Do you worship the golden calf of Judaism?

“Our roots are in Judeo-Christianity”

There's a great deal of ministers and churches professing to be Judeo-Christians today, but have any of them taken the time to research what this term actually means?

Judeo-Christian adj : being historically related to both Judaism and Christianity; "the Judeo-Christian tradition" [syn: Judeo-Christian]

Main Entry: Ju·deo-Chris·tian Pronunciation: jü-"dA-O-'kris-chen, -'krish- also "jü-dE-O- or jü-"dE-O- Function: adjective Etymology: Latin Judaeus Jew -- more at JEW Date: 1899 : having historical roots in both Judaism and Christianity

The word “Judeo” in "Judeo-Christianity," means to be of Judaism, the religion of almost all Jews today.

But is Judaism the same religion as that of the Hebrew Bible?

It would seem not many Christians today care to even ask this question. Instead they choose to rely on a pastor, or theologians who have relied on another scholar's poor and inaccurate research of the Bible.

When one researches the Hebrew Bible (law, prophets) and compares it to what is Judaism; both historically and modern day, one finds a disturbing truth.

Judaism is not really the same as what is in the Hebrew scriptures of the written down law and prophetic books of the modern English Bible—or the ancient Hebrew scrolls.

Judaism, is in fact, a separate and more modern religion as divers as modern day denominational Christianity, includes New Age elements.

The apostle Paul spoke often of the danger of Judaism creeping into the Church.

Romans 2:25-29 (KJV)
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. [26] Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [27] And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? [28] For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Galatians 2:11-16 (KJV)
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. [12] For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. [13] And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. [14] But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? [15] We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, [16] Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.


Titus 1:7-2:2 (KJV)
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; [8] But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; [9] Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. [10] For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: [11] Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. [12] One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. [13] This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; [14] Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. [15] Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. [16] They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
[2:1] But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: [2] That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Paul was a Judahite/Jew, but Paul became in Christ, a baptized believer in Jesus.

When Paul saw Jesus appear to him and was baptized, so died his traditions of pharisaical Judaism.

Paul was once a doctrinated Pharisee who once persecuted the church before his conversion.

Galatians 1:13-16 (KJV)
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: [14] And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, [16] To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Today being a Jew (that is a non-secular Jew) means practicing such Jewish rabbinical "traditions of men" based upon the religion of Judaism, (in the Jews' religion) such as wearing a yarmulke (skull cap), a prayer shawl; having many prayers and benedictions; being obsessively clean; and many other legalistic or Talmudic unbiblical teachings, which oppose that of Christ and God's sovereign law.

The word for the words "Jew's religion" is actually to mean in the Greek word of "Ioudaismos."

Ioudaismos, Greek 2454, Strong’s

Ioudaismos, ee-oo-dah-is-mos'; from Greek 2450 (Ioudaizo); "Judaïsm", i.e. the Jewish faith and usages :- Jews' religion.

Ioudaizo, Greek 2450, Strong’s

Ioudaizo, ee-oo-dah-id'-zo; from Greek 2453 (Ioudaios); to become a Jud'an, i.e. "Judaize" :- live as the Jews.

Ioudaios, Greek 2453, Strong’s

Ioudaios, ee-oo-dah'-yos; from Greek 2448 (Iouda) (in the sense of Greek 2455 (Ioudas) as a country); Jud'an, i.e. belonging to Jehudah :- Jew (-ess), of Jud'a.

The Greek word Ioudaismos means Judaism, as it was to became to be known.

The word Ioudaismos is from a Greek root word meaning to "become a judean, i.e judaiz :- live as Jews."

This does not mean that one necessarily was originally a racial, or tribal, or physical Judahite\Jew, but actually means one who adopts a Jewish custom or a Jewish tradition.

Judaism is a religion based upon not the Bible or even the written "Torah," or God's Old testament law, but the doctrine, interpretations by the sages and rabis in particularly the doctrines of the Pharisees.

Matthew 16:6 (KJV)
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Matthew 16:11-12 (KJV)
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? [12] Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Those who practice Judaism, would call themselves "Jews."

The practice of following the Hebrew Bible is not “a religion,” nor is it "Judaism." It is simply obeying God, YHWH’s law, commandments. 

If anything, it should not be called "Judeo -Christainity" but "Hebrew-Christianity" or "Israelite-Christianity."

There is One God and His Law and His Will was the ancient faith of Israel!

