Reply #26: Not really... [View All]

[regnaD kciN]

Think about it: Jesus himself was Jewish, as were the apostles and virtually all of his early followers. It wasn't until the last few years of the first century, following the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans, that both "sides" basically kicked each other out. Until then, what was beginning to become known as Christianity was regarded as just another Jewish sect, albeit a rather unusual one.

Now, as to the modern-day JfJ...from what I know about them, they are primarily Jewish converts who have adopted a party-line fundamentalist agenda (literally -- much of their Statement of Principles goes straight back to "The Fundamentals" published in the early 20th century). They practice Jewish ceremonies and festivals (Sabbath, Passover, Tabernacles, etc.) as well as or instead of the parallel rites of mainstream Christianity. There are some more extreme groups of "messianic Jews" who believe that most of the current Christian church is a corruption, and that true followers of Jesus must adopt Jewish practices (while, at the same time, holding that he was God incarnate), but I don't believe they are in the JfJ itself.

Despite the insistence of some in the Jewish community, I see no sign that JfJ members aren't (ethnically) Jewish at all, although they fudge the issue a bit by declaring that one is Jewish if either of one's parents is Jewish. (Most branches of mainstream Judaism require one's mother to be Jewish for you to be considered one as well.)

I will grant that JfJers are free to practice whatever religious faith seems right to them. I'll let Jews debate over whether or not they are truly Jewish, and restrict myself to commenting that I'm not particularly comfortable with fundamentalism, such as that of the JfJ, being considered a mainstream form of Christianity.

Oh, and one more thing. If, for whatever reason, you manage to get your name placed on the JfJ mailing list, be warned that it is virtually impossible to get it off it, and resign yourself to regular doses of Messianic mass-mailings. :-(