Anyways, on with my story. I grew up Christian, celebrating Easter and Christmas, going to church when I was younger all that great stuff.
I got even more into Christianity when I got older, around 18, I actually read the Bible (not the whole thing, but a good deal of it). I was so in love with Christianity and my glorious savior, Jesus Christ himself. I knew no other way, I knew that Jesus was my savior and Christianity was "right."
I met and married my husband, who claimed to be Agnostic, which was totally cool with me. I have never thought that two people could have different religions and not get along. I actually think the world would be a better place if people of different religions would just hug and be friends.
Anyways, I cant remember the exact moment when I decided I wanted to change religions, but I remember that it was part of my husbands doing (I say this almost jokingly. It was he who urged me lovingly to take a closer look at Christianity). Since my husband didn't celebrate Christmas, I did feel little awkward celebrating Christmas and more or less making him celebrate it too. He reassured me multiple times that it was ok and he didn't mind. He said he didn't like it because it is so commercialized, which I agree with and he didn't like the "gift-giving" part. I also have a friend or acquaintance who grew up Christian, but also practices Paganism, which I think is absolutely amazing, I have always loved Pagan beliefs. So between those two I learned a TON about the "truth" of Christianity.
Christmas and Easter both were taken from Pagans to get more people to follow Christianity. Halloween is also a Pagan based holiday. If you actually take time and compare Christan and Pagan holidays you will find a lot of similarities. Which is very ironic to me considering a lot of Christians hate, literally hate, anything that has to do with "witch craft." I kind of just want to knock them on the forehead like the V8 commercial and be like "your religious holidays were Pagan to begin with!"
I remember talking to my husband about how a lot of things about Christianity bothered me. I hated a lot of Christians because they were so judgemental. In the Bible it says to not judge, but it seems like every freaking Christian just read over that section of the Bible and read only the parts about stoning people.
I hated how people were reading the Bible like it was still "The Old Times." Yes, the Bible says a man can't lay with another man (however I don't think it says anything about lesbian relations. Ladies you lucked out!) However, we are living in 2012 times have changed. It also says we have to give sacrificial offerings, but last time I checked no one was doing that.
Times change, therefore the way we read the Bible has to change. I digress.
I didn't like that Christians, during Christmas, were so hell bent on saying "Merry Christmas." I'm glad you love Christmas, but not everyone else does. Other people celebrate Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or nothing at all. Why are you going to be the dick that offends someone because you want to be stubborn?
So I was talking to my husband and I said, "I love G-d, but I don't love Christianity anymore. I wish there was a religion before Christianity." To which he responded, "There is. Judaism."
Duh!
I, like a ton of other people, had a preconceived idea of what Jews were like. "Oh Jews are greedy. Jews are selfish. Jews are blah blah blah." I never hated Jews, I just, like everyone else, wasn't educated about their religion. Turns out, Jews are none of those adjectives.
I found these stats on Jewfaq.org Tzedakah is a HUGE part of Judaism.
"Business Week's 2006 list of The 50 Most Generous Philanthropists included at least 15 Jews. The Chronicle of Philanthropy's list of the top 50 charitable donors in 2008 included sixteen Jews, according to a JTA article. In other words, Jews, who are only about 2% of the American population, are 30% of America's most generous donors. Similarly, a 2003 study (reported in the Jewish Journal) found that 24.5% of all "mega-donors" (people who donate more than $10 million a year to charity) are Jewish."
So bam! We are not stingy, we are actually required by Jewish Law to be charitable.
(Number 51 & 52 of the 613 Mitzvot) (also you Christians lucked out, you only have 10 commandments, we have 613!!!)
Anyways, I did more research into Judaism and totally loved it. So I talked to my husband about it and he was actually really happy! Not in the fact that I dropped Jesus like a hot potato, but that I actually opened my eyes and asked "Why do I believe in Jesus?" He thinks, and I agree with him now that, the majority of Christans believe what they believe because that is how they were brought up. It's true. If a child grows up in a household where the parents take badly about a race, the child will hate that race. Same thing goes for religion.
I asked him just now, "were you happy I converted or just happy I questioned it and actually did research?" He said, "I was just happy you opened your eyes and did the research. I would have been happy if you stayed Christian because you actually looked to find out why you wanted to be Christian."
Needless to say, I am so happy to be Jewish and learn about traditions and customs! And I know a huge question is "How can you turn your back on your savior?" I remember my friend actually asked me if I no longer accepted Jesus as my savior. I said I thought he was "a great person and if he was the Messiah then great..." Something along those lines.
However, now a couple months later I can answer that question with 100% honesty. No one can possibly imagine how much it hurts my heart to say this, but no I do not think Jesus was the Messiah. And before anyone says "oh those Jews are brain washing you." No. It literally hurts me to know that what I believed for 22 years was a lie. The other day when I read what I am about to post, my heart broke. I wanted to cry and now, writing this, I am pushing back tears. It's like everything I believed in, everything I put my faith in was a lie. This man, MY savior lied.
As many of you know, or may not know, Christianity is based out of Judaism. The Old Testament is actually the Torah. The New Testament is what happened when Jesus showed up.
According to Judaism, the Mashiach will do the following:
"Before the time of the mashiach, there shall be war and suffering (Ezekiel 38:16)
The mashiach will bring about the political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people by bringing us back to Israel and restoring Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). He will establish a government in Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for Jews and gentiles (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:10; 42:1). He will rebuild the Temple and re-establish its worship (Jeremiah 33:18). He will restore the religious court system of Israel and establish Jewish law as the law of the land (Jeremiah 33:15)."
Jews do not believe Jesus is the Mashiach because he did not do any of these things. Therefore he could not be the Mashiah or Messiah. Basically this means, Jesus was just another person claiming to be the Messiah and unfortunately people believed him. Therefore making Christianity what it is today, in my opinion, a cult. Did you know that Christians have killed more people than any other religion?
Let me take a moment here to say, if you're a Christian, awesome! Great for you! I have nothing against you or what you believe in my entire family is Christian (minus my husband, he now relates to Pantheism). My best friends are Christian and whenever we have children, if they want to be Christian then we will be 100% supportive of their decision. However, I do urge you to do some research, not for me, but for you. Learn all you can about G-d and Jesus, about Christianity. Ignorance is the root of all evil after all. I've heard it's blissful too XD.
Not having a Mashiach is good though. Unlike Christians who are, for some reason, looking forward to "Judgement day," Jews are looking forward to Olam Ha-Ba. Which is going to be so peaceful and wonderful. There will be no fighting or hatred.
Growing up Christian I was actually terrified by some of the teachings. For example, on the Judgement day if you weren't perfect you were going to hell.
When you died if you sinned, you were going to hell for all eternity where you would suffer and never see
G-d's kingdom.
Basically Christianity scares the shit out of you so you stay in line.
When I read about Judaism I feel comforted and safe. I know that some day the Mashiach will come and Olam Ha-Ba will be great. And if he or she doesn't come while I'm alive I know that I will enter into Olam Ha-Ba and even if I did bad things when I was alive I'm not going to spend eternity in Hell. According to Judaism when we do bad things we create demons for ourselves so when we die they will punish us. However it is not for eternity, some say we simply see our wrongs objectively and feel utter remorse for what we did other say it is more like Christian Hell and there is one severe punishment. Either way this only lasts for 12 months, then we go to Olam Ha-Ba. Unless you were truly evil, then you do spend eternity in Gehinnom. I don't plan on being evil my entire life, so I think I'm good. :)
This was such a long post, and I give kudos to anyone who stuck it out and read the ENTIRE thing!!
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask! I would love to answer any of your questions!!!
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