The Jewish Holidays, Personal Responsibility, and Progressivism
by Jeff DunetzWith the setting of the sun this Wednesday night, Jews across the world will begin the observance of the Yomim Noraim (Days of Awe), a ten day period book-ended by the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This year’s High Holiday period comes at an interesting time for America as the first night of Rosh Hashanah comes a mere fifty-four days before the United States goes to the polls to between two radically different directions, one which emphasizes personal responsibility, the other emphasizes a reliance on government. Only one of those directions is compatible with the true meaning of the High Holidays.
The popular view is the two holidays are observed by going to Synagogue saying a few prayers and begging God for forgiveness. Nothing can be further from the truth.
The High Holiday period is all about personal responsibility. All the prayers and readings are just tools to help us look inward and formulate a personal accounting of our deeds over the past year, good and bad, and to understand what we have learned, or need to learn to correct our deeds. As for forgiveness, we are taught that our maker is not like a big massive government who will fix everything. For earthly-type mistakes, we must approach the people we may have harmed for forgiveness and if necessary make restitution to them, then we must discover what within ourselves led us to err and correct them. Only then can we approach God for absolution.
It’s not that God couldn’t fix everything, but his direct involvement would destroy the delicate balance he set up during creation.
The creation narrative in Genesis explains that man is created in God’s image. The Torah is not teaching us that we are all dead ringers for the “big guy upstairs.” If that was the case everyone’s driver’s license would have the same picture, the Sport’s Illustrated Swimsuit Issue would seem a bit creepy, and no one would be able to solve crimes as eye witness testimony would be useless and everyone would have the same DNA.
“Created in God’s image” is supposed to teach us that just as God acts as a free being, without prior restraint to do right and wrong, so does man. God does good deeds as a matter of his own free choice. Because we are created in his image, man does the right thing as a matter of free choice also. Only through free choice, can man truly be “in the image of God”. That is why God created a world where both good and evil can operate freely. The Rabbis explain this when they said, “All is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven” (Talmud, Berachot 33b). God controls all the options we have, but it is up to man to pick between the correct or incorrect option.
Free will is the divine version of limited government. God picks the winning direction, but does not pick winners and losers, nor does he interfere with the process of learning through repentance and understanding ones actions. We are not divinely perfect, nor are we meant to be. We are only supposed to be closer to that divineness when we leave this world, than when we entered it.
Because we all are created in God’s image, Jews believe that ”All men are created equal,” This does not mean, as many in the progressive establishment will tell you, that when it comes to talents, looks, preferences, or natural abilities we are all equal. Nor does it mean we all should have the same big screen TV, wireless internet, or savings account balance. Jewish tradition respects economic success, so long, as it is obtained honestly, and proper respect is shown for the social responsibility that comes with it. That social responsibility is a personal duty and a job for the community led by its religious leaders, but not for the government. The Hebrew word for charity, tzedaka, has in its root the word tzedek which means righteous, because we are taught that personally giving charity is one of the keys to righteousness.
What is actually meant by all men are created equal is we all have the same ability to be infinitely good or wicked, we all have the same ability to forge a relationship with God regardless of our intellectual capability, social background, physical strength, wealth, etc. During the high holidays, we evaluate how well we have used the “lot we have been given” for good deeds and to forging that heavenly relationship.
Some of the Sages have suggested that when God created the world, sparks of his holiness were spread across the earth. Every time that a person makes the choice of performing a righteous act, one of those sparks is purified and sent back to heaven. Through that process we become closer to God.
A Liberal/Progressive government takes away that choice. They believe that if it was left up to the individual, they would do the wrong thing. Therefore government needs to take an omnipotent role and control our decisions. By taking away our free will and giving it to the government, liberals retard our spiritual development and remove our opportunity to get closer to God. In a progressive society, the ten “Days of Awe” are not necessary because the government makes our choices.
In a dictionary the word sin is defined as any act regarded as such a transgression, esp. a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle. There is no word in Hebrew matching that definition. Instead Jews talk about “Chet” missing the mark. It is an archery term referring to an arrow which “missed the target.” The person who missed the mark is considered to have made the mistake due to a lack of focus, concentration or skill. Through personal reflection during the High Holidays Jews can determine why they missed the mark. The answer cannot be someone else made me. We are told to look for what is in ourselves that made us miss.
