do contemporary Jews believe that the laws of the old testement are still in effect? does this vary from orthodox, reformed, and other sub groups? they don't practice sacrifices or the capitol punishment outlined in the mosaic code.
216341
sacrifices are not neccesary for the temple is gone for now (the real messiah will see it rebuilt) and jews follow the 613 laws of torah the best that they can. Yes the laws of the torah (the old testiment is christian, not jewish) the tanakh is jewish, correct, and unchanged are still aplicable to all jews.
71734
This is a logical fallacy, appeal to novelty, that states that because something is newer it is better.  There is nothing, per se, wrong with following customs that are centuries old just because they are old.  It's just as wrong as the "Give me that old time religion" argument, which states that because it was good enough for Paul and Silas, it's good enough for "me".  That's an appeal to tradition.  People should follow what actually works, regardless of when it was developed.  I guess this isn't really an answer to the question, though.
94815
BC & AD are just man's traditions; they have no context in Scripture, faith, Salvation, etc.\n\nLaw & Grace are NOT opposites.\n\nGod's Law, the Torah, shows us how He wants us to live. & it's shows that we are not capable of being good enough to be saved - for God is perfect, His Law is perfect, heaven is perfect... & only those who are Perfect gain entrance to Paradise.\n\nThat gives man one viable option for his salvation - choose to accept God's free gift of Grace. Those who love God, love His Word and seek to do His will "on earth as it is in heaven" will be imputed with the Righteousness of the Son of God, Perfect, ready to be ushered into Eternity with the Creator.\n\nLaw & Grace work together. Those who embrace the Law are the faithful followers of the 100% Torah-observant Messiah who was the Ultimate Passover Lamb of God sacrifice for our sins - all who believe and follow Him.\n\nFollowing the pagan Emperor Constantine, Popes who claimed the authority & power to change God's Law, Reformers who maintained the vain traditions of man... or following any charismatic charlatan sounds like you're betting your soul that those who you follow will be able to save you.
250432
^Have you read the Talmud?  Have you studied it?  Can you understand it?  Do you know what it is?\n\nLet us not forget that the Old Testament is Jewish and the christians accept it in it's entirety.  Jews have to wait until Yom Kippur for forgiveness, even assuming your premis to be correct.  Cross-kissers can simply fess up at their convenience, mumble a few incantations and kiss a ring or a  statue to get theirs.  Protestants have to earn forgiveness, except for those sects who are doomed from birth (other than the select chosen ones.\nIf your question was intended to be anti-Semitic, it was a poor effort.  If it wasn't, learn a little about racism before you open your mouth because yours is blatant. \n\nAs for other racist books, try most anything put out by the monks in the Middle Ages.
472381
Unlike Christians, we Jews do not believe in eternal damnation.  We believe all moral people go to heaven, regardless of their religious beliefs.
349467
Neither the Torah nor the rabbinic tradition has much to say concerning lesbian relationships. It is the male's "spilling of seed" anywhere other than in the usual "place" that is seen as a sin. \n\nThe Torah seems to see homosexual relations in a cultic context rather than something more parallel to the interpersonal context of heterosexual relationships.\n\nLater Jewish tradition, including the Biblical prophets, makes no reference to homosexuality regarding the sins of Sodom and Gemmorah; these are seen as cruelty and lack of hospitality to the "stranger" - xenophobia, as it were.\n\nReform Judaism, for the most part, seems to view the traditional prohibitions against homosexuality as mores from a bygone age, mores now replaced with clearer understandings of the reality of gender orientation as something which is beyond simple individual "preference." As a whole, the Reform Movement, both the "lay people" and the rabbis have come out very strongly in favor of civil rights for gays and lesbians.
