Islam versus Judaism

[Whateverist]

[1] Jews do believe that the universe was created by G-d, but we don't believe that G-d must be glorified. While we do believe that understanding what G-d is a benefit to the person, this is in no way a requirement. Glorifying G-d just sounds very goyish to me. I suppose a Jew's way of glorifying G-d would just be not to fuck people over in business and not to steal things from others, etc. 

[2] .... Eh, not exactly. The word "fear" doesn't quite translate the same here. Jews believe that we have a contract with G-d (this is why we're all lawyers. We love contracts.) If we do certain things, good things will happen. If we do other things, bad things will happen. We don't fear that G-d will act outside of the parameters of the contract. We more or less respect G-d and respect that G-d will act within the agreed upon terms. 

[3] Most definitely not. Judaism teaches that as new facts come in, we must reexamine our understanding of Torah. We do have a few nutcases who hold onto an antiquated view, but they're in the extreme minority. (I have met one in my personal life, and I've heard one talking about this view on YouTube, so I know that they exist.) Judaism largely holds to evolution and the big-bang, and I'm including many religious, black-hat sects in this generalization. Some Rabbis began writing about 900 years ago that the universe could be as old as 15B years, and Maimonides said in the late 1100's that as new facts come in, we have to take a closer look at how we translated Torah if those facts don't jive with our previous understanding. 

First, I like to thank you for the valuable details.

And you did summarise them all in a simple clear statement:
"Judaism is not a book about science or the origins of the universe. It's a book about how Jews should live their lives."

On my side, I see the evolution stages of the human race much like the evolution stages of my own being (hence, of any other human).
My existence started from two living tiny cells. When they combined, they became no more two living cells but just one, me (or what will end up to be me). During about 9 months, this cell had to be evolved rather quickly by following well defined instructions which are inherited gradually since many millions, if not billions, of years (and not necessarily on earth only). And when I was born, this cell became finally the complex being known as human. But I needed a few years too before I started perceiving the various parts of my body. During this time, my parents took care of me without expecting I can help myself in any way. But after that, they felt the need to teach me what is good to my body and what could hurt it as well. But being just a kid, they had to present me simple versions of whatever I liked to ask about. And while I was growing they needed to have sort of mutual contracts with me concerning how to live properly, based on their knowledge and experience. They did it to give me a chance to become a healthy adult with enough knowledge and expertise to depend on myself for the rest of my life and to live, therefore, my own priorities (which are closely related to the nature I was made of).

So to me in the least, from Moses to Jesus is much like the period of time when I was a conscious kid who needed the guidance of my parents and learning the basics of science in a simple way even if these basics will be found being wrong later. Here is a quick example:
I know now that "Two parallels intersect at infinity" which is important in perspective geometry. But at school, they had to tell me first a simpler definition: "Two straights are said parallels if they don't intersect". Of course, this simple definition ceased to be valid when I started learning space geometry, unless "and are on the same plane" is added to it. Did my school teachers lie? Should the first two incomplete definitions be of any importance to me now? But, these two elementary definitions are always important to teach kids.

This is why I used on my first post the expressions "kids of humanity" then "adults of humanity". But this is just how I personally see things.
For instance, Islam is just a social political system created by a clever man in the name of a god (who knows Arabic only, actually its ancient version) in order to take over the power that was in the hands of the elders of his tribe "Kuraish". He replaced the holy statues with holy words (Arabic words of course), claimed being inspired by Allah (this reminds me how Pharaohs were also inspired by certain gods about how to rule their people).

You may well find a lot of agreement with such a statement here on an atheist site, but not from me. I think it would be naive to impute the rationale a modern person might have for launching a religion to a group of people born long ago. Now Islam was apparently begun by just one person. But not so with either Christianity or Judaism. It is an interesting question to inquire about but I'd caution against that approach.

[WinterHold]

There are stunning similarities between Judaism and Islam.
Across the Bible and the Torah, similarities to Islam can be seen; personally I believe ancient Jews and Christians who followed God's word to be my ancestors.

All these messages (scriptures) were revealed by the same God. But twisted and forged by different nations.
True teachings match through the books; take the Jewish prayers: 3 times a day; I actually believe the Quran also stated 3 times for the prayer.

Muslims twisted Islam under different sects (Sunna; Shia...etc). Christians did the same before, Jews did the same. In a nutshell, I think and believe humanity as a whole twisted all messages sent by God to produce more religions to suit political situations and dreams of corrupted men.

[ignoramus]

Watched another doco made by Muslims.
They state that being charitable holds them in better stead in the afterlife.
Therefore they give to charity. (I'd hate to think how they'd feel if that wasn't in the qu'ran!)
But it also makes you a worthy martyr if you kill innocents for a cause (apparently all Muslims can justify most violence to be a worthwhile cause if expressed correctly. I'm imagining that many Muslims cannot differentiate these 2 actions because they both please their creator.

Please explain.

(sorry for the derail)

[Keintucky]

Thanks for your thread here. Glad to get it here.

[WinterHold]

Watched another doco made by Muslims.
They state that being charitable holds them in better stead in the afterlife.
Therefore they give to charity. (I'd hate to think how they'd feel if that wasn't in the qu'ran!)
But it also makes you a worthy martyr if you kill innocents for a cause (apparently all Muslims can justify most violence to be a worthwhile cause if expressed correctly. I'm imagining that many Muslims cannot differentiate these 2 actions because they both please their creator.

