Can someone explain the difference between Judism and Catholicism to me?

What are your specific questions about Judaism?

Basically everything. I know that they do believe Jesus came but they… don’t believe he’s the savior?/Messiah?

Judaism is just as wrong as Catholicism. The addition of a magically redemptive zombie son of Yahweh doesn’t make the religion more true.

Jews don’t believe Jesus is the messiah for the same reason that you don’t believe Muhammad is God’s final prophet.

Basically, most Jews (except for Messianic Jews) believe Jesus was a good man and a prophet, but he wasn’t the Messiah. The Messiah has yet to come.

Might I suggest you get a book like 101 Things Everyone Should Know About Judaism: Beliefs, Practices, Customs, And Traditions and read it? Then come back and ask some more specific questions.

@Darwin – Thanks I’ll try that!

Also, for Catholicism, you might try Growing Up Catholic It’s a funny book, but accurate and may make you realize you remember more about being Catholic than you think.

Oy where to begin…

Jews believe in Jesus, just differently. He was a nice Jewish boy, and we know this cuz:

He stayed home til he was in his 30’s, went into his father’s business, and his mother thought he was God.

@Zen – At the beginning, of course. Anything else would cause such a tsuris!

and when you’re ready to know why all the abrahamic religions (and many others) equate only to the non-sensical joy of dancing, just ask. :)

@darwin
I’ll let the goyim describe it…

@Zen
“He stayed home til he was in his 30’s, went into his father’s business, and his mother thought he was God”
LOL

@Zen
i’m the token goy at my s/o’s parents’ passover seder. it’s an honor ;-)

Will somone please correct the Judaism, thanks.

Judism sounds like, well, actually Jew-dism – which is kinda cool – like Jewish Budhism. That’s me!

@KalWest – Yes, but he was still too skinny. He should eat so not to break his mother’s heart.

@Darwin
aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL

@KalWest I’m usually the token jew at any internet forum. Just numbers. So few of us left. It’s the law of averages.

@Darwin looooooooooooolooooooooooool

A “token jew” sounds like someone you need to have with you on the subway.

I want to “stop following” but I can’t help myself, I’m all farklempt.

@Darwin I always keep a token jew in my shoe, like in The Rhinestone Cowboy…

@Zen – LOL

On that note…I need to go eat so not to break my mother’s heart. She made it just for me.

@B.‘teavon It means, bon apetite.

@sevenfourteen I grew up Catholic and can’t add much to the discussion in terms of the differences between Catholicism and Judaism. I feel compelled to say that you dodged a bullet with the guy who patronized you when you asked to learn about his faith.

@Zen, I feel you man! I am usually the token Baha’i’ on a site. Here on Fluther however I am not alone (shout out to Fireside) and neither are you…

I am a token. Period. Ka-ching.

@Zen Ba Dum Bum! lol4rl!!!

@Zen
B’teavon indeed.
Don’t forget to say Bevakasha (please) and todah (thanks) while at the table
(Ha! The goy knows a little Hebrew!)

This is an excellent book for a comparative overview of the world’s major religions.

@KalWest I am very impressed, yedidi hayakar. Na’amta li me’od. L’hitraot bekarov.

Lurve @kevbo @KalWest @SuperMouse

@Zen
aw shucks (blush)

Seriously, I lurve you guys, and this place is totally evrul.

@sevenfourteen I will actually attempt to give you a rather succinct answer to your question.

First, Judaism (as @Zen pointed out above, the religion is called Judaism, and those who practice it are Jews) is a monotheistic religion, meaning that Jews believe in the existence of one and only one god. Historically, Judiasm was the first monotheistic religion (or at least the oldest one to have survived into the present day).

Catholicism is also monotheistic (in traditional Catholic theology, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are three parts of one whole – the Trinity). However, Jews do not believe in the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth. A few people here have written something like, “Jews do believe in Jesus, just not the same way that Christians do.” That’s actually misleading. Jesus plays no role, whatsoever, in Jewish religious belief or practice. The question of his existence, divine or otherwise, is not a part of Judaism.