In the same vein the word for repentance is “Teshuvah” which means return. In other words we have returned to the correct path to once again hit the target. Repentance implies simply feeling bad for what you have done; Teshuvah involves changing what it is inside you that led you to go off course. And, as the Rabbis tell us, the only way to do that is personal reflection. God may give us a road-map in the Torah, Prophets, Psalms and other sacred texts, but to truly change ourselves and ultimately to truly change the world, we have to discover for ourselves the best way to read the road map.
In its purest essence the Jewish High Holiday period is the antithesis of the various forms of Liberal and Progressive government. We learn from those “Ten Days of Awe” that we must be honest with ourselves and rely on our own introspection to find the right path. We learn that while God may be evaluating the path we take and how we correct the times we’ve missed the mark; he gives us the free will to find the right way.
Progressive and Liberal governments take that free will away from you, they determine the path, eliminate the need for introspection and your opportunity to find those sparks of God in the world. In the end what those governments take from its citizens is the greatest joy of all, finding a path that will draw one closer to God.
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187 Comments
The first night of Rosh Hashanah, also comes as the Muslims get ready for their 'holiday'…Can't wait to see which one the press slaps around!
If the USA refuses to stand by Israel, thing are going to get a lot worse…there can be no peach in that region, as long as Hamas is any kind of player! Hillary should know this….just more reasons why she should NEVER be the one to pick up the phone at 3am!!!
Thanks so much for this article. I have often wondered why Jewish people are so progressive and liberal and if it is part of their religious teachings. This gives more insight into this issue than I have seen anywhere else.
"Free will is the divine version of limited government."
"A Liberal/Progressive government takes away that choice."
Very important point. Maybe this is why today's liberal hates conservatives and religion (other than hugging trees and mother earth) they are one and the same in their view.
"…Because we all are created in God’s image, Jews believe that ”All men are created equal,”"
But the Talmud says that the goyim (gentiles) are inferior – actually 'cattle', and thus acceptable to lie and steal from them. But then I am not a scholar in these matters….
Actually it is a conservative religion, but many of its members have lost their way and no longer follow its teachings, IMHO. Same goes for the Catholic Church of which group I count myself a rather lax member.
Most of my Jewish friends have changed their minds! and are not voting Dem. and I'll tell you what they told me:
That all of their lives it was almost a Religious experience to vote Dem. NO MORE!
Now many of them look forward to justice, by voting for Constitutionalist Republicans, who have regard for our loyal allies, who WILL NOT INSULT President Netanyahu by leaving him sitting alone at the White House, and not have dinner or photos with him, as Obama did!
There is a new Jewish Religious experience, voting Republican, for justice.
Republicans WILL, and have always proudly had dinner,& PHOTOS with Pres. Netanyahu! Repubs will NOT allow Iran to progress with nuclear arms! Constitutionalist Repubs, including TeaParty Patriots, respect and hold high, our relationship with Israel, and our Jewish Freedom fighters! We do not bow down to the Middle East,or ruthless Dictators, or to Radical Islam!
So, why does the majority of Jews vote Democrat? Many see that things aren't right with Obama and his Mao-Loving White House Camp & Congress. And if they do it again in November …come January they will be hit with more tax increases from every direction. Everyone will, including those working a job who also qualify for welfare (which is pretty hard to do). Are their memories so short? Or are they that naive? Or are they just stupid? I'd really like to understand.
I often think that the philosophy behind the religion of the Jews, a philosophy that values individual responsibility, free choice, and the morality of pursuing one's own happiness (you're supposed to give 10 percent to charity, but if you're rich and want to give more, that is actually discouraged once you've hit 20 percent or so), is perhaps the prime reason they have been persecuted by the world for the two millenia since the fall of the Temple. It is the religion which, in princple, comes closest to the principles behind the founding of America… and look at how the world views America!
Seeing muslims during ramadan marching down the streets cutting themselves and beating themselves is an experience I wish I could forget. I have respect for the Jewish people for a ton of reasons. I have also been to Israel and loved it. The people were very decent and respectful.
