Judaism and Christianity

      

     Three of the world’s great religions: Islam,

 Judaism, and Christianity, all share their

roots in the Hebrew patriarch of Abraham. 

Consequently, religious scholars have thus 

termed these three religions as Abrahamic

faiths.  Judaism  and Christianity, however, appear to have even deeper ties to each other, as 

Christianity sees itself as the continuation and indeed even the fulfillment of scripture and 

prophecy of Judaism.  While there are divergent dogmas between the two faiths because of 

this, there are also many parallels and commonalities as well.  From reverencing some of the 

same important people in the faiths, to shared scriptures, the mutual concept of a messiah,

the understanding on the need for suffering, and even mutual understandings on some rituals,

these two of the three Abrahamic faiths are fascinating in the ties that bind them and the 

differences that create their separate faith identities.

            Both Judaism and Christianity acknowledge Abraham as the great patriarch of their faiths from which subsequent important Jewish figures came.  God promised Abraham for his faithfulness and obedience in his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac that his people would flourish and become as many as the stars in the sky.  From that line of progeny, God the Father revealed himself to Moses to lead the captive Jewish people out of Egypt and slavery.  In the desert, at Mt. Sinai, God revealed to Moses his holy law as encapsulated in the ten commandments.  Even the greatest of Jewish prophets Elijah is revered by both Jews and Christians.  Indeed, in the transfiguration of Christ, it is the Jewish lawgiver Moses and the prophet Elijah that are present along with Christ.  Even Jesus Christ, who was an observant Jew, descended from the Jewish line of the house of King David.

            Both Jews and Christians share the Pentateuch as the initial scriptural foundation of their faiths.  The first five books of the Tanakh being Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, are considered sacred scriptures to both.  Further, the Jewish delineations of the books of the Nevi’im, which told of Jewish prophets, and of the Ketuvim, which were important writings, comprise what Christianity has come to define as the Old Testament.  While observant Jews do not recognize the scriptures of the New Testament as being divinely inspired, both faiths find all of the Jewish scriptures found in the Tanakh to be authoritative and sacred.

            The Jewish faith is replete with prophecies of a coming messiah that is both kingly and priestly to unite and lead the Jewish people.  The ancient Jews were awaiting a warrior king and priest to lead them out of Roman oppression and return Jewish society to greatness and piety under God.  Christianity tells of Jesus Christ being that very messiah that thus fulfilled all of Jewish prophecy of a messianic coming in the Tanakh.  While many Jews of the day were waiting for a warrior king riding a stallion to lead a revolt against the Roman oppressors, Christ road into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday meekly riding the colt of a donkey.  Many Jews expected a messiah to come that would be an earthly king to rid them of their woes and restore the city of Jerusalem to glory.  To Christians, Jesus came not as a worldly king, but as a heavenly one.  Indeed, Christ when questioned by Pontius Pilate in John 18:36 told him, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.”  Jews are still waiting for the coming of their messiah today in the fulfillment of Tanakh prophecies.

            Suffering is also an integral part of the both the Jewish and Christian stories.  Indeed, without suffering, one cannot appreciate goodness, it is thought.  God allows suffering to occur, typically through Jews’ and Christians’ own actions, as a means to have them turn back to God in prayer.  It is suffering that often helps people find or rediscover God, as many Christian and Jewish faiths believe.  The Tanakh is resplendent with stories of the Jewish people becoming complacent and faithless and thus having to suffer as a means to return back to God in repentance and prayer.  In Exodus 3:7, it states, “But the LORD said: I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry against their taskmasters, so I know well what they are suffering.”  Because of this, God sent Moses to deliver them out of Pharaoh’s enslavement and into the promised land as they turned to God in prayer.  

             Meanwhile Christians, see the incomparable suffering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ himself for the expiation of mankind’s sins as the ultimate act of suffering and of love. Many of Christ’s disciples in his day sacrificed, suffered, and were even martyred as a means of giving praise and having faith in Christ.  In Isaiah’s suffering servant discourse in the Tanakh, it tells of a suffering servant of God.  An excerpt of this passage in Isaiah 53: 3-6 states, “He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, knowing pain, Like one from whom you turn your face, spurned, and we held him in no esteem.  Yet it was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he endured. We thought of him as stricken, struck down by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, all following our own way; But the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all.”  Christians see that discourse as being the person of Christ in the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy through his ultimate suffering. 

