There is so much to respond to in Kirk Cameron’s Beliefnet interview, it’s hard to know where to begin. Not least is the notion that we need to ask ourselves why we care so much about what a former sit-com actor has to say about complex issues of theology, global politics and biblical interpretation? Of course we know the answer. Fame has become a substitute for expertise.
That is not to say that every person is not entitled to form their own spiritual opinions and impressions based primarily upon their own life experiences. In fact, that trend is among the healthiest things going on in spirituality today. To be sure, radical democratization has its downsides, but in the end, all of our faiths function best, not when they are in the hands of some small elite group of so-called leaders, but when they are in the hands of the faithful who stake their lives on the communities in which they live.
And to be perfectly frank, there is nothing shocking about Cameron’s approach to reading God’s hand in nature, history or politics — dangerous perhaps, but not all that unusual. And if anything, that is what we should find disturbing about some of his theories i.e. not how unusual they are, but how typical.
When asked “if God is angry with how things are going (in the world) and (if) He is punishing us?” Cameron responded with some pretty unambiguous statements indicating his ability to know the mind of God. My experience is that anyone who is too clear about knowing what God thinks, either thinks they are God, or that the God in which they believe thinks suspiciously like they already do. The first group is guilty of dangerous arrogance and the second is guilty of equally dangerous narcissism.
In either case, the humility which all faithful people espouse, including Cameron at the end of the interview, flies out the window. And with it goes the only corrective on the passions which engaged faith always generates. Oh yeah, that, and a great number of “non-believers” and “errant believers” who “don’t fit into God’s plans”. And that should worry all of us, especially if like me, you believe in a God that is revealed over time and in various holy scriptures.
The only thing which stands between us and becoming the nightmare that we think faith guards against, is that measure of humility which demands that we admit, we do not know it all – that the will of an infinite God is simply to big for any one faith or person to fully grasp.
Among the theories he shares, Cameron tells us:
Because I am sure that Kirk is a decent enough sort, I assume he doesn’t appreciate how toxic this read of history has been, literally causing the deaths of millions of Jews over the millennia. In fact, until Nostra Aetate (typically called Vatican II) one of the most powerful teachings shared by the Catholic Church and many Protestants was that Jewish suffering was proof of our being cursed by God for rejecting Him and killing His Son. The “fall of Israel” was proof of God’s rejection of the Jewish people and the creation of a new covenant through Jesus Christ which superseded the “old one”.
On that basis alone, he should probably ease up that interpretation of history. Not to mention that such reads of history might demand that, with the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, God is now done with Christians and returned to “His first love, the Jews”. No, I don’t believe that, but then I’m not Kirk Cameron and I don’t share his approach to interpreting history.
It also doesn’t help his case, that roughly the same arguments made by him, are espoused by Osama Bin Laden, the mullahs in Iran and a whole bunch of other folks who see our supposed downfall as a nation as proof that “God loves them more”. And unless that’s the company Kirk likes to keep, he might want to re-think this approach for that reason as well.
Finally, the Biblical line of reasoning which imagined a direct and unambiguous correlation between how we behaved and God causing crops to grow or die, nations to succeed or fail, and our personal lives to go well or badly, was predicated on a world with no hereafter. That’s right; most of the Hebrew Bible assumes that these things had to play out here, because there really wasn’t much after this life. The idea that there was, only caught on in the first century before Jesus, probably because the evidence for such a discernable calculus of divine reward and punishment was drying up fast in the face of repeated conquests and civil strife in the Holy land.
Not surprisingly, it was into this breach that both Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity, two traditions in which the eternal life of the soul and a system of rewards and punishments in the next world, emerged. So, for yet another reason, I would caution Cameron against the easy equation between the system of divine reward and punishment found in ancient Israel and the one in which he believes today – unless of course he wants to give up on ideas like the existence of heaven and return of Christ, which I am thinking he does not.
I won’t even touch his understanding of the relationship between Christian faith and the founding of our nation. I would however suggest that he pick up a copy of Steven Waldman’s book, Founding Faith. Suffice it to say that the role of religion in the founding and maintaining of this country is far more nuanced and interesting than the culture warriors on either side would have us believe.