The “founding documents” of the Jewish religion are the books of what Christians call the “Old Testament,” namely the five books of Moses, the books of the Prophets, and Writings. These are all also part of the Christian bible, put the “Hebrew Bible” obviously does not include the Gospels and what is commonly referred to as the “New Testament.”

It is not possible to get too much deeper into the similarities and differences between Catholicism (as the oldest form of Christianity) and Judaism here in a Fluther post. If, in your efforts to learn more about Judaism, you come across more specific questions, definitely come back and post them.

@Michael Good job. I’d add that the Jews don’t call it the old Testament, they just call it the Bible.

@Zen I’ve never called it “the Bible” or heard it called that by my fellow Jews.

Questions are free; consultations are $150 for 50 minutes. Just saying.

@Likeradar Strange. Really. It’s the bible. Not the old testament, because the Jews don’t recognise the “New” Testament. It’s just the torah, which is the first chapter of the Bible. Even if you aren’t religious – and I’m not.

@Zen Old Testament, Hebrew/Jewish Scriptures, Tanakh… never Bible.
Bible refers to both testaments, right? It’s like saying you live by Atlas Shrugged (or whatever) when you think the second half is crap.

@Likeradar I have been warned several times not to wander off topic. Is this considered off topic? In any event, to put the button on it, as JIm Carrey would say, I am Jewish, 100% and proud. Also Israeli, and anyone with any questions or poison for me should call 1–800-get-alife. Back to the Bible. I have always called it the Bible. Granted, I’m not very intellectual, nor educated. I am not sure whether English is even my first language any more. But I have no problem calling the tanach, which is basically just saying the bible in Hebrew written phonetically in English. The Bible is whatever I consider it: you can’t make me change my mind. I was taught that there are two testaments: and not to believe in the second as anything other than the Christians’ bible. Which is a way of saying: I don’t believe in any of this, it’s semantics, let’s move on. I respect the people who want to take it literally – I just don’t. Okay?

Nitpick: the Egyption cult of Aten was the first true monotheistic religion, predating Judaism by several centuries. And early Judaism was not actually monotheistic but henotheistic—meaning that you believe in multiple gods, one of which is utterly supreme. (“You shall have no other gods before me” is not the same as “I am the only god in existence.” The idea of the covenant only really makes sense in a polytheistic context.)

Early forms of Hinduism were also henotheistic as well, and date to around the same time as Judaism. Some scholars place Judaism’s shift into more pure monotheism at around the time the Jews met the Greek philosophers who were talking about things like unmoved movers. Even so, the various angels and heavenly creatures in Judaism (as well as other Abrahamic religions) are hardly different from weak polytheistic deities subservient to a “king” god, Yahweh.

@Zen Wasn’t trying to argue with you or offend you. You can call it Playboy Magazine for all I care. When someone asks a serious (yet broad) question about Judaism and you answer “Jews don’t call it the old Testament, they just call it the Bible,” I’m going to say something if I think it’s wrong or have a different experience. No harm.

@Likeradar Okay, put em up. Now you’ve got my goat. It’s the Bible, period. Don’t forget, this is English. It’s the tanach (T.A.N.A.C. Phlegm in phonetic Hebrew) only if someone knows what you mean in Hebrew – otherwise it’s like calling it sakdkdlakdlfakfdlafaklda.

Seriously, if the Jews don’t believe in anything after the “Old Testament”, i.e. Jesus et al, then how can there be an Old and New Testament? It’s oxymoronic, leaning on the moronic side.

In all seriousness, it’s the Bible, period.

Kids go to Bible studies afetr school in Montreal, anyway. There, once they learn the term TANACH, they know there is a word for the Bible in Hebrew.

Rotsa lalechet makot? Yalla, bo-ey!

[mod says] Please try to stay on topic, folks.

@augustlan Sorry, but that was sorta on topic?

