Vatican: Don't Convert Jews

Creative Minority Report ^ | 12/10/2015 | Matthew Archbold

[paladinan]

So here's my question: If I inadvertently convert a Jew do I have to go to confession? Like if a Jew comes up and says "Hey I was wondering about this Jesus" should I say "I can't talk to you about Him."

But isn't that anti-Semitic? I'm confused.

[from] The Guardian:

Catholics should not try to convert Jews and should work with them to fight antisemitism, the Vatican has said, in a major new document that draws the church further away from the strained relations of the past.

Christianity and Judaism are intertwined and God never annulled his covenant with the Jewish people, said the document from the Vatican’s commission for religious relations with Jews.

"The church is therefore obliged to view evangelisation to Jews, who believe in the one God, in a different manner from that to people of other religions and world views," it said.

"In concrete terms this means that the Catholic church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews." So why not all become Jews? They have good food and good jokes without all that judgey Jesus stuff. There is bacon. That would kinda' stink, not having bacon. So there's that. Wait, can I talk to Jews about bacon?

[BlackElk]

We accept our punishment from God in this world, retain and steep ourselves in the Faith of our ancestors, repent, regroup and prepare for the day when God sends us again a truly Catholic pope. We thank Him that we will likely not be tested as extensively and profoundly as was Job. Like you, we have read to the end of the Book and know that the victory is Christ's. We will be part of that victory and so will every good Lutheran, every other good Christian and, under His covenant with Abraham, every good Jew.

Rather than attack Lutherans of good faith, I have learned to cherish my brothers and sisters who are sincere in their worship of the one true God through other faiths than my own.

God bless you and yours!

Viva Cristo Rey!

[LukeL]

Then why did Christ even preach to the Jews? Why were the 12/13 apostles all Jewish? Why did the apostles first take their message to the Jews, then to the Gentiles?

[ealgeone]

Well, they claim to worship the same god as the Muslims.

[escapefromboston]

God already did judge you,y You’re wrong. Hopefully some day you will follow Jesus.

[onedoug]

Jews serious in their faith needn’t worry about attempts at conversion, unless they’re by force.

[Cvengr]

Scripture tells us only God the Holy Spirit converts any human being to Christianity, although God the Spirit responds only after the call of the Father to the elect, when the volition of the elect is positive to the Gospel.

The human side of salvation is faith, while the Divine side of salvation is grace.

Topics referenced in doctrinal studies include: efficacious/effectual grace, common grace, the call of the Father, the Divine Call,

Eph 2:8-10
Jn 6:44

[ealgeone]

He does realize the Gospel was given to the Jew first, then the Gentile....right?

[quadrant]

You are, of course, right - only the Holy Spirit can convert one to faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Yet there is a mysterious interaction of the individual and the Holy Spirit that leads one to accept Jesus. And an individual can respond only for himself or herself; one cannot respond for another, which was my point.

[redgolum]

And yours sir!

This is an interesting time for all those of faith.