Oy vavoy.
Yid is Yiddish for Jewish. If not used derogatorily, it is not offensive.
I have nothing really to add at this point, but am enjoying reading this thread. The discussion on original sin especially is a good one. Why do Christians feel that this sin is so terrible and greatly affects all of mankind, and Jews feel that it’s one sin affecting one person?
These are unique to Judaism and Christianity? Where did you get that idea? You aren’t seriously saying that “thou shalt not murder” is a specifically Judeo-Christian idea, are you?
Kyla: “The discussion on original sin especially is a good one. Why do Christians feel that this sin is so terrible and greatly affects all of mankind, and Jews feel that it’s one sin affecting one person?”
This is not strictly true, from the Jewish perspective at least. Whereas we are not considered sinners through the original sin, and we don’t need any atonement for it, it is clear from the bible that this sin did change the terms of man’s prescence in this world, which impacts us to this day. It is also believed, that this sin caused a change in the relationship between the earthly and spiritual spheres, i.e they became more separated, with our earthly existence being less spiritual, and spirituality becoming reserved for a different world.
Izzy, that’s true, what on earth was I thinking when I wrote that? I guess my point is that Christianity seems to urge that humans feel guilt for that sin, which they didn’t commit themselves. Jews regret it, and it changed humanity’s relationship with HaShem and the world, but this sin does not give us all a sinful nature. What caused the differing interpretations?
Evolution is not necessarily a good thing. At least when it is applied to Christian theology. My point is that many tenets of the current Christian faith, religion, are that the Bible is a factual book (no mythology involved), that Jesus is God, that Hell is eternal and ruled by the rebellious angel Satan and that each of us are born with this stain of sin (although I don’t think that Eastern Orthodox Christians hold this view of original sin) that can only be lifted through the death of this God/Man.
And while the 1100’s may have been a great time for Porete to write a book, it’s 900 years later and we have to deal with Christianity as defined by todays standards when talking in broad generalizations. Your individual beliefs are an entirely different matter.
Heck, David Koresh had his own beliefs about Christianity, and look where it got him!
Without original sin, why would you need Jesus. Someone could live a sinless life and therefore get to heaven without Jesus. Although I do believe in Genesis God told Cain that sin is crouching at the door, but you (Cain) can overcome it. So, even if there is sin, God already said in the first chapter that it can be overcome. Nothing about someone else overcoming it for them.