So I wish Kirk well in both his life and his ministry — both seem to be successful works in progress. And I also wish him the ability to see that God’s hand is larger than any of us can fully see, and that His plan is certainly larger than our own understanding of what’s going in right now in the world. Believing that the hand exists and is working, is not the same as insisting you know precisely how.
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
posted August 12, 2008 at 11:22 am
Mr. Hirschfield,
This is an excellent post. I grew up Evangelical and can tell you that these lines and ways of thinking are pretty much the norm. I’ve been out of the program for nearly 15 years. Although, I have seen life circumstances change some of my family members views – particularly my mother who ended up as a psychiatric nurse.
I did think that Mr. Cameron gave a good explanation on the impulse towards justice. Still, I’ve been a universalist for a while. I also remember Jesus saying, “Forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Sometimes I think the ambiguity of life is our saving grace. I really like what you say about folks that think they know the mind of God.
I do think our safest bet on knowing God is practicing love.
posted August 12, 2008 at 11:53 am
Brad -
I also thought this is an excellent post which all should read. As a member of the community of Gentiles (most Christians) who have a chance at salvation only because of the chastening of the Israelite and Judaic nations, I would like to correct two statements. It is the belief of Christians who study their Bibles that Jesus’ purpose was to fulfill the old covenant and in so doing create a parenthesis to it which allowed the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s salvation for man.
Unfortunately, however, many Christians do not spend much time in listening or hearing the Words of the God they claim to believe in, and the statement you made becomes correct for the beliefs of lay Christianity. This is a great shame to be found in both our systems – most prefer to read words by people about the God we believe in rather than the Words we claim to believe are His and from Him.
The second issue is rather more of a question. I know that there are at least two schools of thought on when the idea of an afterlife became accepted. This is not a Judaic – Christian debate as Christians did not exist at the time the idea came into acceptance. I would bring the psalms of David and the writings of Isaiah into the mix and also statements of certain early Israelites as showing there was a much earlier expectation of an afterlife. Would you maybe feel free to expound on this debate at some point as it is of great interest not only to me but to many I know.
Jeremiah Price
posted August 12, 2008 at 6:05 pm
My experience is that anyone who is too clear about knowing what God thinks, either thinks they are God, or that the God in which they believe thinks suspiciously like they already do. The first group is guilty of dangerous arrogance and the second is guilty of equally dangerous narcissism.
This is fabulous and one-hundred percent on the mark.
posted August 13, 2008 at 4:17 am
“My experience is that anyone who is too clear about knowing what God thinks, either thinks they are God, or that the God in which they believe thinks suspiciously like they already do. The first group is guilty of dangerous arrogance and the second is guilty of equally dangerous narcissism.”
I believe no one thinks that they actually know what God is thinking. Could it be that they have learned by studying the bible that He revealed a lot of Himself and His nature enough to have at least a vague idea?
posted August 13, 2008 at 6:33 am
But what about the chipmunks?
posted August 13, 2008 at 9:07 am
Alvin and the Chipmunks became Christians, too?
posted August 13, 2008 at 9:45 am
Brad,
Judging by the particular block quote you used, I think it’s unfair to say Cameron is off the mark in his (very brief) summary of the Old Testament.
As a rabbi, I’m sure you’ve read the whole of scripture. Myself, I’m not a rabbi (or Jewish), but I have read every word of the Old Testament, and of the many themes that become abundantly clear by the end of the it, one of them is that God wants us to keep His commandants, and when we don’t, He corrects us like a good, loving parent corrects their children — sometimes with punishment that isn’t particularly appealing.
It’s not off the mark to say that a country like ours, willingly giving in to so much cultural decay, may no longer have God’s blessing. Wasn’t it a similar situation with Judah and Samaria? Beyond worshiping other gods, God also accused the ancient Israelites of adultery, murder, lies, theft, etc. And now, as Americans, don’t we live in a culture that glorifies all of that? From 50 Cent to Paris Hilton, it’s pretty amazing who we hold up as idols.
With that said, you’re right to point out that a horrifying mistake has been made in the past by equivocating what happened (and why) to the ancient Israelites to what happened to modern Jews in Europe not so long ago. It seems to me that anyone who both pays attention in high school history class, and at some point actually reads the Scriptures, can figure it out with a little common sense.
