wkp@lanl.ARPA (12/03/84)
I'm frankly getting a bit tired of the hostile and sarcastic questions about Judaism that people like David Harwood and Gary McNees are using to further their attacks against Yiri. I guess the point of all this hostility was to avoid having to answer Yiri's questions on the validity of interpreting 2000 year old Jewish writings by 20th century Fundamentalist Christian standards. No one has even tried to address the issue of how it is possible from a foreign (German,African,Aztec,Indonesian,etc) viewpoint to really understand what a Jew from Northern Israel who wore tzitzit (fringes) and went up to Jerusalem for the Pesach meant when he said certain things. I also find it humorous that these same non-Jews like to quote this deified Jew who himself likened non-Jews to dogs undeserving of children's bread. (That was his own opinion.) David Harwood insists on believing that this Jew was righteous or godly; the gospels themselves relate how this Jew had told his followers not to call him good for "there is none good but one, G-d." Doesn't it seem a bit strange that this Jew who lived by the Torah (and once said that not one tad of the law will pass away) is now worshipped by people who pick and choose among this same law? May I suggest to all of you that if you really do have questions about Judaism, please don't be hostile. If you find this impos- sible, invest in the Talmud and the Encyclopedia Judaica. I promise you it's more rewarding than trying to convince Jews how free you are from G-d's laws. bill peter