Do the Christians and the Jew had to go to the Bethlehem ?
826783
The hajj to Mecca is considered one the 5 Pillars of Islam and is considered a religious duty. Going to Bethlehem isn't a religious duty for Christians because Jesus wasn't deeply involved with Bethlehem, he just happened to be born there because a census was being taken. Bethlehem, right now, is not the most politically stable place and it may surprise you that most of the people currently living in Bethlehem are Muslims. Many of the Christians fled because of the violence.
35091
No. Until someone fulfils all of those things that the messiah is supposed to do when the real messiah comes, then the messiah has not come yet. There is no need for the Real Messiah to have to come twice. Only when all of the things the real messiah will do when he gets here, the first time, have been done, will we know that the messiah has come.
100517
Matthew 2:1-2  Now when Jesus was born in \n          Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the \n          king, behold, there came wise men FROM THE EAST \n          to Jerusalem, 2  Saying, Where is he that is \n          born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star \n          IN THE EAST, and are come to worship him. \n\nWhat is interesting, to me, is that the wise men were IN the East, and they saw a star in the East, which means they would have traveled AWAY from Bethlehem, not towards it. Furthermore, Herod is in Jerusalem, and the wise men are sent to Bethlehem by the Eastern Star, which, again, would send them in the wrong direction::\n\n          Matthew 2:3,7-9  When Herod the king had heard \n          these things, he was troubled, AND ALL JERUSALEM \n          with him....7  Then Herod, when he had privily \n          called the wise men, enquired of them diligently \n          what time the star appeared. 8  And he sent them \n          to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently \n          for the young child; and when ye have found him, \n          bring me word again, that I may come and worship \n          him also. 9  When they had heard the king, they \n          departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in \n          the east, went before them, till it came and \n          stood over where the young child was.\n\nIf they were East of Jerusalem, or later, IN Jerusalem, and they followed a star in the East, they would not have wound up in Bethlehem......
266908
The Ramban says that one dose not have to wait for the arrival of the messiah to start the process of rebuilding the temple. Though there are a few complications to doing so. First the Arabs are There second we are not sure exactly where the temple lay on the mount (something that may or may not be solved though excavation) and Third you need to have a Red Heifer to start the process of purifying individuals for temple service and construction.
980560
Everyone that has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will get into Heaven.\n\nI hope to see you there!\n\nIn His Service,\n...me :o)
616560
The main predictions concerning the Messiah are that he will bring peace to the world, gather the Jewish people from their exile to the land of Israel and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. After Jesus' appearance, the Temple was destroyed, the Jews were exiled all over the world and we have not even had one day of peace in the past 2,000 years. (Many of the wars in fact were started and fought by followers of Jesus) These events are enough to show that he was not the messiah.\n\nThe main Christian responses to these objections are:\n\n   1. The Second Coming - First of all, we find this to be a contrived answer, since there is no mention of a second coming in the Jewish Bible. Second, why couldn't G-d accomplish His goals the first time round. Most importantly, the second coming idea is just an attempt at answering an obvious question but it certainly does not constitute proof of messianic claims.\n\n   2. There is peace within his followers hearts - That is wonderful for them, but does that help the victims of the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Hundred Years War, the First World War, the Second World War etc. In each of the events that I mentioned most if not all the combatants, the violent oppressors and torturers where people who claimed to be followers of Jesus. And is peace in the heart a fulfillment of "swords into plowshares etc."
767934
I am not a Christian.  I am  a Jew.\n\nBut, I do know what Christmas is suppose to mean to Christians.  And, it is not for ''gimme, gimme, gimme''.  Maybe, instead, you should look to see what you can give to someone--maybe someone in need.\n\nIt is suppose to be a religious holiday.
