On 03/09/2010 11:33 AM, Duncan wrote:
Interesting, and something I didn't know. But I have a Christian friend of Jewish heritage, that speaks often of the six-hundred-some (?) commands, and with the below as well, "being a properly observant Jew is not exactly easy" would definitely seem a truism, so an aspect of "you're sure you know what you're getting into" would indeed seem prudent.
We consider ourselves "a nation of priests, and an example to the nations," and the fact that "we answer to a higher authority" isn't *just* an advertising slogan. We don't expect everybody to live as we do, but we do try to show the world that it's possible for people to live in peace and in reasonable harmony with each other. Believe what you want, worship as you please, but try to follow our example and live a righteous life. (BTW, the very first of the 613 commandments is, "Be fruitful and multiply.")
Please note that the Israelites had no problem with the people of Edom, Amor or Moab worshiping other gods, because they were righteous. The Amalikites, OTOH, who were in effect amoral, were an entirely different matter. (They had, apparently, no concept of Divine Retribution, either now or in an afterlife.)
_______________________________________________ Pan-users mailing list Pan-users@nongnu.org http://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/pan-users
