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but- but- it'a RELIGION OF PEACE!!
No, Really!!!
Time to scrape them off the shoes of humanity
Western philsophy is based on this Hebrew tradition of life being precious. I have had the dubious opportunity of living a few years in a Moslem country. Life is cheap there and there is not the respect for life that we find, or at least used to find, in the western world.
I do find it ironic the the father of the two largest religions on earth, Christianity and Islam, is the only one of the three that sprang from Abraham that does not actively seek converts nor uses conversion by the sword. Maybe Islam and Christianity have a lot to learn yet.
I don't know where you live, Guyk, but I haven't seen any Christians lopping peoples heads off lately. As for the nimrods knocking on doors tring to make you join the Jehova's witness? Real christians don't consider them christian, just fools.
I think GuyK was mainly referring to the "actively seeking converts" clause with respect to Christianity...although you can find plenty of sword-loppage if you go back in history a ways.
But, without presuming to speak for Christians or Muslims, I would agree with GuyK that Judaism does not actively seek converts - we discourage 'em, in fact. Judaism is not a "my way or the highway" belief system...you don't have to be a Jew to have a portion in the World to Come (to use the Jewish phraseology). We just have a few more rules we're supposed to follow.
Well, maybe you yids aren't as crazy as I thought...oops, can a goy say yid?
Pikuach nefesh makes an awful lot of sense to me.
There's sword-loppage in a lot of the OT, but again, my point is, that a christian, or follower of Christ, by nature, is not someone who proselytizes. Those who call themselves christians who DO proselytize have missed the point, the point being, if you want someone to be like you, make them WANT to be like you through your example.
EVERYBODY wants to be like me. Right? RIGHT?
I heard a story several years ago about an aged man who wanted to fast on Yom Kippur against medical advice. His rabbi told him: If you fast under these circumstances, I will personally see to it that you never get an aliya [are called to the Torah reading] in my synagogue again. The astonished man asked: Why? The rabbi replied: I don't give synagogue honors to idol-worshippers. If you fast against medical advice, you make fasting into your personal idol instead of obeying God's command to preserve your health.
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