what is the difference between a jew and a christian?

Christian doctrines include emphasis on the specific belief of a mysterious three-in-one god-man-spirit entity who vicariously atoned for original sin in order to save us all from eternal torment.

Judaism has none of those concepts. People are expected to take responsibility for making right their own wrongs. We don't know what might happen after death, so we focus on living right. Our closest idea to hell is a cleansing process that lasts no more than 12 months. Original sin makes absolutely no sense to us. And G-d, G-d is one.

Everything, theologically.

I've heard many people claim that 'Judaism is really just Christianity - without Jesus'.

This claim is a tad upsetting. After all, it suggests that Judaism was nothing more than the religious warm up act for the main event, Christianity. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Judaism was already a complex and complete religion for *thousands* of years before Christianity even began evolving. Christianity represents, if anything, the rejection of Judaism - as it contradicts core Jewish tenets.

Now, this is not to imply that one faith is better than the other: it is merely to clarify how profoundly different these two religions are.

Here are just some of the differences in key beliefs between Judaism and Christianity:

JUDAISM

- says that no human can ever die for the sins of others

CHRISTIANITY

- says that Jesus died for the sins of mankind

JUDAISM

- says that all humans are born pure, and innocent

CHRISTIANITY

- says that all humans are born with 'original sin'.

JUDAISM

- says that G-d would never allow/enable a 'virgin birth'

CHRISTIANITY

- says that Mary gave birth, though a virgin

JUDAISM

- says that no man gets a 'second coming'

CHRISTIANITY

- says that Jesus will have a 'second coming'

JUDAISM

- says that every human should speak directly to G-d

CHRISTIANITY

- Jesus claims in the 'new testament' that the 'only way' to G-d is via him

JUDAISM

- says G-d is one, indivisable, cannot be separated into three aspects/incarnations

CHRISTIANITY

- speaks of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

JUDAISM

- says that we are ALL equally G-d's children

CHRISTIANITY

- says that Jesus was 'god's son' above all others

JUDAISM

- has no concept of 'hell'

CHRISTIANITY

- *some* Christians condemn ALL non believers to 'hell'

JUDAISM

- has no 'devil', the Jewish 'satan' is just an ordinary angel, under G-d's control

CHRISTIANITY

- describes 'satan' as a devil and 'fallen' angel

JUDAISM

- the 'messiah' will be a normal, mortal man who must fulfill all the Jewish messianic prophecies in one normal, mortal lifetime

CHRISTIANITY

- Jesus was the 'messiah' and will fulfill the prophecies when he 'returns'

JUDAISM

- says that the righteous of ALL faiths will reach 'gan eden' or 'garden of eden'.

CHRISTIANITY

- *some* Christians insist that only those who 'know Christ' can reach heaven

JUDAISM

- forbids Jews from trying to convert anyone to Judaism

CHRISTIANITY

- believes in actively 'witnessing' and encouraging people to convert to Christianity

Clearly the two religions differ on many core beliefs. Again, remember there are many other differences; this is only a partial list.

It is, of course, true that Christianity began life as a tiny fringe sect within Judaism. But the followers of Jesus were not 'christians' in the sense that we use that word today. Many of the Christian doctrines did not develop until much, much later, by which time Christianity was already an entirely non Jewish faith.

The final and irrevocable parting of the ways between the faiths came when Christians deified Jesus. At this point, Christianity was endorsing a belief that is blasphemy for any Jew, because in Judaism, no human can ever be 'divine' or on a par with G-d.

I'm usually known for massively long answers explaining in detail many things that are often told about Judaism in error here. There is simply too much here to fit in one space. I'll let this web site by Rabbi Stuart Federow help explain the differences from the perspective of the Hebrew Bible. He has read the New Testament and presents What Jews Believe in a rather comparative manner, this site was designed specifically to answer questions such as this and to help Christians understand that their perspective of what Jews believe from the New Testament, has never been accurate from the perspective of the context of the Hebrew Bible, Jewish history or what Jews believe.

While there are differences in custom, level of ritual observance and different branches of Judaism, this site explains very well the core aspects of Jewish doctrine that are shared by all. Evidence of this is the fact that Jews from many countries and from all four branches of Judaism regularly use it to help as it is concise and it's easier to use than massive copy paste to support what we say. Rabbi Federow is a Rabbi of a Conservative congregation, but was raised and educated in Reform. His answers there also reflect the same understanding of the Torah that Orthodox Jews read..we all read the same Tanakh in Hebrew, it's how we observe it that we differ.

I will stress one thing..it is WAY off base to think that Judaism is like Christianity without Jesus. The two religions are profoundly different.

http://www.whatjewsbelieve.org/

This other site is from an Orthodox perspective but is a GREAT overall site to learn about Judaism. It's the other most commonly used site I've seen shared by Jews all over the world on the internet to help folk get what Jews believe..http://www.jewfaq.org/

I am sure other Jews will come with a few others that are great. angels and paperback have given good answers.

Shalom

Jews do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, Mary did not give birth to a living God. They do not accept the New Testament and are still waiting for their Messiah. They practice the laws of the Torah and have very little to do with modern Christianity.

Jews believe that there is one god, that he created the universe, chose the jews and took them out of Egypt.

Christians also believe that but would say that Jesus was god incarnate as man who came to earth to clarify god's message and die for the sins of mankind

It's a lot more complicated than that of course but you can see that there is a huge difference between the particular type of nonsense that each religion chooses to believe in

Edit It is not true to say that jews believe that Jesus was a man. Their religion says nothing about him at all. Some jews may beleive he was a man, most jews do not trouble their minds about him at all

The Jews love the Christians but the Christians specially the Vatican hate the Jews. Remember the holocaust?

I am not an expert in theology but have always heard that Christians believe that Christ has already appeared on earth ( birth, death, and resurrection ) and that Jews are still waiting for the messiah to appear.

Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and the Jews are still waiting for the Messiah. But there are Jews becoming Christian-Jews by believing the Jesus is the Savior.

Well, one of the main and, some would say, most important difference is that Jews don't believe Jesus was their Messiah were as christians do. There are, however, many similarity's as Christianity is an off-shot of Judaism.

Christianity started off as a jewish cult of personality

the main difference is i've never had a jew knock on my door asking if i've heard the good news

never seen a jewish billboard, tv/radio stations etc

jews don't ram it down ya throat