[Pan-users] Re: OT: freedomware vs... Was: Building Panon Windows?

[Duncan]

Joe Zeff posted on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:26:33 -0800 as excerpted:

> On 03/09/2010 03:39 AM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
>>   even if you convert,
>> which most rabbis don't allow and even those who do make it very
>> difficult, you'll always be a Jew by conversion and not a "real" Jew.
> 
> In general, rabbis discourage conversion and make it hard because we're
> not a proselytizing religion, and being a properly observant Jew is not
> exactly easy.  That being said, a convert is just as much a Jew as one
> who was born to it.  In fact, their Hebrew name is ben/bas Abraham, son
> or daughter of Abraham, not to show they're a convert, but to tie them
> into our heritage.  You, as a gentile may not consider them "real" Jews,
> but we do.

Interesting, and something I didn't know.  But I have a Christian friend 
of Jewish heritage, that speaks often of the six-hundred-some (?) 
commands, and with the below as well, "being a properly observant Jew is 
not exactly easy" would definitely seem a truism, so an aspect of "you're 
sure you know what you're getting into" would indeed seem prudent.

> And, I might add, that entire bit of "salvation by faith" is completely
> foreign to Judaism.  If you wish to earn Paradise, you do it by
> following the Law; for us actions really do speak louder than words.

I had seen some hints of that, recently, and rather wonder at the contrast 
between that and Christianity in that regard, given Christianity's common 
history with Judaism.  But it's useful to see it stated in so many words.

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman