[af_vet_1981]

They hold to the Samaritan Pentateuch

which differs from the Masoretic text, in other words, they changed the Scriptures to validate their own religion.

The Samaritans were not a sect of Judaism, yet they were related from a common origin.
1. They had changed the Torah to add a different 10th commandment to build an altar Mount Gerizim. They refused to recognize God's presence in Jerusalem, hence the gist of the Samaritan woman's sermonette to Jesus, which He rejected.
2. The Samaritans did not know what they were worshipping.
3. The Jews knew what we worship (and yes, Jesus spoke to her as a Jew).
4. The true faith rested with the (remnant of the) Jews.
5. Yet the branch of peace and salvation is also offered to the Samaritans, and they are related to the Jews.

• The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
• Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
• Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
• Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
• But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
• God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John, Catholic chapter four, Protestant verses nineteen to twenty four,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[Cronos]

you’re right. Technically they aren’t a “Jewish” i.e. Judean sect, but rather they are a sect of Israelites - a sister religion to 2nd temple Judaism

and an “aunt religion” to both Christianity and modern day Judaism.

For me the revelation that modern day Judaism (modern-day meaning after 70 AD!!) is a sister religion to Christianity, and derived from Phariseeism explains a lot:
- like why there is more mention of Pharisees rather than Sadducees or Essenes in the Gospels - essentially the Pharisees (modern Judaism) were the other competitor sect
- like why “modern Jews” didn’t hold to the Messiah and at the same time didn’t have temple sacrifices