            Ritualistically, the Jewish and Christian faiths also share some similarities.  They both are obliged to keep the Sabbath holy in worship to God, as is proclaimed in the Tanakh. They both have rituals of purification and righteousness for the young or newcomers to the respective faiths.  For Christians, this ritual is called baptism, while for Jews this ceremonial ritual is called circumcision.  Other similar rituals between the two faiths are the Christian ritual of confirmation when a child comes of age in the church.  This is acknowledged in the Jewish tradition through bar-mitzvahs or bat-mitzvahs.

            The beautiful faith traditions of Judaism and Christianity are similar in so many aspects as Christianity is the religious offspring of the Jewish faith.  The observant Jew, Jesus Christ, is worshiped as the second person of the Holy Trinity, in Christianity, while Judaism still awaits the coming of their messiah.  Despite the differences, commonalities in these two faiths are still found in the revering of common scriptural people, shared scriptures, messianic prophecies, the need for suffering, and even in some of their rituals.  Indeed, the ancient Jews would offer blood sacrifices of sheep and other animals to God for expiation of their sins.  In Christianity, Christ is called the lamb of God, and thus was the only unblemished and pure sacrificial lamb as he willingly sacrificed himself for all of mankind’s sins.  It is these similarities in concepts and understandings that bind the Judeo-Christian faith traditions together.

Kay C. James: Why Reagan’s Call to Conservatism Needs to Be Heard Again Today

Kay C. James, the president of the Heritage Foundation, has written a very cogent article which was printed in the Washington Times that clearly lays out the coming choice Americans have.  I think it is well worth the read.

"Today, America has a choice of two paths. We can embrace the foundational principles that created this nation of limited government and individual liberty. Or we can veer down the path of bigger, more intrusive government that promises to solve all our problems if we just turn over more of our freedom and our paychecks. 

The difference between the two paths recently has become even starker as those on the left have gotten more radical. They have sought to destroy the lives of those who disagree with them, rewrite history to teach our children that America was illegitimate from the start, and express solidarity with those rioting across the country. 

This future-altering choice reminds me of 1964 when Ronald Reagan spoke about a similar decision the American people faced. 'A Time for Choosing' was Reagan’s indictment of big government policies and the deceptive lure of socialism. Amazingly, his warnings are just as applicable today as they were nearly six decades ago.

He gave 'A Time for Choosing' shortly after President Lyndon Johnson introduced his 'Great Society' proposal, which created new welfare programs, expanded food stamps, gave birth to Medicaid and Medicare, and inserted the federal government into local education, among other massive expansions of government."

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When In Rome...

I have always enjoyed traveling to different places, both in the United States and throughout the world, over the course of my life.  My career in the U.S. Navy afforded me the opportunity to see some pretty amazing places too.  I could have forgone ever seeing the vast deserts of Saudi Arabia however.  (When I was a younger boy, I always thought that the endless stretches of sand that go on for hundreds and hundreds of miles was just a Hollywood creation.  Nope.  They are real.)

During my hiatus from writing on this blog, my wife and I were able to do some traveling over those couple of years.  We got to see some incredible places, meet some fantastic people, explore some amazing historical sites, and eat some scrumptious food along the way.  One of the places we went to was a huge bucket-list location, especially for my beloved, as we spent some time in Rome, Italy.  My wife was worried that it would not live up to the expectations she had before we ventured there.  I can happily report that it not only lived up to them, but wildly surpassed them.  

 

These are just a few of the hundreds and hundreds of pictures of sites we saw as we traveled to the eternal city of Rome, Italy.

 

Our first few days in Rome were spent exploring the tiny city-state of Vatican City, which I will share with our readers on a future post.  (It was truly one of the most spectacular museums and places that I have ever been blessed to see.) This picture below is the view looking west from the Castel Sant' Angelo towards Vatican City.  The dome of St. Peter's Basilica is center in the background.

 

 

This is the front of Castel Sant' Angelo (Castle of the Holy Angel) as seen from the middle of the Ponte Sant' Angelo Bridge over the Tiber River.  It was built in 135–139 AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian to be used as his mausoleum.  It was converted into a fortress in the 5th century as a refuge for various Popes in times of martial trouble. The Pope could escape to the castle through a protected passageway from the Lateran as required. 

 

 

 

In 590 Pope Gregory the Great was leading a penitential procession to pray for the end of a plague that had devastated the people. During the procession, he had a vision of the archangel Michael sheathing his sword over the castle, thus signifying the end of the horrific plague.  It was that vision which was the inspiration for the castle's renaming and the adornment of the statue of Michael the Archangel that rests on top of it.

