In Judaism and Christianity God likes the Jews better than everyone else?

"Does it seem fair that God curses people who harm the Jews but doesn't particularly care if you harm other groups of people?"

No, it doesn't seem fair. So it's a good thing it's not true, and not something that Judaism teaches! While there are biblical curses and blessings to people who curse or bless the stock of Abraham, that doesn't mean that any other type of evil man perpetrates against man goes unpunished. On the contrary, one of the central tenets of the Jewish faith (Maimonides' "Thirteen Principles") is that G-d rewards good and punishes evil. That's not specific to Jews. All people are made in the Creator's image, and all are beloved of the Creator.

"Furthermore, this God only blesses people who bless Jews and Israel."

Again, another fallacy. Just because G-d blesses those who bless the Jews doesn't mean he ONLY blesses those who bless the Jews. Show me your proof for this assertion.

"Why do people join a religion where it openly states that it's (sic) God loves a group of people more than everyone else?"

You're asking why people would join a religion whose adherents G-d loves more than others? Without even addressing whether or not this statement is true, if it WERE true, then you're asking why people would join a religion that would cause G-d to love them more than before. Can you see how silly this question sounds?

Like I said, Judaism teaches that all human beings are made in G-d's image ("B'tzelem Elokim" in Hebrew). But the same way that all people are called G-d's children, Israel is referred to as His "firstborn". What this means is that the relationship that Jews have with the Creator is special, and unlike that between G-d and other people. Since this idea is woven into the biblical narrative throughout, there you can do one of two things with this claim. Either you believe it, or you don't believe it.

If you don't believe it: Who the hell cares what Jews believe? It doesn't hurt you. And if the Jewish idea of being the "Chosen People" bothers you, well, many religions are founded on the idea that G-d rejected the Jews and chose them - for example, Christianity and Islam. Judaism is the only one of the three abrahamic religions that DOESN'T automatically condemn all those outside the religion to eternal hell and damnation. Isn't Christianity condemning all non-Christians to Hell forever and ever more elitist than Jews claiming a special relationship with G-d?

If you DO believe it: So what's the problem? It is what it is. And if you're jealous of that bond between G-d and Israel, and want to trade in the Noachide Law for the Mosaic Law, then you can convert and become a Jew yourself. So, again I ask: where's the problem? If anything, the system is unfair to Jews, who cannot cease to be Jews. A Gentile can get on G-d's good side by following the Seven Noachide Laws (http://www.aish.com/literacy/judaism123/The_7_Noac... which are much simpler than the complex code of Torah Law that is automatically binding on Jews, OR they can accept the Torah upon themselves and become Jews. So Jews have the benefit of not having to undergo conversion, but non-Jews have more options available to them.

You started with the premise that G-d "likes Jews better than everyone else" - I think it's a tenuous position, but one that you could make a case for based on scripture (hence the idea is found in both Judaism and Christianity, though Christianity claimed the Church is "True" or "Spiritual Israel," the New Chosen People, taking the place of us wicked Jews). Everything you added beyond that is completely baseless, and I hope you now understand why.

I hope this helps clear things up, and if you have more questions about what Judaism REALLY teaches, feel free to contact me directly.

God doesn't rely on the judgments of people to form an opinion on. He has His own ways of doing things.

The way you represent what God thinks of certain people and who He blesses is rather skewed, from my understanding of God anyway.

Right now, anyone can come to God, and as Jesus said as he was talking to Jews,

16 "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

( John 10 )

So there will be one flock. Not two. I felt that I had to make that clear because the whole world is opened up to the Gospel message, and the attitude right now is that God has the nation of Jews in a state of judgment. He promised that they would not believe, and that He would make them jealous about it. So now there are all these people saying that the Messiah has come, praising Jehovah, and making all kinds of faith statements to the God that they see as their God.

It's like we stole it from them.

But the reality of it all is that God told them that He was going to do this, and He is doing it, and they still do not believe it.

So the group of people who God loves right now are those who believe in His Son. And they are the one's who trust Him; which has always been the one's that God loved. After all, He's the one that gives certain people the capacity to love Him and trust Him.

You're talking about the OLD covenant. The Jews were the people of God because they were the descendants of Abraham who was righteous in the eyes of God because of his faith. And because of God's promise to Abraham he made the Jews (Israelites) his people. Everyone else did not believe or live for the God and opposed him.

Within the NEW covenant, ALL people have access to God through Jesus. Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews.) Read the book of Romans starting from chapter 3.

If you haven't read the Bible for yourself, especially in it's entirety, it's not fair for you to make accusations that you can not back up within the Bible when you're using the Bible to make your accusation.

I hope this clarifies...

IF that was gods opinion then it wouldnt seem fair to me. But then you've got to remember the Bible was written by humans who had their own purposes.

As for why people join the religion I guess some people find meaning in their lives and actually believe its the truth.

you need to read the whole bible before you make statements like this. yes the jews are gods chosen ppl, yes he loves them and they have a special place in his heart, and yes if you do something for a jew god will bless you, and if you do something against a jew he will curse you. however...if you are a good person and you abide by the seven laws of noah (basic thins: dont kill, etc) then you will go to heaven. that being said, god loves all his creations no matter what and cares for them. and theres always place for repentence

Who are we to judge God?

Especially you. God does love Israel, but only to show men who he is. If he didn't pick out a particular people then we could not see God by watching their history. Since God did pick Israel as his chosen then we men can see the hand of God in their history.

We start by looking at their ancestory from Adam to Abraham and from Abraham to Moses and from Moses to Solomon. When we look at this history we see God uses promises and covenants to show his character and power and majesty and it is clearly seen through the history of Israel how the mercy and goodness of God can be seen even in his judgment.

He sent Adam and Eve from the Garden with a promise of a Messiah. He gave Abraham the land of Palestine and promised him an innumerable count of decendents. He made Jacob, Israel and gave him a family who became God chosen. During Moses time he made a covenant with this people and told them to keep it or be scattered across the earth. During Solomon's time the sin became great and then his people were scattered. When Jesus came he sent out his messengers to the farthest corners of the earth to find this people and all the time inviting every man of every nation to join his people and become one. This to me shows the great mercy of God to all men.

That depends on which God you refer to:

-The Jewish God likes Jews, so much that he killed most of them, or was it the Christian God.

-The Christian God likes Christians.

-The Muslim God likes Muslims.

My God loves me, for what it's worth.

Gods are fickle, they can't make up their minds whom to love.