Before I sign off, though, I’d like to go back to the idea that reading the Old Testament truly does bring home certain elements of God’s nature, and I think the element that becomes the most obvious is truly His divine mercy.
Time and again, He asks the people to come back to Him fully, with a heart dedicated solely to Him, and everything up to that point will be forgiven and forgotten.
From the book of Malachi, “‘No need for you to be afraid of me,’ says Yahweh Sabaoth… ‘Return to me, and I will return to you… Remember the Law of my servant Moses.’”
posted August 13, 2008 at 10:52 am
Humanity has a funny tradition, that if we have the power and wealth, God is favoring us. and conversely (and perversely), if someone else has it, God has nothing to do with it.
I have a hard time accepting any human being’s interpretation of human actions and nature’s actions too, as evident of God’s will.
Are there miracles? Yes. Can we predict them? No. Do we think we can. For sure. Are we REALLY humble before God? No way. Witness anybody who claims to know God’s mind.
As long as humanity claims we are created in God’s image, we have this hubris of superiority. Methinks it is we who created God in our image.
I know I am not the originator of that statement. But I am coming to see the validity of it more and more.
I am even willing to give the ‘intelligent design’ proponents some due. But I think the intelligence stopped after the table of elements and went to play poker with the infinite combination of infinite things.
Prove me wrong.
posted August 13, 2008 at 11:05 am
Dear Rabbi:
I am a minister and even though i might study more than the average preacher I still don’t have a clue as to what God will do all i know is that He will do what HE says he’ll do and in his own time. If Jesus himself said that no man know the hour of his coming only the Father (God) I can only assume that only Jesus and God (Him being God) gave the guidelines to the coming wrath. To assume we know anything other than what is written is to assume to much. Rabbi..I have seen enough of this “Showtime Christianity”. I stand with you…This book of the Law shall not depart from my mouth..(Since I don’t know, I should not say i Do..)God’s thoughts a far from what we can ever concieve..
Rev. Ray Bennett New Direction M.B. Church Chicago,IL
posted August 13, 2008 at 12:27 pm
The thing that I do know about God is that He is LOVE. He is not a lover of sin, but He still loves the sinner. He is still so patient with us, as a good Father awaiting the lessons to sink into the children’s heads; though the heads be hard! God has and always will love His Jewish Children. He has plans for them and His Christian children. In fact, there are plans for all of His children. No one of us is a Judge. That is God alone’s place. We as Christians are grafted into the family of the Jewish Family Tree. God in His great LOVE for all of us, has made a way for that through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. Many areas in the old testement point to this Son. I am sorry for anyone who is misintrepreting the Bible and causing innocent Jewish people to be treated bad and even tortured and killed. This too, is being done to Christian Missionaries in many countries today. Killed for believing in the Only Begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ. Hitler and others murdered many innocent Jews out of some sick, misplaced belief that God hates the Jews and they were doing a favor to God. This same kind of hatred is as racism of any kind. There will be answers given to Yaweh for these atrocities. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword! There is only ONE judge. We will ALL do well to remember that.
posted August 13, 2008 at 1:24 pm
All I know is that we all fall short of the Glory of God and that we all deserve to be “punished” for our sins. If God chooses to treat us as he did the ancients, we deserve it.
I just pray that we as Americans, return to the ways of the LORD. The God of the Jews is the God of Christians and he has shown His mercy more times than we deserve.
posted August 13, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Rabbi Herschfield,
To know the mind of G-d. Impossible! He is eternal, all powerful, creator… It is enough to know He is in control, and that He loves us with an eternal abiding Love.
Shalom,
Carolyn
posted August 13, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Amazing how many non-Jews have an opinion on a Jewish blog.
Anyhoo -
God has only had a covenant with one nation, ever. The United States is not that nation. God deals with individuals now, not countries. So to assume that he would deal with the United States from a covenanted position is very wrong at best and idolatrous at worse.