112604
Leviticus 20:13 - If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.\n\nLeviticus 18:22 - You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.\n\nDeuteronomy 23:17 - There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel.\n\n1 Kings 14:24; 15:11f - . . . and there were also sodomites in the land: they did according to all the abominations of the nations which Jehovah drove out before the children of Israel. (Later when Asa put away the sodomites by the death penalty commanded in the law, God approved of the cleansing of such immorality.) And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as did David his father. And he put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.\n\nRomans 1:26-27,32 - For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due . . . who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.\n\n1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
301169
They follow the portions of the law that Christian "leaders" emphasize, which just happen to be the parts that benefit the Church itself, such as tithing and the 10 commandments that emphasize keeping the sabath holy.\n\nThe funny thing is that when Jesus said he came to fulfill the law, what he meant was that he was the Jewish Messiah.  He did not mean that the law no longer applied, and he even explicitly said that.\n\nWhen the church started its gentile mission, it was forced to put the Law asside because gentiles had no interest in it.  That's the real reason Christians don't abide by it.
569599
Can you follow the 10 commandments?  Can you go without breaking a single one?  Neither can anyone else.  The laws were given to show the need for a messiah to die and atone for our sins.  Rom. 10:4: “Christ is the end of the Law\n\n By setting out a perfect pattern covering the various facets of life, it showed up the Jews as sinners. It became evident that, despite any good intentions and diligent efforts, they could not measure up to its requirements. Using the Jews as a sample of the imperfect human family, the Law exposed all the world, including each one of us, as sinners, liable to God for punishment. (Rom. 3:19, 20)Thus it emphasized the need for a savior for mankind, and it led faithful ones to Jesus Christ as that Savior. In what way? It identified him as the only one who kept the Law perfectly, thus the only human who was sinless.\n\nWas the Mosaic Law ever meant to be binding on all mankind? (Ps. 147:19, 20; Ex. 31:12, 13)\n\nDid Jehovah give any indication to Israel that someday the Law covenant would end? (Jer. 31:31-33; Heb. 8:13)\n\n In the light of this, what is implied by arguing that the Mosaic Law is still in force? In effect, this constitutes a repudiation of faith in Jesus Christ. Why is that so? Because such a view rejects the fact that Jesus fulfilled the Law, thus paving the way for God to terminate it. To persons who professed to be Christians but who were swayed by arguments in favor of keeping the Law, or some portion of it, the apostle Paul forcefully wrote: “You are parted from Christ, whoever you are that try to be declared righteous by means of law; you have fallen away from his undeserved kindness.”—Gal. 5:4; see also Romans 10:2-4.
614364
I would say that while obviously Reform Judaism is nothing like any form of Christianity. But, if you are making comparisons then I suppose Reform Judaism is to Liberal Protestant Christianity as Orthodox Judaism is to Greek Orthodox Christianity.  The liberal end of the spectrum does less liturgy and will have less emphasis on how to live out the morals of the faith.  At the same time, the liberal end of the spectrum is going to be more accepting of those who practice immoral behavior.  If you want to find gay Jews you are much more likely to find them in the Reform rather than amoung the Orthodox.  Generally it is the same in Christianity.  You are much more likely to find gay Christians in a liberal denomination like the Metropolitian Community Church than you are in a fundamentalist church.\n\nBut at the same time I want to avoid saying anything too harsh about them either.  The Reform movement is at least still making a point of contact with Judaism, even though it isn't the fully observant Judaism that Orthodoxy requires.  \n\nSince I study with Chabad, my views on this are tempered by their approach.  They can't be too harsh in their approach with the Reform because that is one of the groups they draw new members from.  If they were too harsh, they would turn people off to Orthodoxy rather than drawing them in.  Their message is "you can do better -- there are more mitzvot that you can perform".\n\nKeep studying Torah, and keep working on improving how you live your life.  Reach upwards, HaShem meets us where we are and calls us to keep going further.
83211
If you truly want to know more about Gods laws there is no better book than his own word. \n  It is folks writing thier own opinion about his law that got them in so much trouble in the first place. whem you read the old testament you will only find 613 laws the Jews were to keep. no more no less. \nGod never had a problem with expressing his law to his people. To understand His law is very easy He said it He meant it so you do it period.\nAs a Messianic Jew and a convert to Jesus also a minister of the Gosple. after having been set free of the law do not burden youself with them.\nSend email to  bethsimcha@bethsimcha.com and ask them your questions they will be more than happy to enlighten you. They are a Messianic congregation Where Jesus[Yeshua] is Lord
263354
As you are probably aware Chabad has customs that are different from other sects (Breslov for example). This is one of those areas. Similarly, their understanding of what it means to "dwell" in a Sukkah, the practice of Peyos, and the use of techelies in the tsitsis.  All these are matters where Chabad and Breslov have gone in different directions. And unless the community as a whole begins practice the custom differently, you will not see any change occuring. (If then).  If the practice of the Rebbe was to do (whatever) in this particular way, then the entire movement will keep doing it in that way.
