Judaism vs. Christianity: Point by Point
A comparison of Judaism and Christianity provides many interesting perspectives on the issues of faith that characterize and separate them. These two faiths have much in common, but there are also fundamental differences between themùsuch polarizing factors that some misguided Christiansùif Adolf Hitler and people like him can be considered veritable Christiansùhave persecuted, horrifically tortured, and murdered Jews. There has, curiously, been little hostility on the part of Jews toward Christians, but even todayùmany decades after HitlerÆs regimeùthere is an understandable sensitivity on the part of Jews to any suggestion, real or perceived, of persecution on the part of Christians; the harsh specter of the prison camps still lives on in the hearts of the Jews. What makes the contrast between Judaism and Christianity so fascinating is that, in spite of the much later origin of Christianity, the two faiths were in essence ôseparated at birth,ö because Christianity arose out of Judaism. An exploration of them both highlights where they have remained the same and where they have grown apart.
The similarities between Christianity and Judaism are easy to identify. Both faiths believe in one godùthe very same God, in factùthe God of Abraham and the Bible:
This God is the origin and source of all that exists. God cares about the entire creation and desires the well-being of all. God is just and has provided basic rules for our guidance so that we may be good and righteous, according to God's intention. God is also merciful; by means of God's grace we are given strength to be more like what we ought to be (ôJudaism, Christianity, and Islamö).
Both faiths also accept the validity of Scripture, although Christianity is predicated on the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, while Judaism is based primarily on the Torah, which consists of the first five books of the Bible....