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From: gek@ihu1j.UUCP (glenn kapetansky)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish,net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Jews for Jesus
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Date: Wed, 16-Jan-85 17:56:02 EST
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Posted: Wed Jan 16 17:56:02 1985
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>No prosletyzing intended - I'm just interested in some answers from a
>Jewish perspective.

Because Ken Swanson appended this, I will enter the fray. 

>I draw the following conclusion about Jewish belief:
>	God is too aloof, remote, mysterious  or holy that He would
>	venture to dwell amongst us, in person, here on Earth.

What does it mean "to dwell among us"? God is everywhere, so He always dwells
in me and around me here on Earth. "In person" -- what does that mean?
God is not a person at all. Please make an effort not to interpret Judaism
using Christian concepts (I remember being asked by a dear young lady, "I
understand Jews don't believe in Jesus; but if that's so, how do you
celebrate Christmas?").  God doesn't seem any more aloof or mysterious
to me than my parents were to me as a 3-year-old...yet my parents were
never remote, I KNEW they loved me and looked out after me (that's only
an example; don't tell me "see! and your parents seem incomprehensible
but they are people, just as Jesus.." uh uh. Rather, see that if my
parents seemed incomprehensibly superior and mysterious, how much MORE
mysterious must God seem, who is decidedly NOT a person. And if I know
the measure of my parents care, how much more must be God's?). 

Ken, I'm just trying to point out that the  "Jesus was God come to live
among us" bit is a meaningless sound to Jews; it just doesn't mean anything.
I tell you what. When the messiah comes, we'll both ask him whether this
is the first or second time he's come around. I'll buy you a beer if you're
right. Of course, since we're both eager to see who wins, let's both
live our lives as best we may, to hasten his arrival. You be the best
Christian you can, and I'll be the best Jew. I'll even make a side
bet that if we're both living according to the rules of our respective
religions, outsiders will think both of us are doing a great job of
making the world a better and holier place. What more can you ask?
-- 
glenn kapetansky                                                      
                                                                        
"Think of it as evolution in action"
                                                                        
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