Consider the free will part where a person can chose to be dumber than a brick and follow the herd. Or he/she can stand tall and follow his/her own free choice. What surprises me in this day and age is the lack of support among a goodly number of American Jews when it comes to Israel or the ground zero mosque. They all realize that islam is out to destroy them to the last child, yet they seem to refuse to speak out in their own defense. I would like to know why this appears so.
I can only HOPE that you are right …I pity the American Jews. Did they not learn from the Holocaust? Did they forget? Or were they taught a bunch of revisionist history?
"We learn from those “Ten Days of Awe” that we must be honest with ourselves and rely on our own introspection to find the right path. We learn that while God may be evaluating the path we take and how we correct the times we’ve missed the mark; he gives us the free will to find the right way."
I like that.
So, here we are Oldman …both trying to understand. It saddens me that they haven't been able to SEE for all these years. I worked with many Yiddish women on the left-coast of FL who loved Clinton. Couldn't say why, agreed that his behavior was despicable and that many of his policies were wrong …it came down to they just had to vote Democrat.
Right. I'm not Jewish, but I have Jewish friends, and co-workers, like everyone, and they DEFINITELY said exactly that. They're smart people!
(I believe the Repub Senator, Kantor is Jewish)
Thank-you! Very informative.
Ditto. We are truly a nation founded on Judeo Christian principles and values.
I know they are smart in so many ways. But I'm sorry, they are not smart when it comes to politics and their future.
Actually, we are a nation founded primarily on Christian principles. There is nothing "judeo" about it and I really don't know where this word "Judeo Christian" came into being. If some principles of Judaism were incorporated into Christianity then it is redundant to say "Judeo Christian."
"Some of the Sages have suggested that when God created the world, sparks of his holiness were spread across the earth. Every time that a person makes the choice of performing a righteous act, one of those sparks is purified and sent back to heaven. Through that process we become closer to God."
I hope we get really close come November
"(I believe the Repub Senator, Kantor is Jewish) "
I think you are referring to Congressman Cantor from VA, and, yes, he is Jewish. So is, Anthony Weiner, Barney Frank. Chuck Schumer, Alan Grayson and practically every left-wing nutjob in Congress.
Have you forgotten that Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles were Jews and all Christianity started with them. Ergo, Judeo Christian.
Your average Jew is a liberal. Jewish believes are not compatible with the racist right
No, Christ was a Christian. So were the 12 apostles. I don't see what this has to do with the term "Judeo Christian" though. Like I said, the term is redundant and inaccurate.
you have to ask yourself why minorities seek refuge with the Democrats as opposed to the Republicans
Israel doesn't need America. America needs Israel. Any nation that has crossed us has been put in the trash can of history. What made America great is because of her alliance with Israel that it!
Free money? Preferential treatment in government hiring?
Christ was also a Jew. BTW, where did our ten commandments originate?
I would prefer to say that one group believes not so much in a reliance upon government, as they do an addiction to government -soon to irreplacably become a personal army for government. Dictators and dictatorial governments welcome these useful idiots (to paraphrase Uncle Karl)
Check the Forbes list of the richest people in America. Most are Jewish. We don't need no hand out from anyone.
Almost all of our civil laws were based on the book of Leviticus. For example, what the punishment should be for rapists and murderers. It's not that we as Christians have to adhere to every jot and tittle today of the Book Of Leviticus, but that the spirit of the law should still be practiced for a civil society.
The Ten Commandments are given in the Book of Exodus.
We use the word Judeo because the Old Testament is part of the Bible and relevant for us today as believers.
What's your point? The 10 commandments are an accepted part of the Christian faith. So, like I said, the phrase "Judeo Christian" is redundant. Christ was not a Jew. You cannot be a Jew and a Christian. Jews believe the Messiah hasn't come yet, Christians believe Jesus was the Messiah. To say that Jesus was a Jew is to say that he didn't believe in himself.
Please explain? If one has studied Jewish history, it could be stated that the Jews were extremely racist. Another question: why is it among Orthodox Jews anathema for a Jewish lady to marry a non Jew, and the father is said to have to conduct a funeral for his now "dead" daughter?
The Apostle Paul was a Jew. He was a Pharisee that consented unto the persecution of Christians until God got a hold of Him one day while he was taking a walk. God blinded him and asked him why he was persecuting believers. He then became a Christian.