Please explain.

(sorry for the derail)

For the killing; there's this verse:

Sura  25 Page 366 The Quran:
( 68 )   And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity and do not kill the soul which Allah has as forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.
( 69 )   Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated -
( 70 )   Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

Killing others without a right is highly despised and the criminal is promised a severe penalty in the afterlife. In this one there's execution.

But justifying the crime by lots of crap is something so very expected. Martyr, ex-wife screwed with a new man, kids bullied the killer so he went on a rampage, justification is always there. And it's mostly stupid.

Charity is wonderful. If humans gave charities like they should; Africa wouldn't have starved, peace would've roamed many places in earth.

[KerimF]

Another important common point in Islam and Judaism is that their teachings (and via some rituals) guide humans to know how to take care and protect their human living flesh as individuals and as groups as well.

But I has been in China for business about 10 years ago. I noticed there that Chinese don't need to worship any god in order to know how to take care of their body while respecting each other (under a man-made law/justice) as good Jews and Muslims do in their communities.

But in order for the world's owners (working behind the scenes via their great actors presented as top politicians/kings/presidents and religious leaders around the world) to continuously flourish their international businesses and be on the safe side, the different religious/sects and political communities/parties will keep existing and even be supported/funded in a balanced way so that their members/followers/believers can be easily used as cheep for milk or to be slaughtered whenever necessary by conflicts (now Terror) presented as natural events.

So even being atheist doesn't imply being free and independent, also being well immune against the fake news approved (even proven by videos) daily by so-called independent trusted investigators, journalists, scientists or politicians. But this is how the world is made since always and no one can change it but live in it as it is.

---

Watched another doco made by Muslims.
They state that being charitable holds them in better stead in the afterlife.
Therefore they give to charity. (I'd hate to think how they'd feel if that wasn't in the qu'ran!)
But it also makes you a worthy martyr if you kill innocents for a cause (apparently all Muslims can justify most violence to be a worthwhile cause if expressed correctly. I'm imagining that many Muslims cannot differentiate these 2 actions because they both please their creator.

Please explain.

(sorry for the derail)

I am afraid that to flame the world by wars and now Terror, millions of kids had to be raised, trained, supported and funded in order to let them risk even their life when adult anytime they will be asked for.

In this respect, millions of kids have been raised, since about a century ago, to believe that they have to live in what is known as the Promised Land and to defend it at any cost when adults.

Similarly, millions of kids have been raised, since the 1st episode of the international endless daily series 'War on Terror', to believe that it is time for them to restore, also at any cost, Allah's Kingdom on earth when adults.
 
Actually, all these kids are victims of the same powerful/rich side whose members don't need to be Muslim or Jewish (though they may pretend to be so if this helps). So, for example, it shouldn't be surprising that who are supposed to be fanatic radical Muslims and those who are supposed to be fanatic radical Jews are instructed to support each other as good brothers do against a third party, as it happens in Middle East.

[KerimF]

There are stunning similarities between Judaism and Islam.
Across the Bible and the Torah, similarities to Islam can be seen; personally I believe ancient Jews and Christians who followed God's word to be my ancestors.

All these messages (scriptures) were revealed by the same God. But twisted and forged by different nations.
True teachings match through the books; take the Jewish prayers: 3 times a day; I actually believe the Quran also stated 3 times for the prayer.

Muslims twisted Islam under different sects (Sunna; Shia...etc). Christians did the same before, Jews did the same. In a nutshell, I think and believe humanity as a whole twisted all messages sent by God to produce more religions to suit political situations and dreams of corrupted men.

I am afraid that, even in the present time, almost all international news are also twisted, though this is done in very clever ways while it is supported by well-edited videos as solid evidence. So only the few people who, personally, lived an event 'may' know the true story of it or, at least, can recognize the fake parts in a story claimed being true.

So I am personally much supersized how no one dared twisting one clear reference (available to anyone) though most people (even those who have transmitted it from generation to generation) don't really believe it; also no one on earth is allowed to preaching it openly before the world's peoples. I will likely return to this fact on another thread for its special importance.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Trying to decide which religion is 'better' seems a lot like being asked whether you'd rather have stomach flu or jock itch.

Either way, you're still sick.

Boru

[KerimF]

Trying to decide which religion is 'better' seems a lot like being asked whether you'd rather have stomach flu or jock itch.

Either way, you're still sick.

Boru

I guess you meant "Trying to decide which religion (representing a heavenly ruling system) or which earthly ruling system is 'better' seems a lot like..."

I mean; old persons have more chance to realise that the today's Religions and Politics are, speaking practically, like two faces of the same penny.
But, it is not wrong or bad if someone couldn't realise this universal truth yet or will never do.

After all, most theists and atheists are happy with the ruling system (heavenly and/or earthly) they have chosen freely as the best one for their life (if not for their afterlife as well).

[Aliza]

Trying to decide which religion is 'better' seems a lot like being asked whether you'd rather have stomach flu or jock itch.

Either way, you're still sick.

Boru

I thought Islam and Judaism were just being compared and contrasted in this thread. Why does one have to be "better" than the other? Why can't it just be that people choose the lifestyle that suits them best?

If I'm not hurting myself or anyone else, why should my lifestyle require anyone else's approval?