospel.

[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?

[Vivalarevolution]

Well I'm sorry you had to grow up surrounded by literalists. I truly am

[Jenny A]

Let's be clear though. My lack of belief in god is simply that I see no evidence of such an entity. Designing a more palatable god, doesn't make him more likely to exist.

[Darkstar]

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).

I think the most obvious answer is that there is a Christian majority (at least in America) whereas there are hardly any Jews anywhere except Israel. If Jews were the majority, things might be different.

The World Factbook gives the population as 7,095,217,980 (July 2013 est.) and the distribution of religions as Christian 33.39% (of which Roman Catholic 16.85%, Protestant 6.15%, Orthodox 3.96%, Anglican 1.26%), Muslim 22.74%, Hindu 13.8%, Buddhist 6.77%, Sikh 0.35%, Jewish 0.22%, Baha'i 0.11%, other religions 10.95%, non-religious 9.66%, atheists 2.01% (2010 est.).[1]

(Bolding mine)
Yeah, even atheists outnumber them.

[Mystical]

Several verses I've found, give me reason. Words from Jesus Christ himself (per the narrative of Christianity).

1) “For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18-19 RSV)

2) "It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid." (Luke 16:17 NAB)

3) "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." (Matthew 5:17 NAB)

3b) "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness..." (2 Timothy 3:16 NAB)

3c) "Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God." (2 Peter 20-21 NAB)

4) "Whoever curses father or mother shall die" (Mark 7:10 NAB)

5) “He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” (Matthew 15:4-7)

6) Jesus says looking with lust is the same thing and you should gouge your eye out, better a part, than the whole. The punishment under Jesus is an eternity in Hell. (Matthew 5:27)

7) Peter says that all slaves should “be subject to [their] masters with all fear,” to the bad and cruel as well as the “good and gentle.” 1 Peter 2:18

8) “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law" (John7:19) and “For the law was given by Moses,..." (John 1:17).

9) “...the scripture cannot be broken.” --Jesus Christ, John 10:35


Quoted from evilbible.org, and checked for accuracy many a time.

[Alex K]

Yes, exactly, what the others said. Jesus was as Jewish as matzos and briskets. You can't dissociate him from his religion, as he did not intend to invent a new one. As you know, in the olden days only Jews could become Christians because it was an add on. The hypothetical J never intended for barbarians and goyim like us to become his followers.Well he thought the world was about to end, so that wouldn't have been an issue in his eyes anyways

[Vivalarevolution]

Luckie, in my opinion the law which moses gave refers solely to the 10 commandments. Think about the other laws.

1) the other laws explained that if you sin you would have to sacrifice an animal. But jesus got rid of that.

2) Adulterers were to be stoned. You know what he did about that.

3) To stone and kill an offender would not go well with "love your neighbour" and "judge not lest you be judged. "

So the only laws which jesus supported were the 10 commandments

[Minimalist]

"Jesus" ( or whoever wrote this drivel) says you are wrong.

17"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.…

Matt. 5