“Cheating Goyim is no crime” – Talmud
"(to paraphrase Uncle Karl)"
Karl Marx – also a Jew.
You need to back up what you say with Scripture. Just read the first chapter of Matthew, and you'll see the lineage of Christ. Here is just the first verse in Matthew
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
He was a Jew and born of a Jewish woman.
How does America need Israel? What benefits does America derive from our alliance with Israel? False intelligence? America is the only thing standing in between Israel and a billion Muslims who want them wiped off the map. Without America, Israel falls. The jihadist know this, which is a large factor in their hatred of America.
"……you have to ask yourself why minorities seek refuge,……."
the flow of water always seeks the path of least resistance.
and as you well know there Mr. all things Jewish,…….
ooooh how easy it is to be a Democrat.
"Check the Forbes list of the richest people in America. Most are Jewish. We don't need no hand out from anyone. "
I know this. You said "minorities", so I assumed you meant blacks and Hispanics.
Christ could NOT be a Christian, as the term did NOT come about until after his death!
Eric Cantor is my Rep. and he is a Conservative Jew.
According to the Bible, Jesus is the Son of God. He is not of man, so he cannot be of Jewish, or any human, lineage.
Christ is the messiah, and he was of Jewish blood as were the disciples. The Jewish religion believes He is still to come. Christains accept that he has come and sacrificed his life to atone for our sins.
Do you accept the Old Testment as a valid part of Christianity?
your question was about minorities,………
sorry we just assumed you were talking about minority minorities.
nice skirting with your little Forbes dodging the issue.
Right, so he was a Christian. If my parents were Muslim and I converted to Christianity, would I be a Christian or a Muslim?
than why so chummy with the racist left.
Chapter and verse???
Prove it.
Right, but like I said a million times already, if these things are an incorporated part of Christianity, then the term "Judeo Christian" is redundant and falsely implies that America was founded on Jewish beliefs that are not found in Christianity. I must have missed that part of history class where we learned about the great Founding Father Jacob Goldstein.
Ok, I'm tired of arguing. You win. America is a "Judeo" Christian nation. Hell, why not just say we are a Judeo Muslim Hindu Buddhist Christian nation so that everyone can feel special.
Do you believe the Bible to be truth?
The term "racist" did not come about until the 1930s, so are you saying that it is impossible for anyone living prior to the 1930s to be a "racist"? If Christ was not a Christian, then Christianity is based on nothing.
Muslim is not a race.
You need a Bible verse to show that Jesus was the Son of God???
Christianity is based upon the teachings of Christ and supported by the Old Testament. Remember Christ also gave to us a loving God rather than a vengeful God.
"…….Israel doesn't need America……."
It sure would have been nice to have known this on June 5, 1944 there 343,………
maybe we would not have had to plant sooooooo many white crosses (and stars) at Normandy.
The world today,…..well I am a firm believer that,…….
As long as there is an Israel there is an America and…..
as long as there is an America there is an Israel.
"Do you accept the Old Testment as a valid part of Christianity?"
For the one millioneth time – YES. Which is why the term Judeo Christian is redundant. All right, I'm done with arguing. You win. This is a stupid argument. I was simply trying to make a linguistic point but it's really not worth it.
Was he not born of Mary the Mother of Jesus? There was both a human and God involvement. He was born from a woman's womb.
Neither is Christian. Are you saying that Jews are a race? I thought the orthodox neo-conservative view was that Jews are white people who just wear funny hats to church.
Romans 5:15
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one MAN, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
God was man as well. Again, back up what you say with the Bible.
Except of course the word "goyim" in Biblical Hebrew means "nations", and not "cattle".
In fact it does not mean "cattle" in any variation of Hebrew.
All nations, including the Jews, are "goyim".
Over time it came to be used exclusively for the non-Jewish nations, but it never stopped meaning anything but "nations".
I was asking a hypothetical question. You cannot be Muslim and Christian, just like you cannot be Jewish and Christian.
Peach…..had to think about that for a moment LOL then I realized you must mean Peace. The Liberals are so good at perverting everything, it's a natural talent. I have done many Hebrew Traditions studies and i encourage people who like history and culture to study them as well. Rosh Hashanah is very important during the end times. When the bible was written it was written by and to the Hebrew (Jewish) people so understanding their traditions is very important in understanding the bible. God gave us free will and the Liberal Government wants to take from us. It almost seems like they think that they could do better than God?
