Timothy,
If anyone has a greater claim to to the biological descendants of Abraham it would be me due to language, people, history, and culture.
I think you have gotten too caught up on the linguistic and racial issues. You have created issues that make no sense when it comes to knowing how to pronounce Jesus in the various languages of the world. You don't see me talking and pronouncing Jesus' name in the Arabic(Yasou') as if He was only the God of the Arabs. In regards to the followers(Disciples) who were Jewish they are also considered to be followers of Christ and in Christ which makes them Christians as well. Have you ever studied the Council of Jerusalem in the book of the Acts 15? St. Peter, a Jew, was reprimanded by St. Paul for his offense towards the Gentiles(goyim) in Galatians 2:11. You are too bent on viewing your world perspective through Jewish eyes rather than Christ's eyes. You should have known by now how much of the ancient Jewish traditions were incorporated in the Catholic/Orthodox Churches as well as in the liturgies. The true Christian Faith does not scorn Jews or non-Jews. Of all people you should have known this and kept faithful to your theosis. When you say that you don't call yourself a Christian but a Jew how do you expect us to view and understand you? When you say you are not a Christian that means you do not accept Y'shua as your Adonai and Messiah. According to your admission you have reverted to Messianic Judaism that does not believe in the Eucharist, Trinity, or in the teachings of the Jewish Apostles in Christ. You are creating your own choice of religion rather than accepting what has been handed down to us(2 Thessalonians 2:13-17). There are many Jews in the world today that have been infected with many false racial theories. Take Adolf Hitler and his fantasy of white, blonde, and blue-eyed people---the Aryan race. Much of Europe's history and perhaps elsewhere dealt with racial issues of particular peoples being superior and inferior. Zionism is much a European byproduct and a continuation of racial theories. Zionism's founder Theodore Herzl and others believed and concluded that they were different breed of people and should not assimilate with other races. Bottom line is Zionism came into existence due to anti-Semitism that was running rampant and sporadically throughout European history based on racial theories. Just open up a European history book to discover the various "races" going at each others necks because the one or the other was thought to be superior. Why would you not want to break this sinful cycle of racial hatred? Do you think it can be done by committing to Messianic Judaism rather than Orthodoxy? There are many Jews who have entered with full knowledge into Catholicism and Orthodoxy who knew the Jewish and Gentile issues. They never refer to themselves as Jews but as Christians whose ultimately goal is to unite the world through Christ Jesus. Is your goal to unite the world and mankind through Christ Jesus or to frame the world into differences that divide and categorize us as being racial and distinct? I can understand some languages such as Hebrew and Aramiac and Greek but I don't believe its fair to limit the understanding of the Gospel in one particular language or with one particular group of ethnic people without being unjust to another.
Salam be Yasou',
Robert ben Jamal
