People go to church to seek answers. But seldom are those people sons of rabbis looking for insight into their own Jewish heritage. All of that changes with My Jesus Year, a new book by Benyamin Cohen that also bears the subtitle "A Rabbi's Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of His Own Faith," and which debuted in the #1 position on Amazon's Jewish Bestsellers List its first day after publication.
After asking himself questions about faith, Atlanta-dwelling Cohen arrives at one question: "What would it be like to be a Christian?" He then embarked on a journey that his website describes as "part memoir, part spiritual quest, and part anthropologist's mission."
Among his adventures: he jumps into the mosh-pit at a Christian rock concert, has his face projected on the giant JumboTron of an African-American megachurch, visits a potential convert with two young Mormon missionaries, attends a Christian "professional wrestling" match, and waking up early for a sunrise Easter service on top of Stone
Mountain-- a Confederate memorial and former base of operations for the KKK.
The MyJesusYear website reports that the result of the journey was that Cohen found his own Jewish faith strengthened. Sometimes it takes an encounter with something different to figure out where you fit. Check out the trailer here:
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I have no doubt that what the author reports is accurate, but -at least from the interview I heard on NPR- he was more attracted to the bizarre events than to a real search for what has brought people to Jesus. Now, I realize that much in the Christian faith as it is practiced in the present age of tv is open to ridicule. But, did he go to prisons and see sincere Christians working with outcasts, did he visit charity groups,etc.? It is difficult to understand the other person beyond shallow observation when you do not share their experience or at least sympathize with their belief.
Mr Cohen I want to appreciate your spiritual quest dubbed "What would it be like to be a Christian?" But the unfortunate thing is that you completely missed your way. You went to all the wrong places. You cannot find the Christ of Christianity in such a misguided quest. You cannot be a Christian without finding Christ Jesus. If you are a sincere seeker of the TRUTH you can find Christ right where you are now. Just open up your heart to Him and let Him in. Please don't commit the grevious error many make who adopt christianity as a religion without encountering the transforming power of Christ. Genuine acceptance of Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour is the first step to becoming a Christian. If you sincerely and prayerfully look for Jesus Christ and NOT just Christian religion you will find Him. For He loves you so much that He gave His life as a ransom to save you from your sins. I know that Jesus Christ is truly whom He claims that He is because He completely and positively transformed my life when I believed in Him. He is every thing He says in the Bible that He is. Please read the Bible. You may wish to start from the New Testament. It may interest you to know that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. When you encounter Christ, going to church and genuine Christian gatherings will become meaningful to you and will greatly impact your life. Remember, Jesus loves you and I love you too. I have special love for all the Jews. Thank you and God bless.
From Albert B.C. Manukwem
Owerri, Nigeria
I loved reading about Mister Benyamin Cohen, it is a blessing to know that there are other souls out there who can hear another faith, and remember that the same God is being worshipped, just in a different way. It also gives me strength to know that his Jewish faith grew. Protestant faiths, today, do not. I was raised Catholic, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when we went... I've been going to a Baptist Church since the 1990's, after I moved to north Florida. My faithe is always strong. It only waivered when I was nearly killed in a car accident... I died that day. I can't die. I'll never get to go Home.
I spent my high school years at a Anglican boarding school. Attended chapel every morning except Saturday and twice on Sunday. I learnt during those formative years what Christianity was supposed to be about and understood why I was Jewish and why I could never believe in Christianity.
Mormonism is a cult of Christianity, just as Bahai is a cult of Islam. A church connected with the KKK is a cult or, if a Christian Church, so psychologically disturbed and so hateful, that G-d is very displeased with them.
I intend to read this book, which sounds very interesting. I loved the Jews, even before I became a Christian and read in the Christian Bible, that God commands me to love them. Some of the reasons why: Personalities of ones I met, art, literature, music, and a concern for the civil rights for others, for ex. - African Americans. Evidence - Anti Defamation literature.
Since becoming a Christian, I learned how the Jews had kept safe, the Jewish Bible, which is in the Christian's Bible too. Also Jesus Christ and other important, wonderful people I read about in the Bible are Jewish.
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