It’s the same reason why I will not say “one nation under God” in the Pledge. Because we aren’t and never have been.
posted August 13, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Scott,
Thanks for sharing your comments, especially because I do not share your view and that is what enlivens this conversation. I also want to be very clear to you and to all those who read and comment on this blog, whatever faith you may be, including those with no faith at all. ALL ARE WELCOME!! Can I say it any more clearly?
This is a blog written by a Jew, a rabbi even, but it is not for Jews exclusively and does not reflect the views of Jews alone. My vision for Windows and Doors is of an electronic community in which Jewish teaching has pride of place because it is the tradition which guides my life. But the views of all comers are not only welcome, but encouraged.
And if anyone needs a perticularistically Jewish reason for that, try this: both Jewish wisdom and the the Jewish people have flourished most successfully when they lived in cultures and settings that had permeable boundaries and encouraged such interactions.
So I want to thank all those who read and comment, including and even especially those who are not Jewish. Your presence and participation prove every day that we can celebrate the wonder of the traditions we love without becoming obsessed with with either their uniqueness or their exclusivity. We celebrate these traditions because we love them and we love them because they can make our personal lives more meaningful and our world a little better.
posted August 13, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Rabbi,
I’m sorry I disturbed everyone- I thought this was a Jewish blog.
I won’t be back.
posted August 14, 2008 at 2:49 am
If you consider what KC said regarding Israel’s history in the Tenach and forget for a minute he’s Christian, he’s commited no sin so to speak, what I mean is he’s correct from a Biblical Jewish perspective. We can’t deny rejecting and stoning our prophets and bleesings and curses? How about before The Temple destruction, Yom Kippur could go good or bad! Remember the rope tied to the High Priest? Do the sciptures not tell us that Hashem would make of us a scattered nation and did and return us to our land and did? Are there not many Orthodox Jews and non-Jews alike sensing this possibly to be the end of days? You can’t water down our history and G-D’s words, no liberalizing here, In our world, it’s not all mushy and all good, but rather not. Somebody’s coming be it the Mashiach for the first or second time and unfortunately Armilus first, for Jews, our version of the anti- Messiah, the Christian’s anti-Christ and the Moslem Dajjal. For fellow Jews who never heard of this it’s in the Midrash as is many other hair raising things! Emunah Shleimah!
posted August 14, 2008 at 12:31 pm
While I respect your stand on including all opinions on this blog…even those connected to people who are not Jewish, I wonder how many of those posting on this board have been guilty of proselytizing to Jews? I use the word “guilty” with full understanding of what the word means. It amazes me how many Christians can read the Old Testament and decide they know what the Jews should do…and how they should do it….because for them obeying G_d means accepting Jesus. I think that this proselytizing ceases to become polite and becomes insulting at a certain point. Being Jewish does not mean “interpreting” what G_d means from the perspective of what a Christian believes about the religion. Christianity does not define Judaism. Not even Jews agree on all theological issues. It is somewhat arrogant to say that you KNOW about Judaism just from reading the Old Testament. IMO
posted August 15, 2008 at 2:40 pm
The Jews are Gods chosen people and God did say [IF] when it comes to blessing them and their land i.e. the Mosaic Law.
Exd 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine:
Deu 11:27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
Deu 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deu 30:8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
Deu 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Jos 24:24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
1Sa 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.
Job 36:11 If they obey and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
Psa 81:8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
So then, the question is: are the Jews obeying Gods commands? Refer to the five books of Moses.
posted August 16, 2008 at 12:23 am
Shalom! At the end, there will be a Christian Judaism, that is, Christian Gentiles knowing more about the Jewish version of what Yeshua (Jesus)told to everyone in Israel. This will define the relationship between Christians and Jews. Christianity is not another religion, it is part of Historical Judaism, and so it must be defined again since all historical evidences show this. At this hour,when Israel is being threatened by arabs and muslims the world over, the Christians, especially, the evangelicals, are getting ready to go all the way for Israel and the Jews. They have realized that Yeshua (Jesus) is a Jew and that salvation comes thru the Jews, John 4. This kind of Judaism is flourishing today in Israel, and it is called “Messianism”, for those who believe in Yeshua as the Moshiach who accomplished Daniel 9:26 “The Sactuary was going to be destroyed, but Moshiach would die before”. Am Israel Hai!