It’s a very difficult question to answer in one post. I agree with the others that it helps to do some reading and come back with specific questions. The previous posters were correct when they said that we don’t believe in the divinity of Jesus. But it’s very VERY difficult to pin a Jew down to say what they do believe. For example, I’m an observant Jew and I’m an atheist. That will seem like a total contradiction to you, but to Zen and to the other Jews who may be watching, they’ll totally understand.

Probably one concrete big difference is the idea of forgiveness of sin. Catholics believe that if you confess your sins and do your pennance (sp?) before God you’ll be okay. Jews say that in the case of sin, God is irrelevent. Only after you get forgiveness from the person that you sinned, will you be absolved. It’s very humanist.

A second difference is the idea of an afterlife. Catholics have a very distinct idea of what happens in the afterlife. There is a Heaven, a Hell, and a Purgatory (there may be more for all I know). Jews basically don’t worry about it. There is no distinct Heaven, and there certainly is no Hell. Basically, the idea is that if you are a good person, that after you die, God will provide. (Of course, in my case, since I don’t believe in any of that, I believe that when I die that I just go kaput, but that’s another topic—but again that’s NOT a contradiction).

There are other differences, but you get the point.

@Benny Don’t entirely agree, but then, you’re entitled to your beliefs. That’s aprt of the beauty: when they say get two Jews in a room, you’ll have three opinions, this is what they meant.

Specifically: Observant, to the untrained goy (I mean eye), would mean a kind of traditional, or religious Jew.

Afterlife? Yep. Better be good, period. No confession, no mass. No-one dying for sins. Just be good. Or else! There is a judgment day, and every year, there is a period of time to make amends – just before the Judgement Day – Yom Kippur.

But that’s another thread, read: Book.

@Zen I didn’t say you’d agree with me. I said you’d understand my point of view.

@Benny I explained myself. Why do I have to agree/understand your p.o.v? Cuz we’re both Jewish?

;-)

Happy Pesach.

@Zen LOL! Chag Sameach

@Benny Chag Sameach, yekiri. Sheyihe rak tov, beshana haba’a beYerushalayim!

@Zen Probably not next year—but one of these years!

@Benny Mi casa, habayit shelcha.

Lots of difference. The Catholic faith is sort of an “offshoot” of the Jewish faith, but Catholics have given up most of the Jewish traditions. The Catholic Liturgy of the Eucharist (Communion, second half of Mass) is based on the Jewish Seder.
Catholics follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as divine. Jews do not. The practice of the two faiths is very different.
As far as social teaching goes, there is a huge variance within both groups, along the whole conservative-progressive spectrum, so a Jew and a Catholic might have a very similar worldview or a very different one. Just like two Jews or two Catholics might agree or disagree strongly about everything from the death penalty to abortion.
The major commonality of social teaching is that both groups believe it is up to the “informed conscience” (Catholic term) of the individual to determine morality and ethics. While the Church teaches pre-marital sex, abortion, homosexuality, etc etc are sinful behaviors, it doesn’t mean every good practicing Catholic has to agree, or even every clergyman has to agree. Judaism is very similar in this regard.

@theluckiest The big difference, of course, is that the Church has a set heirarchy that is almost militaristic. If a Catholic believes in gay rights and abortion they believe against the church. Jews have no such heirarchy.

@Benny Actually different sects of Jews have hierarchies.
And there’s absolutely no “sin” or problem in disagreeing with Church social teaching for a Catholic, as long as it’s a reasoned disagreement. Taken from the Catholic Catechism:
“1800 A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience.”
My dad’s family is Catholic and my mom’s is Jewish so I’ve had these discussions many a times :)

Jews don’t have sects. They have insects (not Kosher) but no sects.

@Zen More traditionally referred to as “Movements”, they definitely have different “groups”, often centered around a particular synagogue, and often those groups have some sort of hierarchy.
A rose by any other name would be as Jewish. Erm not rose but Movement….

