If Abraham had made it a little easier to become Jewish, would Judaism be a great world-wide religion?

For example, if he had omitted the circumcision thing.

My Reply:

It wasn't Judaism back in the days of Abraham, but I know what you mean.

If Abe had omitted anything that God had commanded him to do, then he wouldn't be following God. Actually, Judaism as we know it today isn't anything like "it" was in the days of Abe.
For example, if you'll look at the Patriarchs, their connection with God was based on their relationship with God and faith in Him. The Apostle Paul tells us that God considered Abe righteous through the faith that he had in God, not in keeping with the Law. Granted, they didn't have the Law yet, but God did still require certain behaviors from them, and certain ones, such as circumcision, were more than requirements, they were covenants between God, Abe, and Abe's future children.
Today as Christians, many of us (me in particular) believe that Jesus brought it all around back to how it was in the days of the Patriarchs. We still have standards and expectations that we need to follow, but instead of trying to follow all the laws of Moses, we realize that when in a close relationship with God (through Jesus), we tend to take on (and WANT to take on) God's character and what it means to be His people (and His friends, as the Patriarchs were).
Most of Judaism today focuses on works, deeds, and tradition. In fact, many get so caught up in all this and their heritage that they don't even believe in God. Orthodox Jews are so caught up in making sure they keep with the law's requirements that they often take God out of the equation, making righteousness fully on their own efforts.

Heck, if anything, I'd say that "Judaism" in the days of Abe was a whole lot easier than the Judaism that we know today.

---Pastor Andy

Can Christians forgive the dead past?

Question: Can Christians forgive the dead past, and if they will not, are they really Christians in the ethical and spiritual sense? For example, I forgive all the persecutors and murderers and enslavers of my Irish Catholic ancestors who did all these wonderful "Sermon on the Mount" things (sarcasm) in the name of Bible-Believing Protestantism.

I renounce and condemn all the persecution, murder, enslaving, etc that Catholics have done in the name of the Prince of Peace to Protestants, Jews, Orthodox, Pagans, etc. and I ask all the spiritual descendants of the persecuted in the name of Catholic Christianity.

I also ask all atheists, etc. to join in condemning the mass murders and persecutions done in our lifetimes in the name of antitheist "human progress" and persecution of religious people.

Aren't you tired of the same old bigotries repeated over and over? Can people say something positive about "those people'? If not, then why expect "those people" to say or believe anything good about you and your "kind"? Let's all join together to agree that we will not spread slanders about other groups, races, religions or theologies or options but "Do to others what you will others to do to you." Check out your sources before condemning other groups and find out if "they" really teach that error or do that evil thing; use primary sources and not 'hate-mongers".

I join Jesus in spiritually washing the feet of all.

My Reply:

Dude, I totally hear you. Too many negative and worldly people (past and present) have infiltrated the Church (the Body of Christ), spreading poison with their bitterness and divisions, justifying their actions as righteous. We need to remember not only to treat others as we wish others to treat us, but as Christians, we're to remember that Jesus COMMANDED us to love one another as He's loved us, as well as the importance He laid on unity in Him among one another.

Here's a thought on your question:
Jesus said that oaths and vows are considered void at the time of death, so therefore I think held grudges should be also. But now, technically speaking, when we recite the Lord's prayer, we ask God to forgive us in the exact same way that we forgive others. So wouldn't holding onto unforgiveness for somebody, whether dead or alive be ethically (and theologically) incorrect anyway?

---Pastor Andy

Copy Cat Religions

Question: Christians, how do you explain religions that pre-date Christianity, all having a Christ-like figure? In other words, many figures were born from a virgin, crucified, and resurrected. It's the same story told under a different name! This is documented history...is your religion just a re-telling of an ancient story?

My Reply:
I've heard of some of these stories while talking with a professed-atheist friend of mine, and I'd not only suggest them as "copy-cats" of events in the Bible, but I'd also say that just the fact that such stories even exist shows that so many people, for so long, so strongly desired a savior to come and rescue them from the events of their time.

First of all, we have to remember that Moses predicted Christ's first coming way back, what, 4000-5000 years ago? Then we have Jesus being mentioned in the Psalms, which are thought to have been written about 3000 years ago, Jesus' virgin birth mentioned about 2500 years ago, the prediction of the coming of the Holy Spirit about 2800 years ago...I mean, everything was promised through the prophets of old.

So you figure, the Israelites mingled with other nations, and no doubt shared their prophesies, which gives reason to believe that others may have taken (copied) such stories as their own. But either way, Jesus Christ is the ONLY one to have fulfilled EVERY prophesy about Him, and the ONLY one who was risen from death 3 days later. The Jews admit Jesus lived, died on the cross, and that His tomb was empty 3 days later; the Muslims even acknowledge that Jesus raised up into Heaven; and the Christians (as well as 500+ other people who saw Jesus alive 3 days after they saw Jesus die on the cross at the hands of the Romans) all spread the news.

Also, not many have heard of these other stories you talk of (you don't even have examples or details...sounds more like word of mouth). Yet practically everybody knows of Jesus Christ.

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