Most Christians do not realize, that only a small minority of modern day Jews today might literally accept or strictly practice any of the laws in the original Hebrew written Torah.

Amazingly, the overwhelming majority in Judaism today, follow more than the Bible, rather a separate law that they say is the “oral law” or the halakhah; or as they call it “the oral torah.”

More Jews today read what they consider to be a holy book, that of the mishnah and the Babylonian Talmud along side the written Torah.

All rabbinical schools begin on the premise that "the Talmud" ("the teaching" or "Doctrine") is used to understand God's Torah and refer many times to Halakhaic laws found in the oral torah.

Jewish Rabbis will often use the Talmud to explain away God’s holy scriptures.

Rather then taking the written holy Torah of God and the rest of the Hebrew scriptures, instead they follow mishnah and halakhaic laws.

God's apostles said to "prove everything." But Christians today seldom even ask, where did the word "Judaism" comes from?

It's obvious it did not come from God's Hebrew Bible, but rather man's own traditions.

Where does Judaism come from?

Menachem Stern, one of six Jewish Scholars at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem who compiled a huge book on the history of the Jewish people, "A History of the Jewish People", Edited by H.H. Ben-Sasson. Stern says on page 235, Chapter 15 "The Hasmonean State - sub-section "Religious Currents" [My notes in red parenthesis].

"The hakhamim were the moving spirit of the most important religious current among the Jews of the Second Temple era — the Pharisees, who set their imprint on the entire internal development of Judea and in effect even laid the foundations of Judaism as it was to be after the destruction of the Temple. In the main, the Pharisees carried on a trend that had its origins in the Persian era and had encompassed the activities of the soferim and interpretations of the Torah in the days of Ezra and thereafter. Their immediate predecessors were the hasidim, who chose martyrdom in the persecutions under Antiochus Epiphanes.

The basic tenet of the Pharisees was unswerving faithfulness to the Torah and its infusion into all aspects of life. The Torah to which they referred differed considerably from the text of the Scriptures, for it also encompassed the entire living tradition of halakhah [The oral torah] as it had evolved in the course of generations (see page 238) , based on the assumption that the Torah [YAHWEH's holy written law and scriptures] must be able to prove an answer to any question that arises in actual life. This 'oral torah', which the Pharisaic tradition arrived at by interpretation of the written Torah—with results that, on the face of it, often seem to be contrary to the plain reading of the written text– encompassed all aspects of religion, ritual, law, and social order. In the legal field the Pharasaic tendency was to humanize penal law; ..."

Deut. 4:2 (KJV)
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of YHWH your God which I command you.

It may surprise many Christians and modern self-named "Zionist Christians" to find that most Jews today do not take the Hebrew scriptures literally.

The majority of Jews today are found to take the Torah and Bible rather loosely, and instead use interpretations their Rabbis, who over the centuries taught their own ideas of what the Torah meant.

This is essentially what the Talmud is— a written oral commentary [like the halakhah ] on the Torah and laws derived from their interpretation.

There are two Talmuds, the Babylonian Talmud, and the Palestinian Talmud.

Both huge works were not available in written form, until much later, (long after the coming of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection of the Christ, Israel's Messiah) almost 600 years later.

In the book, "Everyman's Talmud" by a highly acclaimed Jewish author Abraham Cohen, the Foreword [Page xi] written by Jacob Neusner, Neusner states: (my emphasis in bold)

"For, through the centuries from the formal closure of the Talmud, in about 600 C.E. [=A.D.], The Talmud formed the single authoritative writing of Judaism, the source of the theology and the law that defined the faith and the community of holy Israel, God's first love, wherever they might be located. Enriched by commentaries, response, and law codes over the centuries, the Talmud defined the practical affairs of the community of Judaism."

Abraham Cohen writes explaining the Mishnah, which later formed together made the Talmud in the book, "Everyman's Talmud," Introduction, page xl: (my emphasis in bold)

"With the invention of new methods of interpretation the Torah became a science, and only men who were duly qualified to expound the text spoke with authority. They received the designation of tannaim (Teachers). It is the name given to the Rabbis during the period which closed with the codification of the the law in the Mishnah. A pioneer who left a profound influence on their work was Hillel. He was Babylonian by birth and, so tradition related, a descendant of David though his mother. He migrated to Judea and for about forty years was one of the acknowledged guides of his community.

Hillel exemplified the Pharisaic standpoint at its best. He recognized life, with its ever-changing conditions, was incapable of compression within a fixed and immutable written code; and he perceived in the freedom of interpretation allowed by the Oral Law an invaluable instrument for making the Torah adaptable to varying circumstances ....

