Jews for Jesus

[imenja]

Is there anyone on DU who considers themselves a Jew for Jesus? I think there is a more proper name for this group, and I apologize for forgetting it. Does anyone know anything about their beliefs? I'm wondering particularly about how they reconcile a belief in a divine Jesus with Judaism.

I am asking that people take this post in the spirit in which is intended, an effort to understand another religion rather than to pass judgment on it. It would be nice if posters could respond accordingly. Thank you.

Edit: Wikipedia notes: "Their official mission statement is "to make the messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to our Jewish people worldwide", and the organization claims to be "one of the most extensive evangelistic outreaches to Jewish people in the world today". They have also sent their members as far as Ukraine and Russia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_for_Jesus

Wikipedia's discussion of Messianic Judaism is more extensive:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Judaism

[clydefrand]

1. I'm with you. I'd like to learn more about this topic as well.

[imenja]

14. check this out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_for_Jesus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Judaism

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. There is a more proper name for them.

Christians.

[imenja]

4. no, they don't consider themselves Christians

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. I've met any number of Jews who are Bhuddists. That makes

them Jewish Bhuddists. If a Jew wants to believe in Christ, that would make him a Jewish Christian.

Myself, I'm a Jewish atheist.

To call themselves 'messianic Jews' is a deliberate deception, because all believing Jews are messianic -- it is a core tenet of the faith that the messiah will come.

If you believe he's already come, and was called Christ, you're a Christian.

Can you give me any other definition of Christian?

[imenja]

10. well I'm not about to start telling people what they can and can't believe

and what they should call themselves. I consider it entirely inappropriate.

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. Well, I don't care what they believe, and they can call themselves

golden retrievers, for all I care, but that doesn't change the fact that they are Christians.

[imenja]

16. obviously they see it differently

[beanball]

17. I believe

" every knee will bow" God bless you brother.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[imenja]

21. Dude, that was over the line

take a break from the theology forum. It's obviously getting to you.

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. Yeah, you're probably right.

Some things just rub me the wrong way.

My apologies, and good night.

[Extend a Hand]

3. I think it is called messianic judaism

http://www.religioustolerance.org/mess_jud2.htm

a google search ought to get a lot more sites and
supply an overview of the different flavors.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. That site seems to discuss something from history. Not a current

sect.

[Extend a Hand]

9. it is a statement of beliefs and practices

the links to current organizations like
http://jfjonline.org and others are at the bottom of the article

[imenja]

13. Jews for Jesus defined

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_for_Jesus

[BrklynLiberal]

23. Thanks. That makes it pretty clear

is an Evangelical Protestant organization founded in 1973 by Martin Rosen, also known as Moishe Rosen, an ordained Baptist minister, with a goal of converting Jews to Christianity.

[imenja]

24. the ones I've talked to insist they aren't Christians

I encountered a group one day, and I asked a bit about what they believed. I asked, so you're ethnically Jewish but religiously Christian? No,that wasn't it, they said. They weren't Christian at all. I must say I did not follow their argument, but I had limited time to explore it further with them.

I've talked about them with a friend of mine who teaches Judaic Studies who is a Conservative Jew (Conservative in terms of denomination. She's a Dem). She is very respectful of others religious beliefs, but it was clear she thinks they are a bit off.

Edit: good opportunity to use: :dilemma:

I wish we had someone here who considers themselves a Messianic Jew to explain it better.

[imenja]

12. thanks. Wikipedia link here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Judaism

[BrklynLiberal]

5. I THINK the Jews for Jesus believe that Jesus WAS the Messiah.

I do not see how that makes them any different from "Christians". I am not sure which category of "Christian" that would make them, but that certainly precludes them from any category of "Jewish".
I guess I would call them "Christians" in "Jewish" clothing?
That is the extent of my knowledge.

[GainesT1958]

8. They do call themselves "Messianic Congregations"...

Oftentimes--but not always--they have a "link" with a Christian (I use that word as descriptive, rather than litterally in a spiritual sense) congregation or parrish.

Typically they refer to Jesus, in their services and elsewhere, as "Yeshua"--which was His actual given name, "Joshua-from-Joseph". (Jesus was the name the Greeks gave Him).

B-)

[bonito]

11. Smoke

One has never left,but comes when seen, but was always was,old and new, to be found where you are. just stop looking. words can point, but only can you realise. somtimes I feel like shuting up, because all I have is words, but I love you all, so I stay instead. peace.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

18. I once found a Jews for Jesus pamphlet attached to

my front door and to the front doors of everyone else in my apartment complex.

What was so odd about this was that I was living in a small town in rural Oregon at the time. I knew of two Jewish families in the town, but none of them lived in my apartment complex.

You have to wonder what the would-be evanglist was thinking: distributing the pamphlets in an apartment complex populated entirely by Gentiles in a town populated almost entirely by Gentiles in the least religious state in the U.S, forty miles from the nearest synagogue.

[imenja]

20. that is odd

because if their mission, as Wikipedia states, is to encourage others to accept Jesus Christ as their savior, you'd think the Christians in that area would have that covered.

They had a table at my campus one day, in some fair where many religious groups were represented. I asked them about their faith, but I really couldn't follow it. My time was limited, so I couldn't have an extensive discussion with them.

It is confusing. Too bad there isn't a Messianic Jew on DU who might explain it to us.

[REP]

25. They're Called "Christians"

This group is highly offensive to Jews. It is nothing more than an attempt to convert Jews to Christianity using subterfuge, and most Jews resent it. A belief in the divinity of Jesus cannot be reconciled with Judaism.

[davidinalameda]

26. these people are at the SF subway stations at least 3 or 4 times a year

they believe Jesus is the messiah; they may be cultural Jews but they're certainly Christians in religion and in practice

I'm part Jewish on my mother's side but I've never considered myself anything close to a member of the Jewish religious faith