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From: dan@scgvaxd.UUCP (Dan Boskovich)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Christian Jews
Message-ID: <246@scgvaxd.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Jan-85 12:03:13 EST
Article-I.D.: scgvaxd.246
Posted: Mon Jan 21 12:03:13 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 23-Jan-85 04:55:41 EST
References: <ittral.500> <77@unc.UUCP>
Reply-To: dan@scgvaxd.UUCP (Dan Boskovich)
Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA
Lines: 52
Summary: 

>Dan, your posting is basically correct, though misleading in parts.
>I will try to clarify the Jewish postion:
>
>The terms "race" and "geneology" have quite different meanings.
>Geneology refers to a person's ancestry, whereas in this country,
>race has connotations of physical characteristics.  Originally, the Jews
>were racially identical to the other peoples in the middle eastern region.

I am a new reader on the net. Just a few comments.


The fact that "race" and "geneology" have different meanings do not affect
the point. All people have a genealogy and a race. Some are mixed races
 (especially in USA). The fact that Jews were racially identical also does not
affect the point. The biblical account states that we all descend from
the sons of Noah. Genesis 10 gives the historical perspective. From the
sons of Noah came the nations of Canaan, Ethiopia, Libya, Isreal, Egypt etc.
So at one time all races were "racially" identical (sons of Noah)


>Throughout the centuries, Jews have accepted converts in every land
>in which they resided.  Today, there is no single Jewish race.
>For example, most people would consider the Jews of Ethiopia
>to be mostly negro.

This is like saying there is no single Italian or French race. There are
many people in the U.S. who are a mixture of nationalities. Does this
mean there is a separate race for each. For example, I am half Italian
and half Yugoslavian. Does this make me a separate race from full blooded
Italians or a descendant from the Italian race.


>Jews are, however, a geneology, a people.  One can be born a Jew
>(as one can be a native U.S. citizen), or one can be a convert
>(as one can become a naturalized American).  The descendants of
>converts are Jews by birth (as the children of immigrants are
>considered to be native Americans).

I guess the main problem is the meaning of the word "race". I would
say, "One can be born a Jew, (as one can be born Italian)" However,
one cannot become a Jew or an Italian. Because the Jewish people
identify with a particular religous system, one can convert to those
religious practices, just as many Gentiles did in the Old Testament.
These "Gentile converts" did not become "Jews", they became known as
God-fearing Gentiles. In the New Testament, The Apostle Paul says in
First Corinthians (the exact passage escapes me) that the "body of Christ"
is made up of Jew and Gentile. Hence, Jewish Christians and Gentile
Christians.

In case the Net readers are confused, I am Dan Boskovich responding to
a response from Frank Silberman to Dan Pelligrino. I Dan Boskovich also
happen to be half Italian. (whether I like it or not)