Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 01-16-2012, 01:39 PM

Kosher Jesus

Shmuley Boteach was the personal rabbi to Michael Jsckson and to spoon bender Uri Gellar.

Quote:

Celebrity Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, spiritual counselor to Michael Jackson and author of the best-selling "Kosher Sex," is about to publish "Kosher Jesus." (or via: amazon.co.uk) The Orthodox Boteach deems it "the true story of Jesus of Nazareth ... a man who lived, taught and died as a Jew."

It is also, he says, a book that can mellow Jewish antipathy toward Jesus and better explain Jesus to Christians. In Judeo-Christian tradition, he writes, "Jesus is the hyphen that unites us."

But some right-wing Jews have already denounced Boteach as a heretic for promoting Jesus, and the rabbi has heard from some conservative Christians who don't appreciate the chapters on why Jews reject the idea of Jesus' divinity.

No Robots · 01-16-2012, 01:52 PM

Boteach is under heavy fire over this from some of his co-religionists. Here is a sympathetic review.

sotto voce · 01-16-2012, 02:05 PM

Of course Jesus agreed with the Torah: he wrote it, according to Christianity. Of course Jesus observed the Law meticulously: that was his stated purpose, and the Sanhedrin would have accused him of the slightest infraction. There has never been much dispute about this. The dispute concerns messiah-hood, and how prophecies are to be fulfilled— literally, or figuratively, usually. "It's as broad as it's long."

What Jews have to explain is how messianic prophecies can be fulfilled after 1900 years without any remnant of the inheritance of Abraham that's worth talking about— other than Christianity.

Duvduv · 01-16-2012, 03:02 PM

Boteach is full of baloney and of no consequence in the Orthodox Jewish community of rabbis. He's a self-seeking self-promoting nut job. And not because of this particular issue. He's been around for years, most famously as a pal of Michael Jackson.

No Robots · 01-16-2012, 03:11 PM

On this subject, Boteach doesn't seem radically at odds with most scholars, whether Jewish, Christian or other.:huh:

Duvduv · 01-16-2012, 03:52 PM

I know many types of Orthodox Jewish scholars and he is way out of line, even if there are some others like him. But you do have a general point. He loves to hear himself talk most famously on radio talk shows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Robots

On this subject, Boteach doesn't seem radically at odds with most scholars, whether Jewish, Christian or other.:huh:

No Robots · 01-16-2012, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duvduv

I know many types of Orthodox Jewish scholars and he is way out of line

Please elaborate.

Duvduv · 01-16-2012, 04:47 PM

There is stuff on wiki etc. on him. Basically he wanted to become a star. That's the bottom line. The mainline of the Lubavitch rabbis disowned him years ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Robots

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duvduv

I know many types of Orthodox Jewish scholars and he is way out of line

Please elaborate.

No Robots · 01-16-2012, 06:29 PM

I was actually wondering in what way his new book is out of line with other Orthodox rabbis. I know that Lubavitcher rabbi Yitzchok Wolf is leading the charge against him, but I am not aware of any other rabbis who have joined the attack.

No Robots · 01-17-2012, 08:27 AM

In the final analysis, Rabbi Shmuley provides Jews with the ammunition to disarm missionaries who peddle the narrative of Jesus as 'god the son' with a new historical approach to Jesus as simply a son of God, like every other human being.--Kevin Bermeister in Huff Po.

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01-16-2012, 01:52 PM	#2
No Robots Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Edmonton Posts: 5,679	Boteach is under heavy fire over this from some of his co-religionists. Here is a sympathetic review.

01-16-2012, 02:05 PM	#3
sotto voce Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Posts: 3,057	Of course Jesus agreed with the Torah: he wrote it, according to Christianity. Of course Jesus observed the Law meticulously: that was his stated purpose, and the Sanhedrin would have accused him of the slightest infraction. There has never been much dispute about this. The dispute concerns messiah-hood, and how prophecies are to be fulfilled— literally, or figuratively, usually. "It's as broad as it's long." What Jews have to explain is how messianic prophecies can be fulfilled after 1900 years without any remnant of the inheritance of Abraham that's worth talking about— other than Christianity.

01-16-2012, 03:02 PM	#4
Duvduv Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: USA Posts: 4,095	Boteach is full of baloney and of no consequence in the Orthodox Jewish community of rabbis. He's a self-seeking self-promoting nut job. And not because of this particular issue. He's been around for years, most famously as a pal of Michael Jackson.

01-16-2012, 03:11 PM	#5
No Robots Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Edmonton Posts: 5,679	On this subject, Boteach doesn't seem radically at odds with most scholars, whether Jewish, Christian or other.:huh:

01-16-2012, 06:29 PM	#9
No Robots Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Edmonton Posts: 5,679	I was actually wondering in what way his new book is out of line with other Orthodox rabbis. I know that Lubavitcher rabbi Yitzchok Wolf is leading the charge against him, but I am not aware of any other rabbis who have joined the attack.

01-17-2012, 08:27 AM	#10
No Robots Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Edmonton Posts: 5,679	In the final analysis, Rabbi Shmuley provides Jews with the ammunition to disarm missionaries who peddle the narrative of Jesus as 'god the son' with a new historical approach to Jesus as simply a son of God, like every other human being.--Kevin Bermeister in Huff Po.

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