@Benny – Actually, Catholics are more tolerant than you seem to be stating. According to the latest Gallup Poll:

American Catholics are more liberal than the general population on homosexuality, divorce, and premarital sex, despite the Catholic Church’s official stance on those issues. 54% of Catholics say homosexual relations are morally acceptable, compared with 45% of non-Catholics. 71% of Catholics approve of divorce, compared with 66% of non-Catholics. 67% of Catholics say premarital sex is morally acceptable, compared with 57% of non-Catholics.

Source

—
Shout back at Supermouse : )

@fireside No, I know Catholics are liberal. I have a good friend who is a liberal Catholic monk. But still you’re not allowed to perform an abortion or prescribe birth control in ANY Catholic hospital, no matter your political beliefs.

Oy Vey!

@fireside I reread my comment and I should have said, “No I know many Catholics are liberal”—my comment implied that I thought all Catholics were liberal.

For an off color joke about the Priest and the Rabbi drop me a line with JOKE in the message part.

@Benny – no worries, my comment sort of implied that all Catholics are tolerant : )

@Zen – If Jews don’t have sects (speaking phonetically) then where do all those little Jews come from?

I’m just askin’...

@Darwin Jews have sects, but differently that other races and “religions.”

Jews are basically hermaphrodites, and once a year, around the days of “awe” – just after the sacred holiday when they skip sects entirely, “Pass Over”) – they meet, smoke pipes, and have wild sects. Then they crawl back under the rocks from whence they came, quietly counting the revenues of the year,

@Zen – No wonder you drink all that wine at Seder.

@Darwin It’s good for the soul. And a mitzvah, too. We must drink four bottles each, and chant “drink til there’s nothing left, or you can’t lay down straight, whichever comes first before daybreak. It’s a sect thing._

@Zen LOL

I am certain the vintners see it as a mitzvah as well

@Zen: It’s four glasses, sorry to burst your bubble! I don’t know what kind of seder you usually ahve at your house…

@La_chica_gomela Glasses? Now you tell me! (It was a very fun seder, then everyone fell asleep)

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

@Zen
“they crawl back under the rocks from whence they came, quietly counting the revenues of the year,”
LOL “you people” kill me!

@KalWest Thanks. We people aim to make you laugh, and die with the most money.

@Zen
I showed this to my s/o – and he said you are very “mish-sha-shaya” that must mean crazy ;-)

Probably said something like: Mishuga – or mishi gi ne.

@Zen
tomayto – tomahto ;-)

@Zen
We people aim to make you laugh, and die with the most money.
So it’s not the Chosen Frozen?
It’s the Chosen Liquid?

@SeventhSense The Frozen Chosen is the U.S. Olympic bobsled team, thank you very much.

Chosen Liquid? Scotch, neat. Make it a Glen-something. Old, at least Bar Mitzvah, preferably old enough to drive in the States, say 16 – 24.

Jooz? I’d call us the God Squad, or maybe the Goldstein’s?

most money.
Liquid

@SeventhSense Liquid… Gold?

liquid- assets

Keep in mind while you’re being clever, you’re not alone. :)

@SeventhSense Kept in mind, always, however, totally uncalled for. Read my thoughts again – none were directed, nor detracted from, you, dear.

No need to be mean. I’m not.

@Zen
Sorry you took offense. None meant.

@SeventhSense Lurve you.

And we always seem to hurt the ones we lurve. Usually around the holidays, eh?!

Shalom.

@SeventhSense Peace, Hello and Goodbye.

And in case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night!

The Jewish religion places emphasis on everyday life as opposed to any afterlife. Traditionally, Judaism is very vague about the nature of Heaven. The Bible is full of religious rituals that orthodox Jews follow. Following these rituals is considered as part of living a good life. God is not viewed as someone who will reward you for following the rules.

Christianity places emphasis on the afterlife. Following specific rules is less important than one’s attitude. If one has faith and acts out of love then this will lead to eternal reward.

That’s why Jews love gefilte fish – they seize the day. (Carpe Diem)

you mean they seize the carp, right? :-P

@LostInParadise read: Jesuit/Ignatian Humanism