Touchy subject, hope it doesn't offend anyone....

United States
September 21, 2008 3:47pm CST
Can you be Jewish if you believe in Jesus??? I don't think you can be Jewish and Christian at the same time. The main difference is that Christians believe Jesus died on the cross for their sins. He was their messiah. In the Jewish faith the messiah has not come yet. So how can you be both? I mean Jews celebrate Yom Kipper which is a day they fast to pay atonement for their sins. It is one of most holy days of the year. So if Christians believe in Jesus, How can they be active in the Christian faith? I understand being Jewish is more then just a religion its a race, but I am talking religiously.
4 people like this
11 responses
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I don't see why a Jew can't be a Christian. They are called messianic Jews and they can follow Jesus the same as any one else. The 12 Apostles were Jews as were the disciples. In fact It was after Peter saw the vision of the sheet that the gospel was started being preached to the gentiles. Why would a Jew be kept from worshiping Jesus the same as the rest of us? Why can't you be both.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
22 Sep 08
A Jew can become a Christian and a Christian can convert to Judaism, as far as I have seen. But usually one practices one religion or the other. They make a choice to practice one and leave the other.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
22 Sep 08
Jews are a nation not necessarily a religion. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish Nation of Israel. One of the well known pastors of my religion is a Jew by birth. His mother was Jewish. He is now a Christian. So he is a Christian Jew
• United States
22 Sep 08
See I don't understand that, after Jesus people went different ways. Yes they say Jesus was Jewish, but if you go to temple then they don't pray to Jesus because he is not their messiah.
1 person likes this
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
22 Sep 08
I don't think you can be Jewish and Christian at the same time. Thats like saying one cant be Pagan and Christian...it simply isnt true...A person can be ANY religious or religous combo they feel in their soul..I have a very close friend who is Catholic AND Pagan, her personal path is between her and her higher power which is as it should be... If a person feels in their soul and heart that they are both Christian andn Jewish then thats what they are.
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
23 Sep 08
But in my mind it doesn't make sense. Ah but it doesnt need to make sense in your mind, it only needs to make sense to them and thats how it should be since being religous SHOULD BE a personal thing.. but if one contradicts the other then they can only believe in parts of each and not fully who's to say that there are contradictions though, just because you (for example) believe the bible/word of god etc to say one thing the reality is its all about interpretation so maybe they see it very differently..See thats the problem with mainstream religion IMO..ppl are SO hung up on playing follow the leader (leader being the church, history, family and friends etc etc) rather than their own hearts and souls the very thought of soemone NOT playing is confusing and seemingly impossible to them...
• United States
22 Sep 08
See now I would say they aren't either then. If they believe in both that is truly up to them. But in my mind it doesn't make sense. If that is how they feel then that is their personal belief right, but if one contradicts the other then they can only believe in parts of each and not fully.
@Harley009 (1416)
• India
22 Sep 08
Shalom aleichem / Salam Alaikum Do you know one can be a Muslim only if he/she believe in Adam, Seth, Nuh, Abraham, David, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad etc. (Peace be up on them) ? We believe Jesus was the Messiah, in his miraculous birth, but we don't believe in Crusifixtion, the Son of God Concept, Jesus as God concept and Trinity concept. Later Prophet Mohammad came as the last messenger/prophet of God and completed the message of God. --- If one Jew believe in Jesus, he is no longer a Jew as per Jewish clergies. Once he believe in it, the concept of God, the salvation concept, and law everything changes, in fact another religion. May Almighty God guide us all, have a good time.
• United States
22 Sep 08
Thank you for your comment.
• United States
22 Sep 08
i don't think so. isn't the whole jewish faith based on the belief that jesus hasn't come yet? so if you believe in jesus you can't be jewish.
• United States
22 Sep 08
Thank you that is my point. I have asked my aunt about this and she just shakes her head and tells me, thats not how it is, with no explanation.
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
22 Sep 08
I don't see how you can be in two religions at once. You are either one or the other. My opinion!
• United States
22 Sep 08
I agree, you just can't contradict yourself at everyturn.
@Ronrich (27)
• Singapore
22 Sep 08
Im really interested in this as this is quite confusing. So jews believe in messiah who is the father of jesus and hes supposed to be 'greater' that jesus?
• United States
22 Sep 08
In the Jewish religion they do not believe the messiah has come yet, they are still waiting for it.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
22 Sep 08
All the apostles were Jewish and continued to go to synagogue and preach, It says that it was until Antioch that believers of Jesus as the messiah were first called Christians.
• United States
22 Sep 08
And at that time distinguished the difference. Right?????????
@awapak (1275)
• Pakistan
23 Sep 08
Yes,we know Jews donot believe in Prophet Jesus(pbuh)and Christians never believe in the last Prophet Muhammad(pbuh)....But Muslims have unique and unprecedented honor to believe in all about 1,24000 Prophets of one God Almighty.We cannot become Muslims if we donot believe in them all......And for Jesus,we have special love and respect as he is coming to us this time at Damascus,Syria.We and our coming generations will have the honor to shed our blood on his orders to eliminate the last Antichrist and his followers from this earth......and assist him in establishing the first IDEAL WORLD STATE to fill this earth with complete peace,prosperity and Justice.O,Christian readers!we are not your enemies.Let's join hands to receive this common leader who will unite us in one faith !!
• United States
22 Sep 08
Jews dont believe in Jesus at all. Infact i heard soem jews are the ones who were responsible for his crussification. Alot of people told me Jews are the chosen ones and nobody can ever convert into Judiasim. I heard this myslef and if you dont believe me go and do some research. The only religons that believe in Jesus in their religon i think is Christians and Muslims, only the fact that Muslims believed him as a prophet and not a God or son of God.
• United States
21 Sep 08
You aren't both. It's similar to how you can't be Catholic and Protestant (any of the sub-sects therein) at the same time. Another analogy would be that you can't be Sunni and Shi'ia (spellings?) at the same time. Christians by definition believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and Jews do not. Christians are not Jews, and Jews are not Christian. (PS - I always feel a bit self-conscious about this, but when I say "Jews" I don't mean it offensively or anything... it's just used to mean "people that are Jewish") (PSS - Jews technically believe in Jesus, just not that he is the Messiah)
• United States
22 Sep 08
Thank you for your response, my aunt became a messianic Jew (not sure of the spelling) and since then I have been kind of confused. It didn't make any sense to me.
@Lexus656 (672)
• United States
22 Sep 08
That's a really good question. I am a christian was born and raised in the church. I just don't understand how there can be so many religions anyway. There is one way one truth one light. I can't tell you where your heart belongs but I think that you have to be either or. You do hear about people converting from jew to christian all the time. on the other hand If the jews are gods "choosen" people then I dont see why you couldnt be both. I think it's something that you should take to a pastor or do some research on.