Comment on Christianity. by carp30mnia

Parent Post: Christianity. · In Reply To

carp30mnia · 9/3/2025, 12:53:32 PM · permalink

I'm sorry to hear you experienced that, and hope your spiritual journey settles you somewhere you find the most fulfillment. I myself struggle a lot as someone raised Catholic, who is an on and off again Christian. My own issue with Christianity is not from experiencing religious abuse (though I've met my share of hypocritical Christians), but finding that compared to Old Christianity - 'New' Christianity has been watered down, overly fractured (too many denominations), and corrupted (i.e. unaddressed pedophilia amongst clergy, Scofield bible) into a seemingly different religion.  
  
One example: Part of what lead to Christianity's success and eventual mainstream adoption in Roman Empire's later years was the fact that it would take the infants (mostly girls and disabled) that the Romans would discard and abandon. The Christians would then raise the babies themselves, because their religious values upheld the sanctity of human life as well as a 'go forth and multiply' mindset. And these children would often adopt the same religion that had saved their lives, and consequently increasing Christian numbers.

![image](https://us-lax-1.linodeobjects.com/sojooo/comments/2410/1756904012381-a4381f1b3874106f.png)
  
Something about that warms me. In contrast, too many modern self-proclaimed 'Christians' don't bat an eye at abortion-as-contraception (or use the possibility of child abandonment as a REASON for why they're better off never having a chance at life) or state-sanctioned suicide (Canada's MAID program) these days... The value of human life across the board (religious and secular alike) feels like it's at an all time low. While ironically being paraded as the new 'moral' high-ground. Of course, ideologically-'purist' Christians got issues too (especially those more keen on controlling every detail of another person's relationship to their faith, rather than practicing the main ethics of the faith itself... Perhaps they took 'The Devil is in the details' too seriously lol). I've yet to find that kind of genuine welcoming warmth cemented in moral values I idealize, in Christian communities... And no I'm not counting the ones so open-minded their brains fell out (if you accept everything, you stand for nothing).  
  
As it is, I feel caught between only extremes for options. Currently, I'm back in religion-less limbo. And when this happens, I get curious about Judaism again. For all their historical beef, Christianity inherited major values from Judaism, i.e. the ten commandments, the old testament, etc. With the exception that, Christianity is more actively trying to pull others into their fold (or what they believe to be salvation rather) as opposed to the exclusivity seen as a hallmark of Judaism (i.e. there will never be such a thing as an ethnic Christian). That 'chosen' stuff is my biggest hangup with Judaism. As someone picked last amongst my half-siblings as a child, the basic idea stings (who is the ultimate parent but God?). At least, going by what's taught commonly in Christianity, he chose them preparational-ly to dispense his word and their lineage to eventually produce 'Christ'. I am honestly more drawn to the Christian interpretation as to the rationale for why/what God chose the Jews for. But then again, I'm confused about what Jews (minus the supremacists/radicals - that's easy to understand lol) themselves believe they were chosen.

If you don't mind me asking:  
1) What previously appealed to you about Christianity that is/isn't present in Judaism?  
2) What things do you believe/don't believe which are antithetical to Christianity (or branch thereof)?  
3) Besides returning to your roots, why do you think Judaism might have a better spiritual/moral case after-all?  
4) And what's your take on whether non-ethnically Jewish individuals can meaningfully convert to Judaism?

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rusalka · 9/11/2025, 11:59:21 PM · permalink

3 bumps

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