posted August 16, 2008 at 12:25 pm
G-d help save us from people who believe like Roger.
posted August 19, 2008 at 8:53 am
HI
I ENJOY READING WORDS OF WISDOM, HOPE TO GET SOME MORE.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I LOVE THE BIBLE AND IN MY FREE TIME I AM BREAKING BIBLE CODS, NOW I AM WORKING ON BOOK OF THE PROPHET MISHLE AND I HAVE FOUND AND REVEAL THE COD TO BREAK THE COD IN ORDER TO FIND THE TRUE MEANING OF THE SENTENCES, IF YOU CAN, PLEASE HELP ME BY REFERRING ME TO SOMEONE WHO WILL BE INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT IT
THANKS
ZVIA
posted August 19, 2008 at 9:16 am
I am not Jewish, I attend a “non” denominational Christian Church (for lack of a better word, I don’t like labels) – however, I think that a lot of Christians do fall prey to the idea that they know the mind of God. How arrogant, dangerous and un-Christian. As a Christian we are to (Jesus teaches) make ourselves last, lower than. The last shall be first….. As a people all faiths, beliefs and nationalities should look within and question where we stand with our God! Not try and “teach” others, the public does not need to be spoon fed “Religion” we all need to be pointed in the correct direction to find a personal understanding and relationship with the Creator of All things we see, the beauty and splendor of every country, every person. Our God calls to us today just like he did in the early books of the Bible. We must also remember, Christians I wish to point this out to you in case you haven’t internalized this: The Bible we quote so readily to “chastise” the Jewish people was written by and for them! In a language they understood not us! We perhaps should learn more about their beliefs and faith and understanding of the words in the Old Testament as these are the beliefs and laws the man we claim as our Savior followed, taught and believed as the eternal words of his Father! May God Bless your life with the wisdom and knowledge he created you to know.
posted August 19, 2008 at 9:42 am
comfort, o comfort My people, says your God. speak softly to Jerusalem but also make it very clear that she has served her sentence, that her sin is taken care of – forgiven! she’s been punished enough and more than enough, and now it’s over and done with. thunder in the desert! prepare for God’s arrival make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God. fill in the valleys, level off the hills, smooth out the ruts, clear out the rocks. then God’s glory will shine bright and everyone will see it. yes. just as God has said! these people are nothing but grass, their love fragile as wildflowers. the grass withers, the wildflowers fade, if God so much as puffs on them. aren’t these people just so much grass? true, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade, but our God’s word stands firm and forever!! Isaiah 40:1-8
posted August 19, 2008 at 10:36 am
I quit reading at the first paragraph when he started his argument by insulting him for his career choice as if that alone makes him less intelligent than the good rabbi. No point in reading this if that’s his kickoff.
posted August 19, 2008 at 11:45 am
The problem as I see it with Mr. Hirschfield’s overview of Kirk’s interview is obvious for all who desire to see the truth. Mr. Hirschfield must believe as he espouses, or accept that Judaism is in error in rejecting God’s only-begotten Son, Jesus the Christ as the Messiah as spoke of in the Old Testament.
As a member and leader of the Jewish faith, would you expect to hear anything different? I say, NO! No more than Kirk Cameron proclaiming to be a Christian believes as he does.
Does Mr. Hirschfield think that because he is a reader and student of the Scriptures, he stands above Kirk’s understanding of the Scriptures gained by using the same process?
Mr. Hirschfield, as well as the majority of today’s Jews, deny the relevancy of the New Testament Scriptures, and deny Jesus Christ as being the Messiah. This being the case, his commentary is not different than that of the Muslims, Hindus, or any other non-Christian faith. It’s like comparing apples to oranges.