...From the Sadducean standpoint there was no redress. Such was the law and it must be obeyed. Hillel disagreed, and contended that a close study of the text would disclose a way out of the difficulty."

The following is a typical example of the kind of laws and doctrine that the men like Hillel established.

This tract come from the Babylonian Talmud in the "Paschel" or Passover ordinance section of the Rabbinical oral law.

One can clearly see reading even a small portion of this entire tract on which the modern day Jewish seder is entirely based upon, is not biblical and is in fact anti-God.

Below is a description of a law of a typical Jewish custom found in most modern Jewish seders today, practiced by some Christians who often think they are practicing a biblical custom.

“Rabhina said: R. Mesharshia the son of R. Nathan told me, that so said Hillel, quoting a tradition: A man should not place the bitter herbs between unleavened cakes and eat them in that manner. Why not? Because the eating of unleavened cakes is a biblical commandment, while the eating of bitter herbs in this day is only a rabbinical ordinance. Now if the two be eaten together, the bitter herbs might destroy the taste of the cakes, and thus a rabbinical ordinance would supersede a biblical commandment; and even according to those who hold that one commandment cannot nullify another when both are fulfilled at the same time, such is only the case where both are biblical or both are rabbinical; but when one is a biblical and the other a rabbinical commandment, the rabbinical nullifies the other, and hence their joint fulfilment is not allowed.”

How prevalent is the Talmud in today’s Judaism or the present day Jewish religion?

This answer is made clear by the following statements made by leading Jewish and non-Jewish authorities alike

Rabi Louis Finkelstein, when head of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America wrote:

"..Judaism... Pharisaism became Talmudism, Talmudism became Medieval Rabbinism, and Medieval Rabbinism became Modern Rabbinism. But throughout these changes in name... the spirit of the ancient Pharisees survives, unaltered....From Palestine to Babylonia; from Babylonia to North Africa, Italy, Spain, France and Germany; from these to Poland, Russia, and eastern Europe generally, ancient Pharisaism has wandered... demonstrates the enduring importance which attaches to Pharisaism as a religious movement..."

Bernard Lazare, French literary critic, political journalist, polemicist, anarchist and socialist zionist wrote:

... this book of enormous authority ... this Talmud which to the Jew has been a code, an expression of their nationality, which has been their soul ....
... the Talmudic practices ... contributed to forming their spirit. The Talmud had formed the Jewish nation after its dispersion; thanks to it, individuals of diverse origin had constituted a people; it had been the mould of the Jewish soul, the creator

In This is My God: The Jewish Way of Life Herman Wouk, portrayed the Talmud as the lifeblood and law of the Jews:

The Talmud ... is to this day the circulating heart's blood of the Jewish religion. Whatever laws, customs, or ceremonies we observe - whether we are orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or merely spasmodic sentimentalists - we follow The Talmud. It is our common law.

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz in following text of his book The Essential Talmud:

... the Talmud is the central pillar, soaring up from the foundations and supporting the entire spiritual and intellectual edifice. In many ways the Talmud is the most important book in Jewish culture, the backbone of creativity and of national life. No other work has had a comparable influence on the theory and practice of Jewish life, shaping spiritual content and serving as a guide to conduct. The Jewish people have always been keenly aware that their continued survival and development depend on study of the Talmud.
... the Talmud is, to this day, the primary source of Jewish law ....

In addition to the Talmud as a foundation for Judaism, yet another of man's traditions that gained a wide acceptance among Jews in Middle Ages called the Misneh torah, (or repetition of the law). This doctrine came about by Moses Maimonides (1136-1204) a Sephardic rabbinical scholar and philosopher who introduced this "sweeping new codification of the law."

Judaism, when comparing to Christianity, you would have to include the movement known as "New Age," because in Judaism there is a huge use of “magic” or "Jewish mysticism" more commonly known as Kabbalah (Tradition).

Following on the philosophy of this new trend of Moses Maimonades' Mishneh torah, came a mystical doctrine of the Kabbalists of the Eyn Sof, a doctrine that says the "Hidden and revealed aspects of God is called 'the Infinite' (Eyn Sof, without end)".

This is the idea that God is communicable though a system of ten Sefirot (meaning numerals) from a doctrine found in the Sefer Yetzirah ("the book of Formation")

They claim this Kabbalah was “handed down at Mt. Sinai by God.”

