Author Topic: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?  (Read 2902 times)

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Allen-T

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Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« on: June 21, 2007, 08:23:03 AM »
Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of God's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of God. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.

Or is the Islam part added?

Offline Dr. Dan

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2007, 08:31:22 AM »
it makes sense that he would mean both due to the monotheistic nature both religions are supposed to have.  Christianity is far far far more civilized than the old polytheistic religions of that time.  And it's possible that Islam also was far far far more civilized than any polytheistic religion that might have existed in the middle east...although now I have my reservations...
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Offline RationalThought110

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2007, 08:36:44 AM »
Didn't Baruch Spinoza or Sabbetai Zvi convert to Islam?  I don't think this was supposed to occur. 

Offline RationalThought110

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2007, 08:38:31 AM »
Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of G-d's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of G-d. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.

Or is the Islam part added?
[/quote

Are you saying it was intended for everyone to follow the Torah?

Allen-T

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2007, 08:48:14 AM »
Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of G-d's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of G-d. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.

Or is the Islam part added?
[/quote

Are you saying it was intended for everyone to follow the Torah?

I have been looking at Jewish websites that try to refute the Messianic claims about Jesus and I found this, I thought it seemed odd, I thought Islam has been evil since day one. Christians and Jews worship the same God, Allah however is a satanic creation.

Offline Dr. Dan

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2007, 08:56:29 AM »
Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of G-d's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of G-d. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.

Or is the Islam part added?
[/quote

Are you saying it was intended for everyone to follow the Torah?

I have been looking at Jewish websites that try to refute the Messianic claims about Jesus and I found this, I thought it seemed odd, I thought Islam has been evil since day one. Christians and Jews worship the same G-d, Allah however is a satanic creation.

Allen, i ask a question to chaim a good while ago about this to Chaim...i'm not sure which date it was, but he pretty much gave a satisfactory answer to why it's ok for Jews to convert to Islam if it meant life or death versus Christianity.  

I'm not sure if the rabbinical ruling was done like this at the time because those who killed Jews in the name of Christianity at that time were equivalent to the Muslims of today and at that time those crusaders gave christianity a bad name.  It's possible that at that time, Islam hadn't really reared its ugly face as much.
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Offline jdl4ever

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2007, 09:21:40 AM »
Maimonities did say that.  He is saying that although according to Judaism both Islam and Christianity are wrong, they both loosely worship the same G-d  and copied from the bible a few things so they have some connection to being Righteous Gentiles according to Judasim.  When the Messianic Era arrives, they will quickly understand the truth and correct themselves with little effort since they are already somewhat close to the right path. Maimonities didn't believe in Christianity or Islam like Allen-t implied since he also said that if a Christian tries to force a Jew to convert to Christianity than he should let himself be killed rather than convert. 
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Offline David Ben-Ariel

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2007, 01:31:07 PM »
Didn't Baruch Spinoza or Sabbetai Zvi convert to Islam?  I don't think this was supposed to occur. 

Shabtai Zvi went Muslim. Don't know about BS.

Offline Lubab

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2007, 02:41:03 PM »
Yes that appears to be a good PARAPHRASE (not quote) from Maimonedes from the end of the Laws of Kings. Islam definitely is mentioned there (it's weird I just happened to be reading that quote last night :o).

We should note that in Igeres Temian he also calls Mohamed "Meshuga" (lit. Insane).

Nonethelesss, these two major religions stress the notion of a Messiah and redemption which makes everyone ready for those events when they do occur and that is a positive thing.

Muslim's beleive in the one G-d, though their view of what He wants us to do is seriously corrupted. So they are not satan worshipers, evil though the may be right now.

« Last Edit: June 22, 2007, 02:40:26 PM by lubab »
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Offline judeanoncapta

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2007, 11:33:22 AM »
Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of G-d's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of G-d. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.

Or is the Islam part added?

I can think of one part of G-d's plan that Islam fulfilled. When Omar Ibn Al Khattab conquered Israel from the Byzantine Christians, the Byzantines had instituted a policy of conversion or death for the Jews of Israel. If Omar had not conquered the Byzantines, these Jews would've been wiped out.

Also Omar allowed Jews to live and pray in Jerusalem. The Romans had a policy that Aeolia(Jerusalem) was off limits for Jews, Constantine and later Christian monarchs would allow Jews only to come to Jerusalem on Tisha B'Av to mourn and cry over the loss of the Temple.

I know it's hard for you to realize this because you are not genocidal anti-semite. But the vast majority of Christians were and were it not for the Christians being busy fighting Moslems, I'm pretty sure the Christians would've wiped us out completely.

 I know that you and most Christians that you know are decent people who don't wish to annihilate the nation of Israel from the face of the earth. Please don't be so naive as to think that you and your friends are indicative of the way Christians have been throughout the ages.
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Offline Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks

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Re: Is this a true statement from Maimonides?
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2007, 02:50:24 PM »
Judea, I support you making Christians aware of the bestial atrocities committed in the name of the faith. We MUST not forget this or, if we never learned in the first place, be made aware. At the same time, we want to emphasize that all true Christians want nothing do with savage pagan animals who practiced Norse and Slavic heathenism in everything but name, or their memory (yimach schmo). (I don't mean to say that I am accusing you of associating us with them, I mean I myself inherently want nothing to do with primitive beasts! :o >:()

I do think that membership classes in all churches should teach a comprehensive history of the evils done under the banner of "Christianity", which would include not only the sickening, murderous deeds committed, but a pointing-out of why these creatures lived out pagan rather than Christian doctrines.