[doormonkey]

Originally Posted by David Merrill

I find it peculiar that you would try stipulating the topic would not get inflammatory?

Regards,

David Merrill.

Just a quick response to your statement/question.

One possible reason is, I'm peculiar.


More than likely, it's because I realize questions on religion can quickly become inflammatory. I've observed this to be true, anyway. Maybe you haven't. I think if emotions cloud the issue too much, it prevents clear thinking.

In that introductory post, all I'm doing is requesting respect of one another's views. I can't demand it. This isn't my website. I'm just saying ahead of time, if someone resorts to being disrespectful of my views, then I might not respond. I also said I might overlook it and respond to the post in question anyway. Obviously, I can't do anything about other "posters" on this thread sniping at one another.

David Merrill:So one could easily assume that following the Torah was indeed important to Jesus of Nazareth. However Jesus' followers are more oriented into the pagan doctrines of Paul. Paul, being from Celicia knew since the Road to Demascus incident how easily the pagan culture of Asia Minor would lap up a Rebirth myth like little kittens, milk.

I agree with you that Jesus' teachings are easily understood as being in favor of Torah observance. David, your position on Paul's activities and doctrines has caused me to realize my underlying assumption when posting the original question. My underlying assumption was that a "follower of Jesus" would also consider the rest of the New Testament as binding Scripture. Paul's teachings do seem to throw a "monkey wrench" into the works, don't they?

I'm just guessing, but I think it's safe to say that today most followers of Jesus also accept Paul's teachings as Scripture. Yet there are followers of Jesus who reject Paul.

I am not one of them.

Yet, my position remains the same. Someone who signs on as a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, is obligated to observe the entire Torah. By that I mean learn it, and live it out as a lifestyle.

Now I restate my position more clearly. I would also include Paul's teachings as binding. This might seem a contradiction. But if both the Gospels and Paul's teachings are Scripture to the average follower of Jesus, how is the contradiction resolved?

I'll look over the link you posted sometime in the next few days.