15447
This only poses a problem for Christians who believe the Messiah must be born in Bethlehem based on a misreading of  Michah 5:2 as their proof:\n\n"But you Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are small among the thousands of Judah, out of you will come to Me one who will be ruler in Israel, whose goings out are from ancient time, from days of old."\n\nThis verse is not a prophecy that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. The passage simply states it has been preordained that the Messiah would be able to trace his roots back to Bethlehem. This is\nconsistent with the biblical statement that the Messiah will be a descendant of King David, who was from Bethlehem, as seen in I Samuel 16:18.\n\nWith a correct reading of Michah 5:2, whether muslims take control of Bethlehem or not, it wont affect God's mission of bringing the Messiah (Muslims also await the coming of the Messiah).\n\nIf you believe in God and the coming of the Messiah, have a little *more* faith in God's power and abilities and all will all right.\n\nNow look busy, Messiah is coming !
725502
nope, not at all. jesus is not part of our theology or teaching. he might have (historically) been a jew who wanted to reform judaism, or he might have been a trouble maker who coopted certain mysitical jewish practices. but he was unimportant to judaism and he remains so.\n\nand btw, judaism does not teach that he was a prophet AT ALL.
138268
No.\n\nThey deny that Jesus has come in the flesh.
835772
The Jews of Jesus' Time were looking for a Deliverer King, who would drive Israel's enemy's out of Israel. Jesus came as a Suffering Servant, to show them what being God's Chosen really meant.\n\nGod's intention with Israel was for them to be a Light to the Gentile Nations, representing Him to the World. Unfortunately they failed in this. With Christ's,(Messiah's), coming the door to the Gentiles was opened.\n\nThe Church is ,"The Wild Olive Branch grafted into The Cultivated Olive Tree..." We have not replaced Israel, but we are Spiritually Israel. Israel remains The Root of Christianity.\n\nWhy did the Jews miss all the Old Testament Prophecies ? Their Leaders did not ! They KNEW who Jesus was, and rejected Him for the above reason. I have not personally counted, but I have read that there are over 700 Messianic Prophecies in The Old Testament.\n\nTrust me. The Day is coming when Israel will recognize who their Messiah is, and turn to Him ! They will weep for Him as one weeps for one of their own children.  Israel will be Saved.
19987
September 29, 5 B.C.\n\nJerusalem, just outside of Bethlehem, in what is now Known as Israel.
830691
No, it was one of many pagan festivals introduced into the perversion of Christianity that was the catholic church. The best guess is that Christ was born around Purim, a festival of the Jews. This ties in with the enrollment/taxation Luke describes.
712574
Of course Jesus was Jewish.  The book of Matthew gives his lineage back to Abraham.\n\nHe couldn't be Christian since Christianity is based on Jesus' death and Resurrection.  Acts chapter 2 describes the beginning of Christianity.
39895
Palestinan and Israel conflict.  Jews moved on their land during WW11.  Divided over who gets Jeruselem and holy areas.  Just an idea.
570350
The place where Christians go?
200770
This isn't going to be universally accepted, but I believe Judas Iscariot did enter Heaven.  I'm not basing this opinion on the last biblical references to Judas, but on a deeper understanding of his role in the Big Picture.\n\nIn order for the scriptures to be fulfilled, the Messiah HAD to be betrayed.  Without the trial and execution, Jesus would not have become the sacrificial Lamb or the intermediary between mankind and God.  It fell upon Judas, who was the disciple most affiliated with militant Jews, to accept the prophesied thirty pieces of silver.  \n\nWhen Jesus spoke to Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane, He ordered Judas to do whatever he needed to do 'quickly'.  Jesus couldn't afford for his appointed betrayer to change his mind at the last minute.  Judas had to play out his role, despite the personal costs.  \n\nJudas may not have realized his higher calling in this matter, so he succumbed to his human feelings of abandonment, betrayal and loss.  His suicide was the last act of a man convinced he had sent his best friend to die a horrible death.\n\nIn my opinion, Judas Iscariot would have been allowed into Heaven because he fulfilled a part of God's plan.  We human Christians may want to see Judas as the ultimate betrayer, but the way I see it he had little choice in the matter.  Someone had to betray Jesus in order for Him to fulfill his earthly mission and return to the Kingdom.  I would even go as far as suggesting the Jews understood that only the true Messiah would be rejected by His own people.  Had they voted to release Jesus instead of Barrabas, they would have denied their own prophecies concerning the last days of the true Messiah.