Dear American Jews,
"I write to you as a charter member of the tribe. I'm not only Jewish, I'm religious. I'm married to an Israeli girl (she'll receive her citizenship next year and she is a proud soon-to-be American). I go to synagogue regularly, keep kosher, keep the Sabbath.
American Jews, I have one request of you: please pull your heads out of your posteriors.
I mean that in all sincerity. Your continued support for Democrats and an administration that is openly anti-Semitic is a disgrace. Your embrace of a party that seeks to hamstring Israel in the name of a wholly fictitious Middle East peace process is contemptible. Your loyalty to a president who consistently sides with Palestinian and Iranian mass murder-supporters is disgusting.
Your backing of a man who has spent his life surrounding himself with the worst anti-Semites America has to offer — Jeremiah Wright, Rashid Khalidi (former Palestinian terrorist spokesman), Louis Farrakhan ("I don't like the way [Jews] leech on us"), Samantha Power, Robert Malley, to name a few — is nothing short of reprehensible. Rahm Emanuel's presence in the Obama cabinet doesn't ameliorate Obama's anti-Semitism — it just provides it convenient cover. Al Sharpton wrongly called Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell "house negroes"; Emanuel is a kapo.
Even as you continue to buttress a president who seeks the destruction of your co-religionists, you demonstrate your myopia by rejecting the tea party movement and evangelical Christian Israel-supporters.
The tea party movement is your ally for three important reasons. First, it supports capitalism against the forces of socialism — and capitalism keeps America strong enough to provide Israel with a hand against its evil adversaries. Second, American Jews are, by far, the highest-earning religious group in the United States — the tea party fights for your right to keep your money. Third, the tea party stands against government overreach — and in an era when government overreach promotes anti-religious secularism, Jews must stand with the tea party. "
http://townhall.com/columnists/BenShapiro/2010/04...
An ethnic Jew.
A religious atheist.
The distinction is important.
He was also virulently anti-Semitic.
The Jews are the apple of God's eye. Read the Book of Revelation and you'll find that God still has plans for Israel.
Inscription on the Liberty Bell.
Book of Leviticus (25:10): "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.
If my history is correct, Jews have always been considered to be a race. Check the Old and New Testaments.
Seconded!
I am disappointed that the faith-baiting antics of the antisemitic liberal_"Jew" seems to be getting some traction. People, not all Jews are leftists. I am testimony to that. Please don't let crypto-bigots like l_"J" lead you down a divisive path.
It's not anti-semitism to say that America doesn't need Israel. It is a geo-political fact. Why are Jews always throwing up the "anti-semitism" card? That's the same thing as Jesse Jackson saying you're "racist" for opposing Obamacare.
Jews are an ethno-religious group.
The religion they follow is Judaism.
As a branch of the Semitic peoples, Jews are classified as caucasians.
I can understand having to explain that to the resident National Socialists, why do I have to explain this to anyone else?
"As long as there is an Israel there is an America and….. "
Pheww! That's great news! So when America goes bankrupt because of Obama and there are riots in the street, I'm glad to know that Israel will bail us out and send troops to maintain order.
Thank you. I thought that was obvious as well.
I love debating about the Bible.
"To communicate anything to a Goy about our religious relations would be equal to the killing of all the Jews, for if the Goys knew what we teach about them, they would kill us openly."
Talmud Book of Libbre David 37
Thank you for this article. I have long felt that God took a more personal approach to his followers and their salvation. This idea of collective salvation seems to be the wrong path to me. Not only does it imply that you need government to enforce everyone's adherence to higher principles so all can be saved, but it also absolves a person of taking any personal responsibility for their own personal standing with God.
So, why does the majority of Jews vote Democrat?
That is the perennial question that many conservative Jewish thinkers have attempted to answer.
This article has some very insightful analysis, in my opinion. From my personal experience, and to my regret, I see much merit in Medved's hypothesis.
Things have gotten worse in this country directly BECAUSE we support that terrorist UN state called Israel (warned against in Rev 3:9, btw)
Actually the great Founding Father you want is Haym Solomon: http://www.nps.gov/revwar/about_the_revolution/ha...