 

 

A view from the upper bulwarks of the castle looking out across the Tiber River at the angel bridge, Ponte Sant' Angelo.

 

The Ponte Sant' Angelo bridge was constructed by Hadrian in 135 AD.  In the 16th century Pope Clement VII had statues of Saints Peter and Paul placed at the end of the bridge. In 1688, ten additional statues of angels, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, were mounted on the parapets.  The artistry of the statues is truly amazing.

 

 

 

Here are a few of my favorite of Bernini's beautiful sculptures on this magnificent bridge.

While it is inarguable what a brilliant sculptor Bernini was, I found it amusing that he was also quite prescient as he carved this angel holding its own "selfie stick." There are seemingly countless cathedrals and basilicas throughout the Roman metropolitan area.  This is the entrance to the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, which has been called “the mother of all churches in the world.” It represents the mixture between the Pagan and Christian eras. It was the first Christian basilica built in the city and the Pope’s main place of worship.

Across the street from the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano was the site of one of the most profound events in my life: the holy stairs or Scala Sancta.  The 28 stairs of marble, which according to Christian tradition are the very ones that our Lord Jesus Christ climbed in Pontius Pilate's palace in Jerusalem on the day he was sentenced to death.  Saint Helen had these stairs transported to Rome in 326 AD.  

The marble stairs were covered in wood planks in 1723 by order of Pope Innocent XIII to protect them from further wear by pilgrims who are obliged to climb the stairs only on their knees over the centuries.

When I arrived there, it was during a very short two month window of time during which the walnut coverings had been removed and pilgrims were allowed to climb these very worn marble stairs on their knees. Further there are three places of a "particularly evocative nature and of sacred importance where it is believed that Christ left traces of His blood."  There are three crosses set in the marble to signify where His blood fell.  The property is owned by the Vatican and is free of charge to those who wish to climb it on their knees to the church above.  

 

It was very moving to climb these 28 steps on my knees, saying a prayer at each step, with scores of other pilgrims all around me.  I touched the crosses where Christ's blood fell upon the steps.  It was truly an indescribable experience.

 

 It was requested that no pictures of the stairs be taken, so the photo below is one that is not mine but taken from a Vatican site.  The wood coverings have since been replaced on the marble stairs.

 

 

This is one of the crosses and grate marking where Christ's blood fell upon the ancient stairs.

These are views of Palatine Hill and the ancient Roman Forum. The Forum was the marketplace of Rome, and later a gathering space for triumphal processions, criminal trials and gladiatorial matches.

The Roman Forum was home to some of the oldest and most important buildings in the ancient city. Today it is a mass of ruins, including shrines and temples, such as the House of the Vestal Virgins. The most ancient monuments at the Roman Forum are from the first kings of Rome, dating back to the sixth century BC.

 

 

This is the view from Palatine Hill towards the Roman Parliament  Building in the distance.  (It is the white building with the statues on top of either end.)

 

 

Zooming in on Parliament...

 

 

  Beautiful fields of wild flowers were in bloom among the ruins in the Forum. 

 

 

Next, is the remarkable structure of the Pantheon.  It was originally constructed around 25 B.C. by Roman statesman Marcus Agrippa, and is thought to have been designed as a temple for the Roman gods. (pan = all, theo = god).  It was largely destroyed and then rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian again around 128 A.D.

 

In 609, Pope Boniface IV got permission from Byzantine emperor Phocas to convert the Pantheon into a Christian church, known in Latin as Sancta Maria ad Martyres (St. Mary and the Martyrs).  It was the first Roman pagan temple to be consecrated as a Christian church.

 

 

Inside the Pantheon is the remarkably engineered dome constructed of volcanic "tufa" stone and lighter pumice towards the top.  The skills to build it so long ago are truly amazing even by modern standards. 

 

 

The ground floor of the Pantheon.  Notice the ornate marble floor.

This is Fontana del Moro on Piazza Navona and is just one of myriads of beautiful works of art in fountain form throughout the city of Rome.

 

  

Neptune's Fountain also in the Piazza Navona.

 

 

This is looking down the road towards the Spanish Steps which connect the Piazza di Spagna with the Trinità dei Monti church at the top of the 135 step staircase.

 

Another view of the church from the Piazza di Spagna.  The Spanish steps were literally just two or three blocks from the AirB&B we rented.  It was a wonderful place to relax, eat gelato, people watch, and see amazing street performers.