670038
In the Jewish tradition, the Ten Commandments (actually 613 commandments) were G-d's words spoken to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  Moses spoke them to the Aaron, his brother, and, through repetition to larger and larger groups the oral tradition was established.  And lasted hundreds of years. Those commandments (or Mitzvot), along with the entire Five Books of Moses, are the basis of Judaism.   As the words of G-d, they are indisputable, non-negotiable and not subject to interpretation.  \n\nThe Ethics are the efforts of the rabbis in later centuries to explain how we are to employ these commandments in our daily life.  The discipline is to use the very words of G-d and apply them to modern life (all 3,000 years of it) without changing the original, revealed commandments.  The arguments among the rabbis and their students is not whether the commandments are true; the question is how to parse the sentences and words, even the letters and accent marks, to extract G-d's intention for us.  But, after all, who are we to know G-d's total intention.  In Judaism, we keep the commandments because they connect us to G-d and maintain our relationship with him.
81891
They will never be out of date insofar as they are still relevant today.  The rest of the Bible speaks about other sins but in different ways.  The Book of Leviticus takes the commandments and explains more in depth what each one means and what God wants for our lives.  In some ways though, I think we do need an updated set so that people will have no way to question what God wants.  You must look to the Greek text to find out about recreational drugs, you need better language to tell people that homosexuality is wrong, they don't understand the man lying with another man, as a woman idea or that it is an abomination, or that living together is not right.  You can go on forever trying to update those Ten Commandments, but, ultimately, all the answers are already in the Bible.  You just have to search for them and obey them.  God doesn't want His Word turned into a lie, as is being done in today's society.
477306
Orthodox Jews consider it an abomination, although there are gay Orthodox Jews.  I wouldn't recommend converting to that "denomination."  I think they're accepted in Conservative Judaism, but not sure how welcome they are.  They are welcomed in Reform Judaism and serve as rabbis and cantors.\n\nYou might like to try this quiz:\nhttp://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html\n.\n.
500433
wow so sad.\n\nI grew up in as a Reform Jew. I left when I was 17 because I did not find it to be authentic Judaism. My heart crys when I read the other answers. I have yet to meet a Orthodox Jew that dose not truly care about his Reform brethren. They might disagree what is Judaism but they truly care about every Jew. \n\nfor the life of me I dont where the that idea came from. I am actually having trouble finish this because it really bothers me that Jews would actually think that other Jews would look down on them just because how they practice their faith. \n\n-I have to stop this or I will cry
174946
There are plenty of roads that all lead to the airport.  Churches can maintain theirs was is the only way, but most thinking people quickly realize that it makes no logical sense that a devout practioner of another faith who has lead a good, pious life is any less worthy than someone in their own congregation who did the same - even if there are slight variations in their beliefs.  Religions are man made and therefore are prone to mistake.\n\nThe example you provide are very different.  One is a commandment - and frankly those seem very clear.  The other is an interpreted excerpt from one of the books of the Bible.  I haven't looked up that particular issue, but I did do a thorough search for premarital sex.  I looked very hard in several different versions and the best that I could find is you should not behave immorally in regard to pre-marital sex.  Well I think different people would interpret that differently.  (King James seems much more conservative, NIV I understand was a very scholarly undertaking going back to the original old Hebrew)\n\nInterestingly there were more passages than I could count about not committing adultry.  Also interesting was the from version to version the interpretation of the old Hebrew was mildly different, but they were important differences.  \n\nMy final conclusion is that if you find a single one or two references it may not be a very important point.  If you find multiple references and/or its in the commandments, it is much clearer.