I guess you shouldn't have skipped that class.
And we are very happy about it. I say this all the time. Jews are about destroying White people and they admit it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGt7_0GEOvo
Now you are sounding like a real neocon. Like I tell the duped conservatives here Neocons are derived from Trotsky and they are leftist Zionist.
My belief is that the Jewish People have been voting DemocRAT all these years because Harry S Truman was a good Democrat and was instrumental in getting them two parcels of land in Palestine in 1948 which later led to the Jewish State of Israel. That seems to me the only logical explanation. No DemocRAT has done anything for them since 1948.
It is a trick – they always use it. Don't take my word for it…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW3a1bw5XlE
"An ethnic Jew."
Like I said, Karl Marx was a Jew.
A more piercing question is what are Israel's obligations to the US and what treaty guarantees it? Do you know we guarantee Israel's oil supply even if it means shortages for Americans? Who does our government work for?
Thank you for the great link, BZ
He was also a German national.
Why don't you refer to him as a German?
Hmmm. I guess most people must have skipped that class because I doubt most of the people on this board have ever heard of Haym Solomon. Who needs George Washington when you have Haym Solomon.
Same reason the HolyHoax is not a fable used to create sympathy for Germans.
" Israel could vanish tomorrow and it wouldn't matter to anyone other than the vipers in this country" These were you're words yesterday.
My response was, "So you and Hitler agree thats also nice to know. Were learning tons about you and you're ilk today please continue….. Small minded people have narrow thoughts".
You're hate blinds you. I expect you're jealous of the Jewish people. Reading you're words in the last few days reminds me of a child who didn't get a double scoop.
Why do you anti-Semites always throw up the "blame Israel" card?
No, it is not anti-Semitic to say that America does not need Israel.
It is not however a geo-political fact, but merely a realpolitik opinion.
It is however anti-Semitic to repeat the usual slew of anti-Semitic lies, which you seem determined to do, including blaming Jews for Marxism, as well as the hatred of the Islamists.
It is part of Muslim beliefs, too. Why not call them Judeo-Christiano-Muslims since they hold the Bible as holy as well? Where do you think they get the STONING from? The very thing YOU and your sort criticize them for?? Book of Leviticus? No. This is a secular nation. http://bible.cc/leviticus/24-16.htm
"He was also a German national.
Why don't you refer to him as a German?"
Because he wasn't ethnically German. He was ethnically a Jew – just like you said.
No, I said he was an ethnic Jew.
That is different from being a religious Jew.
If you fail to make that distinction you must accept that he was also a German national, and thus you must blame the Germans for his philosophy.
While you may be aware, "Christos" is the Greek term equivalent with the Hebrew "Messiah," which generically means 'an annointed one,' but was applied with the definite article "THE Messiah" by the early Jewish disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, whom they believed was "THE" Messiah promised in the Tanakh.
"Christian" was a derogatory term applied by unbelievers to the early followers of Jesus, all of whom for the most part in the first century were either Galilean (northern) or Judean Israelite ancestors of those who returned from the Babylonian Diaspora.
So a lack of knowledge of the history of the founding of this country justifies repeating lies in the face of evidence?
Awesome standard you have there.
You are welcome.
I love the internet.
Because they do not hold the Bible holy.
Says the man who's likely never knowingly spoken to a Jew, let alone actually gotten to know one. But that would require you to go outside your parochial bubble of idiocy, which is more than your wee mind can take, I know.
Jews have been at the center of every communist movement from the late 1800's through the current era.
You are not very bright are you, if it wasn't for America there would be no Israel, in 1948 Harry S Truman secured two parcels of land in Palestine for the Jews, it is in the history books, look it up, also look up what they did to steal Palestine from the Palestine People, it's not a pretty story no matter how you spin it.
I hear what you're saying about the idea that "Judeo-Christian" is a redundancy. "Christian" might be equally "Messianan." The earliest "Christians" were Jewish men and women who believed Jesus of Nazareth was THE Messiah promised in the Torah/Tanakh. Ethnically and religiously these people were Jewish.
At some point in the second century CE the numbers of non-Jewish believers in Jesus outgrew their Jewish counterparts.
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