The Town of Odyssey

ric wrote:That's why I hesitate to say he was a Jew. Jesus existed before Judaism was ever conceived. Jesus is the base of Judaism. God wasn't just like "Yo Jesus, you wanna go down and die on a cross? I'm thinkin that would really work with the whole Judaism thing I've got goin." No, Judaism was just a stepping stone (a VERY ESSENTIAL STEPPING STONE THAT IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY) to God's ultimate plan centered on Jesus. And you can call that ultimate plan the fulfilled Judaism, in fact, it totally makes sense. It just seems slightly confusing to me, but whatever.

That's because you're still missing the point. It isn't really up to you to decide whether you think Jesus was a Jew or not.. because he simply was. He was descended from David; his entire heritage was Jewish, and he couldn't possibly have been anything else because otherwise none of the people he was trying to minister to would have listened to him. His utmost priority was setting the Jews on a straight path, and remind them that his plan extended to ALL peoples. The reason there's such significance in the fact that he broke cultural boundaries when he took the time to talk to a Samaritan woman is because he was making a point, and he could only make it because he was a Jewish Rabbi who would otherwise never have anything to do with Samaritans or women! And maybe we should stop using the word 'Judaism', because in your mind you have it restricted to some ancient religion that is no longer of any relevance. But God doesn't see it that way. The Jews - His chosen people - are still His priority.

We like to take Jesus and make him all culturally relevant to fit our own ethnicity and heritage, but the fact of the matter is that Jesus came to earth as the promised messiah the Jews had long expected, and the Jews the focus of his entire ministry. It's more than simply admitting that he was a Jew, it's understanding that his Jewish heritage defined him.

Ethnically Jesus was a Jew, and religiously He was a Jew. Until He died and was resurrected, there was no other religion that could save anyone through righteousness. What else could Jesus have practiced?

Jelly wrote:We like to take Jesus and make him all culturally relevant to fit our own ethnicity and heritage, but the fact of the matter is that Jesus came to earth as the promised messiah the Jews had long expected, and the Jews the focus of his entire ministry. It's more than simply admitting that he was a Jew, it's understanding that his Jewish heritage defined him.

I understand this. I'm not trying to make him "all culturally relevant." I understand that the Jews were the focus of his entire ministry. Obviously I'm just not making myself clear, so let's just be done.

edit: I don't know how we even got on this topic. I think you and I probably agree about religion. According to the true meaning - "conduct indicating a belief in a divine power" - we should be very religious, and Christianity is a religion, and Jesus was religious and had a religion. But the modern meaning that is often used by the layman - a bunch of rules you have to follow in order to make yourself good so you can end up in a good place when you die - is the complete opposite of Christianity.

We can all be happy that the video wasn't called "Why I hate Jesus, but love religion"!

I don't know how we even got on this topic. I think you and I probably agree about religion. According to the true meaning - "conduct indicating a belief in a divine power" - we should be very religious, and Christianity is a religion, and Jesus was religious and had a religion. But the modern meaning that is often used by the layman - a bunch of rules you have to follow in order to make yourself good so you can end up in a good place when you die - is the complete opposite of Christianity.

Totally agree with this.

Anna><> wrote:We can all be happy that the video wasn't called "Why I hate Jesus, but love religion"!

Anna, always the insightful one.

I forgot to mention it, but this guy was on ABC Nightline on Thursday because of this.

And he has a new movie about sexual healing. They showed it in youth ministry on sunday. It's pretty bad.

I wish somebody would kick this guy in the shins. He's making me feel like an idiot.

Pip wrote:And he has a new movie about sexual healing. They showed it in youth ministry on sunday. It's pretty bad.

What makes it so bad?

Jelly wrote:

Pip wrote:And he has a new movie about sexual healing. They showed it in youth ministry on sunday. It's pretty bad.

What makes it so bad?

Becaue it's made by this guy.

And everything this guy does is bad?

DanP740 wrote:And everything this guy does is bad?

Well have you SEEN his videos?!

Jelly wrote:

Pip wrote:And he has a new movie about sexual healing. They showed it in youth ministry on sunday. It's pretty bad.

What makes it so bad?

For one, it's super long, for two, he's a bad poet. Other than that, it's great.

Oh, and the cheesiness destroys any impact it could have had in the first place.

The rhymes are so annoying. .that I lose any and all interest Blimeycow's videos are waaay better. Hands down./

Hey, I've read very little of this thread but, I wanted to share a couple things.

First of all, I watched quite a few of his videos before this exploded and (as a poet) I think he's a great poet. But, too each his own, I guess.

Secondly, this video pretty much sums everything up perfectly.