I believe Mr. Hirschfield commentaries would be better served in the arena of Jewish debate on whether the Nation, as a whole failed to recognize, and still do, the Messiah at His first advent.
posted August 19, 2008 at 12:31 pm
I too was offended by Rabbi Hirschfield’s put-down of Cameron’s career as an actor, but I chose to continue to read the article in its entirety.Though I am impressed with Hirschfield’s intellectual prowess, I feel he falls short in assuming that since no one can fully know the mind of God, God has, and continues to reveal Himself to those who take the time and effort to seek Him. His assertion that (my paraphase)”It is the height of arrogance to claim that there is one way to God, or that Jesus is the only way to God” as stated in his forum surrounding the publication of his book, You Don’t Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right:Finding Faith Without Fanaticism, suggests to me that, Scripturally and historically,the belief/claim that God sovereignly chose the nation of Israel to be His chosen people among all the nations of the earth, sovereignly revealing Himself solely to the Jewish nation,as written in the Old Testament,is equally arrogant. Just a reminder:God’s ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts.
posted August 19, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I read both the interview and the response. I believe as Kirk Cameron does from my personal readings and understanding of the Old Testament. We as a nation have fallen away from God. Evidence of this is in the news everyday. Allowing same sex marriage, violence in the streets, sex in prime time TV, evil deeds are glorified and good is bad! These are all of the types of actions I read about in the Old Testament only in modern times. Yes, the Lord did deal with his people and still is as well as non believers.
It is our job as believers to spread the Gospel and the basic interview with Kirk is doing just that. God uses each one of us in HIS way not ours. It is dangerous to think that we can know what God is thinking, however, there is fact in the bible that backs up (in my opinion) Kirk Cameron’s belief.
My prayer is that All of Us Believers unite on one accord and let the Mighty Hand of Our God and Saviour use everyday of our lives and that we obey His word and direction for our lives. To GOD be all the Glory now and forever.
posted August 19, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I find it fascinating that a Rabbi- one who is supposed to look at the details more closely than most, can make such a grievous oversight. Kirk’s statements about God’s blessing on Israel are all from Scripture. He never mentioned anything or even alluded to anything like the holocaust or modern events- simply reffered to the written word of God.
He is reading more into it for his own purposes- to try to discredit someone who so obviously loves God. But all he accomplised was to expose his own lack of proper perspective on what Kirk said.
You can always “assume”, but you know where that leaves you…
posted August 20, 2008 at 11:49 am
I really like Brad Hirschfield – I am even still in the midst of reading his book ‘You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right’. So ‘hi’ Brad – really enjoying the book – very well done.
I did not hear the Cameron interview but I know the gist of what Cameron does believe. I think Hirschfield is accurate in his take on that theology – namely that end times stuff.
I would like to raise a point to the Christians on this blog (of which I am one). Do you know what rabbi’s go through in their studies of the Tanakh (OT)? Are you aware their life is dedicated to the Torah and the teachings of Tanakh – thus 100% of their studies are in this one area. Contrast that with Christian pastors/teachers – who spend about 2/3 (66%) of their time studying the NT – then it isn’t hard to determine who has expertise in which area.
Go to a rabbi for info on the Tanakh
Go to a Pastor/teacher for info on the NT
This is why when Kirk starts speaking about the Tanakh and how it all is supposed to read – I personally cannot believe him (even as a fellow Christian). Maybe this is too much logic – but if I have to compare Kirk’s take on the OT with that of a Rabbi’s – the rabbi wins out everytime in my personal opinion…based solely on one simple thing – study of those texts.
Hirschfield is also right about how dangerous this ‘end times’ theology really is – and some of this ideology is also contained in anti-semitic movements. The church does not have a glowing history with Judaism – and has sometimes been the bane of it’s existence. I think, as God loving self confessing Christians, we need to remember things like this – namely sensitivity to others.
I think as Christian people we should be celebrating alongside the people of the Judaic faith – after all – Christianity arises from it’s long standing history and not the other way around.
posted January 21, 2009 at 12:09 am
i just want to say that i believe the old testament is a foreshadow of the new and the only way to truely understand the old testament and new testament is to know Jesus Christ and be filled with his Holy Spirit.you see even the scholars who new the old testament well in jesus day were the same ones who crucified him not recognising him as the written and prophesied messaiah,so you see we can only have a full picture through Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith
God Bless
karn
posted October 13, 2011 at 10:20 am
Many thanks you for this blog which you have made by your patient and thinking power. You really know so much about this matter. You’ve covered so many bases great substance from this part of this internet. keep up the good work.Thanks again for your creation.
Thank you.
buying a house