I’m with you, Druby. I am a proud Jew, and I have NO need to convert to any other religion to achieve communion with G-d. I would highly resent any attempt by anyone to either imply that my religion was somehow deficient and needed to be changed or that I could not reach G-d through my own religion, only through theirs.
As for thanking G-d that I was not born a gentile, in the Jewish prayerbook, I see that this has been quoted out of context (of course!) by others in this thread. It actually refers to the fact that Jews are required to perform certain religious precepts (mitzvos) which are not required to be performed by non-Jews, and we are thanking G-d for the privilege of having to perform these mitzvos. Also, male Jews are required to perform mitzvos that Jewish women are exempt from, and thus male Jews thank G-d that they were not born women, in gratitude for the extra mitvos they are to perform. NOT because they are putting down women, and NOT because they are putting down non-Jews.
When you have the WHOLE story, not just bits and pieces, it certainly puts a far different spin on things.
As for you FReepers who think I need a different religion, kindly take yours and stuff it wherever you see fit. We’ve been fine for 5,000 years without YOU.
Divide is happening, but conquering is in the future if we don't shape up and get a grip.
Maybe our form of worship is different than yours, but our God is the same.
What should I pray for him? Believe me, he is willfully blind to the Truth, and I'm finding it hard not to just write him off.
Don’t worry. The Eyn Sof will one day convert all non-Jews to Torah as B’nai Noach and the world will realize that everything outside of Torah are simply distractions.
Which is, in fact, the case.
As for you FReepers who think I need a different religion, kindly take yours and stuff it wherever you see fit. We’ve been fine for 5,000 years without YOU.
Such a loving attitude. I'm praying for you twice as hard now.
Well, my FRiend, before you get “bent out of shape” about the Catholics, lets “look at the whole story and not bits and pieces.”
Take a closer look to the Second Vatican Council and its intent. In this context, the following statement stands out:
“A deepening Catholic appreciation of the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people, together with a recognition of a divinely given mission to Jews to witness to God’s faithful love, leads to the conclusion that campaigns that target Jews for conversion to Christianity are no longer theologically acceptable in the Catholic Church,”
May the Lord Bless you. You are one of the chosen.
Then please tell Jewish groups to stop trying to tell Catholics who they can have as saints, what prayers they are allowed to say, and what movies they can make about Jesus. As for myself, I don't get hysterical if someone says a prayer for me, such as the Mormons. Makes me happy someone is looking out for me.