Jewish Paganism... an oxymoron or a genuine religion?!?!

[Tuf Pic]

Did you guys know that Jews were originally Pagans?!?! They only developed the "One God" idea as we know it POST-EXILE, and even then there was some so-called "back-sliding". If you want to find out more about this movement then...

Click Here,

and

Click Here!!!!

I myself happen to be part Byelorussian Jewish, so this is quite an atractive movement for me!!!!

[andi]

There's a reason that the First Commandment is "I am the Lord your G-d, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, you shall have no other gods before me", man.

Jews have never "back-slid" at all - Jews hold open the belief that there are other gods that exist, but that G-d is the creator-god and that the Jews are his personally chosen people. Jews often worshipped other gods and took part in their rituals, but they always had Yahweh to be the first and bestest of them. :3

Old news is old, but it's kind of sad to see just how few people have even a basic grasp of Jewish history and theology. :/

Protip: Jews are not Christians, guys. :3

[Twilight Wolf]

What are you talking about? The first Jew, Abraham, smashed the idols in his father's shop because he believed in the one true god, and God saved him when the people tried to punish him by burning him.

And there is no such thing as "Jewish Pagans". You're either Jewish or pagan, not both. Those Judeo-pagans in that article you linked are not Jews. They merely mix Jewish and Pagan principles. I'm not sure that you read the article correctly.

[andi]

Originally Posted by Twilightwolf64

What are you talking about? The first Jew, Abraham, smashed the idols in his father's shop because he believed in the one true god, and God saved him when the people tried to punish him by burning him.

Untrue. That story does not exist at all in the Torah, only in the Bereishi't Rabbah (a collection of Rabbinical interpretations and quotations from the third century AD, also, lol for text censors) and in various Muslim texts that occur after this point.

Originally Posted by Twilightwolf64

And there is no such thing as "Jewish Pagans". You're either Jewish or pagan, not both. Those Judeo-pagans in that article you linked are not Jews. They merely mix Jewish and Pagan principles. I'm not sure that you read the article correctly.

Again, as explained above, Jewish Pagainism existed constantly and still does, but usually not as an organized event. Being Jewish in no way at all prevents you from believing in or worshipping other gods besides G-d. :3

[GentleArtillery]

If I recall correctly, "Elohim" is mentioned in the Torah, and it's plural for "Yahweh". But, Elohim might be divine beings that aren't as complete as God, or something.

[Tuf Pic]

Originally Posted by andi

Untrue. That story does not exist at all in the Torah, only in the Bereishi't Rabbah (a collection of Rabbinical interpretations and quotations from the third century AD, also, lol for text censors) and in various Muslim texts that occur after this point.

Thanks a lot for backing me up!!!! There's even a Jewish-Pagan group in Ethiopia called the Quemant... If you want to find out more about them:

Click Here!!!!

Sadly, I could'nt find much about their religion, although I did once have a good book on the subject!!!!

Again, as explained above, Jewish Pagainism existed constantly and still does, but usually not as an organized event. Being Jewish in no way at all prevents you from believing in or worshipping other gods besides G-d. :3

I'm in FULL AGREEMENT WITH THAT!!!! Plus, anyone who's mother is a Jew, IS a Jew by heritage, so you can still Jewish-Pagan!!!!

[Trico]

Originally Posted by GentleArtillery

If I recall correctly, "Elohim" is mentioned in the Torah, and it's plural for "Yahweh". But, Elohim might be divine beings that aren't as complete as God, or something.

There is no singular for Elohim -- it exists only with a plural ending, much like Mayim (water) and other Hebrew words.

יהוי (YHVH) is completely unrelated linguistically, and is the name of God. You sometimes see in the Torah יהוה אלוהים (YHVH Elohim) to refer to God, or just one or the other.

[Duuuudeman]

Being Jewish does not mean that one can't be pagan, only because there is is still free choice in one's life. Judaism believes in One G-d. The second commandment states not to have other 'gods'. All other gods are just made up, according to Judaism.
Sadly, many Jews strayed from the One G-d in the first common wealth before the Babylonian exile. This was part of the REASON they were exiled. This "jewish paganism" is condemned in the bible. The Babylonian Exile was a result of Idol worship, among other things. Jewish paganism may have existed, but it was not, BY ANY MEANS allowed.

And for the record, and am ha'aretz was NOT referring to an and Idol worshipper. That term referred to people during the SECOND COMMON WEALTH, (pre-exile!). Who were not knowledgeable in Jewish law, and were therefore not trusted regarding ritual impurity or ritual tithes from produce. The land of Israel was never worshipped by the Jewish people, though they did worship false gods, during the first common wealth. That Wikipedia article is totally made up.

And that article about Jewitches is an offshoot of reform Judaism, which is VERY VERY different from Orthodoxy, for a fundamental reason. It is most definitely pagan, but is not AT ALL associated with Judaism, except that some Jews may involve themselves with it.

And that messianic judaism article is effectively Jews for Jesus. Southern Baptists have approved of this form of deception to lure Jews into pretty much worshipping Jesus under the pretense that he is the messiah, which we DON't believe. The Catholic Church has CONDEMNED this!

[MasteroftheWind]

YHWH was originally worshipped among other gods, there is evidence that he was tied with Asherah and Ba'al, and was a cupbearer for the Temple of El. It wasn't till the Persian period, when the Tor'ah was actually put together by the Levitical preisthood, that the Israelite and Jews and the Ger Toshav (gentiles attached to bibical Judea) worshipped YHWH as the One true God and saw the others as hosts (tzva'ot). Before this period Israel saw YHWH as being El Elohiym, the God of gods, the Cheif God. Like it or not, Judeo-paganism predates Jewish monotheism.
btw, Abraham was not the first jew, Er,Onan,Shelah,Perez and Zerah were.

[Cody]

You can have Jewish blood and choose whatever belief you wish to. Of course Jews can also be pagan. That's like saying "Australian Islam - is it possible?" Your bloodline and your religious beliefs are completely unrelated.

You can't follow the Jewish religion and paganism at the same time, no, but that's a different subject altogether.


Edit: Never mind, I think I misread the original post P:

[Duuuudeman]

Originally Posted by MasteroftheWind

YHWH was originally worshipped among other gods, there is evidence that he was tied with Asherah and Ba'al, and was a cupbearer for the Temple of El. It wasn't till the Persian period, when the Tor'ah was actually put together by the Levitical preisthood, that the Israelite and Jews and the Ger Toshav (gentiles attached to bibical Judea) worshipped YHWH as the One true God and saw the others as hosts (tzva'ot). Before this period Israel saw YHWH as being El Elohiym, the God of gods, the Cheif God. Like it or not, Judeo-paganism predates Jewish monotheism.
btw, Abraham was not the first jew, Er,Onan,Shelah,Perez and Zerah were.

only connections He had with those idols was that Jew worshipped them during the first common wealth. Elokim, for the record is referring to G-d's
characteristic of Judgement, as opposed to that of mercy. NOT other gods he ruled over. There's only one G-d according to Jewish belief, which began with Abraham, though he wasn't a Jew. Monotheism did NOT start all the way during the time of the Persians. It started with Abraham. Tzva'ot refers to angels, and not gods.

Paganism began with people asking angels to appeal to G-d for them. Their children thought that the angels were to be worshipped, and not just used as intermediaries.