This is the Arch of Constantine I, and was built in 315 A.D.  It was built to celebrate Emperor Constantine's victory over the tyrant Maxentius on 28th October 312 A.D. at the battle of Milvian Bridge in Rome. It is the largest surviving Roman triumphal arch and the last great monument of Imperial Rome. It is located right in between the Coliseum and the Roman Forum areas. And of course, the iconic Roman Coliseum where Russell Crowe defeated the evil Roman emperor in hand to hand combat, or something like that.

 

As I said, there are so many Basilicas and amazing sites throughout the city that it is impossible to see them all without spending at least a month there.  That said, there were also some unexpected surprises along the way.  This rather unremarkable-looking Basilica from the exterior provided not only some much needed relief from the heat of the Roman sun, but also was beautiful in the extreme on the inside.

 

 Below is the main part of the nave that was being prepared for a wedding.

 

 

  

This was a side chapel in the same basilica. 

 

Here is a sculpture of the head of Saint John the Baptist after King Herod had him executed that was within this basilica.  The simplicity of it with the darkened chapel behind it really made for a a stark and eerily beautiful contrast.

And of course, no trip to Rome can ever be complete without seeing the amazing Trevi Fountain.  The Trevi Fountain in its current form dates back from 1762 when after many years of works at the hand of Nicola Salvi, it was finalized by Giuseppe Pannini.  The fountain itself is magical.  My wife and I walked to the fountain from our AirB&B each night to sit in front of the fountain with hundreds of our closest Roman friends and tourists.  We ate gelato and kissed as we sat snuggled up to each other.  

 

The legend surrounding the fountain is if you throw one coin into the fountain, you will one day return to Rome. If you throw two coins, you will fall in love with an attractive Italian. If you throw three coins, you will marry the person that you met.  Evidently there were several Italian gentlemen roaming the area looking for likely women throwing two or three coins into the fountain. My wife and I each threw a single coin over our shoulders into the fountain so that we may indeed some day return together to this truly amazing city; the eternal city of Rome.

Mark Little Praises President Trump for Helping Black Americans

While this video from the Daily Caller News Foundation was obviously shot before the Covid-19 epidemic took hold, the truths that Mark Little states in it are inarguable.  The video is refreshing accordingly.  Enjoy!

In Four Months America Became an Authoritarian Country

In 4 months, the U.S. transformed into an obedient socialist country. Government dictated what events are acceptable to attend. Violent protests that instill fear are OK but church services, family funerals and patriotic celebrations are dangerous. And you bought it without a fight.

Standing in a graduation line is a "safety hazard". Small businesses were forced to close but crowds to support the corporate money machine at WalMart, Lowes and Home Depot are OK. 

 

Its too dangerous to stand in line to vote, so we will just have you "mail in" a ballot. Ballots that are far and away the most easily stolen, harvested, manipulated, and so forth for fraudulent means.

Come on. It's "just a mask" and "necessary safety precautions".

How about a little hush money to appease you. Here's $2,400 that we stole out of your pay check in the first place. Enjoy. Buy something with it. From a big corporation.

Cash is dirty. We can't give change. There's a coin shortage. Use your card. In 4 months, they convinced you to use a traceable card for everything, thereby giving others insight and control of your money.

In less than 4 months, government closed public schools then "restructured" education under the guise of "public safety". In less than 4 months, our government demonstrated how easily people assimilate to "guidelines" that have NO scientific premise whatsoever when you are fearful.

In less than 4 months, our government successfully instilled fear in a majority of the population in America that allows them to control every aspect of your life. Including what you eat, where you go, and who you see.

And the most dangerous and terrifying part? People are not afraid of the government who removed their freedom. They're afraid of their neighbors, family and friends.

And they hate those who won't comply.

It's absolutely terrifying to me that so many people don't question "authority". They are willing to surrender their critical thinking skills and independence. They just... gave up without thinking. Without a fight.

Do you know what's coming next?

"It's just a vaccine. Come on. It's for the greater good".

Wait until you're told that you can't enter any store or business without proof of the Covid-19 vaccine. Wait until you can't go to public events or get on a plane without proof of receiving the vaccine.

To everyone that doesn't believe this is possible - DO YOU UNDERSTAND that government successfully dictated to people WHEN they were allowed to be outside, where they were allowed to go, and how their children would be educated in less than 4 months? And that a majority of the population followed blindly because they were told to do so.

You're kidding yourself if you think this behavior won't be repeated with a vaccine. Or whatever the next step is.

"I don't follow politics."

"Who cares about that stuff?"

"I don't like to think about it."

They got you. Without a thought. Without a fight. Just like Russia. Just like China. 

 

Welcome, comrade.

 

 

H/T: Carrie