Kabbalah (which can be found in any “New Age” and “occult” section of any Bookstore) involved another influential doctrine of the Zohar— again another man-made philosophy affecting larger Judaism which affected the birth of another sect, that of Ball Shem Tov, also known as Israel be Eliezer, who in the Ukraine around 1735 began Hasidism.

Hassidim is based upon a part of Kabbalah, the idea that ecstatic prayer transcended the the material world and brought one closer to God.

It also might surprise Christians today, that many Jews would be hard pressed to comprehend the idea that we are "born into Sin." They don't necessarily believe it.

Many follow various doctrines which oppose the idea that we are all born into sin.

Some believe such extremes that it's ok to think it, but not do (as sexual lust). Some practicioners actually use sinful thoughts nurturing them along to the highest temptation, then so they say, not succumbing to actual temptation of physically doing it, they re-channel the energy to God in their worship.

The rabbis taught there "were impulses for sin," rather than believe all are born into sin.

In the book "What Do Jews Believe," by Jewish author David S. Arial, he writes, " In Christianity, sin is a fact of birth, whereas Judaism, sin is a matter of choice."

Another amazing fact is that many in Judaism today also pray to “Ha-shem”(the Name), which is interestingly enough, also the name of an ancient Canaanite deity. They use Hashem or even G_d rather than “profane” as they say God’s Holy name.

Yet God's name is recorded more than 5000 times in the Hebrew scriptures as the four letters of JHVH (YHWH) or the shortened form of JAH— or English transliterated to Jehovah.

God's Holy name was no doubt spoken aloud and written down by Moses, Israel, David and the Prophets and everyone before Jewish rabbis made it a law outlawing its use.

Very much like the Judahites of Jesus' day who denied anyone to speak the name of Jesus publicly. Our Savior, under a different name, is also declared as a "bastard" and his death are both mentioned in the Talmud.

The Talmud and other Jewish laws forbid the use of the sacred name of God, just as they forbid Jews to speak the name of Jesus.

Today our English Bible publishers have followed a Jewish rabbinical tradition by removing God's name from our Bibles, instead using "the LORD" for "YHWH" which was clearly present in thousand of times in thousands of Hebrew scriptures.

Increasingly modern Jewish writers are questioning the validity of YHWH and His law.

One such book about Judaism, called "Nothing Sacred—the Truth about Judaism" by Douglas Rushkoff, speaks of YAHWEH as a myth.

The author of What Do Jews Believe, David S. Arial explains everything Jews believe as "sacred myths."

The other trend is to boast or praise Judaism for being able to change or adapt to its changing surroundings, by not conforming to the literal static commandments of God's Mosaic law.

Most Jewish books in the Judaism section have many opinions about Jesus— almost all of them negative, if not blasphemous.

The idea of "Judeo-Christianity" is a myth and a LIE all churches need to be made aware of.

Below are a list books you can research these topics further

A History of the Jewish People, Edited by H.H. Ben-Sasson, Harvard University press ISBN 0-672-39731-2

Real Jews—Secular Vs Ultra Orthodox and the struggle for Jewish Identity in Israel, by Noah J. Efron, Basic Books ISBN 0-465-01854-8

The Jewish Phenomenon—Seven Keys to the enduring wealth of a people, Steven Silbiger, Longstreet Press ISBN 1-56352-566-6

Nothing Sacred—The Truth About Judaism, Douglas Rushkoff Crown Publishing Group ISBN: 0609610945

What Do Jews Believe—The Spiritual Foundations of Judaism, David S. Ariel, Schocken Books, ISBN 0-8052-1059-8

Everyman' Talmud—The Major Teaching of the Rabbinc Sages, Abraham Cohen, Schocken Books ISBN 0-28052-1032-6

Kabbalah, Gershom Scholem, Meridian, ISBN 0-452-01007-1

The Jewish Almanac Compiled by Richard Siegel and Carl Rheins 1980 by Bantam Books ISBN 0-553-01265-7 (out of print)

Sharing the Promised Land—A Tale of Israelis and Palestinians, Dilip Hiro, Olive Branch Press ISBN 1-56656-319-4

The Soncino Babylonian Talmud on CD-ROM, The Soncino Press, Ltd

The Effects of the Talmud on Judeo-Christianity, Col Jack Mohr, Ret.

God's Covenant People—Yesterday ,Today and forever, Evangelist Ted Weiland, Mission to Israel Ministries