Speak for yourself.
I guess you think it not worthwhile to convert non Christians?
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.
In fact, we pray for the conversion of the whole world.
You'll just have to live with it.
Why? Should we not love them enough to pray for their conversion?
Modern Judaism and every form of Christianity (like all world religions) make mutually exclusive fact claims...that is each one makes statements of objective truth which contradict the other.
Jesus was either the Jewish Messiah (as Christianity has ALWAYS claimed...from the New Testament onward) or He is not—and hence should be ignored (or even supressed...if He was a blasphemer...). Polite “ecumenicism” is a lie—while we can respect each others tradition—both (modern) Judaism and Christianity cannot be equally correct—if the universe as created by God is coherent.
Therefore it is proper and good for Christians to pray for, and desire the conversion of Jews....and actually, equally proper for Jews to pray for AND EVEN SEEK THE CONVERSION TO JUDAISM of gentile Christians.
After all if Judaism is correct, than Christians are at best, mislead pagans, worshiping a false 3 faced God in a seriously blasphemous way... If Jews love their fellow man—AND they believe Judaism is objectively true, logically they should pray for, and seek the conversion of Christians. SO WHY IS IT THAT JEWS DO NOT PRAY FOR AND SEEK THE CONVERSION TO JUDAISM OF CHRISTIANS?
If however, Christianity is true, and Jews 2,000 years ago and since have rejected and missed their true Messiah, and the One God truly is known in 3 persons...than Jews above even all other persons, need the prayers of Jesus’ followers, that they may know, and love all of ours Messiah as well.