PRECOCIOUS AND PISSED OFF

I know I'm not the only one out here that's getting very tired of religious questions being answered by one of the standbys: "It's a miracle," "You have to have faith," and "It's a mystery." I find it even more annoying when a question, rather than being answered at all, is said to be "metaphor," or "open to interpretation." Whether you agree or not, this is the place to present your views. I'll start it off with mine.
I find it extremely annoying that over half of professed Christians don't know the following:

1. JESUS WAS A JEW

His mother was a Jew (yes, the Virgin Mary was Jewish, too, as were all of the disciples), he lived in a Jewish community, and we know he was a practicing Jew, since he was allowed into the Temple in Jerusalem, and because the rabbis at the Temple took the time to argue with him (at what may have been his ‘bar-mitzvah’). To read from the sacred scrolls, he must have been able to read and write (yet he never wrote anything we know of). He spoke Aramaic, not English.

2. HIS NAME WASN’T JESUS

There are many arguments about what his real name was, but Yeshua (yaySHOOa`) is agreed at least to be contemporaneous and Hebrew. Could this be why (according to Revelations) he says to those who did works “in his name,” “I do not know you”? “Jesus” is a Grecian version of Yeshua which was adopted when the teachings went outside Israel.

NOTE: Anything purporting to be from Jesus’ time and belonging to him which has ‘Jesus’ written on it should be examined very critically.

3. HE DID NOT FULFILL THE PROPHECIES REGARDING THE MESSIAH
He did not:
Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).

Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).

Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering and disease.

He did not descend from King David’s line (see Genesis 49:10 and Isaiah 11:1), if Joseph was not his father.

The Messiah was supposed to be a prophet (he did not meet the Jewish requirements for prophethood: Prophecy can only exist in Israel when the land is inhabited by a majority of the Jews in the world) who would lead the Jewish people to full Torah observance. The Torah states that all the promises between man and God will remain binding forever, and anyone coming to change the Torah is immediately identified as a false prophet. (Deut. 13:1-4) Throughout the New Testament, Jesus contradicts the Torah (Old Testament) and states that its commandments are no longer applicable. But according to Isaiah (40:8), "The word of the Lord stands forever."

Elijah was supposed to be raised from the dead specifically to identify the messiah. This did not happen. If you’re thinking “John the Baptist,” forget it – he denies being Elijah (and surely he would know) and doesn’t know if Yeshua is the messiah, in fact sends a messenger to ask Yeshua whether or not he is. John himself doesn’t appear to have thought he was ‘preparing the way’ for Yeshua.

4. HE WAS NOT WITHOUT SIN
He broke the commandments:

Do not have any other gods before me – “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) This directly contradicts God’s own words: “Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no savior beside me.” (Hosea 13:4) In addition: If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse. (Deut 21:22-23)

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy - “Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:9-12) At this time, he seems to be agreeing with the law, yet breaking it. But there are no exclusions of circumstance in the commandment, and to repeat Isaiah (40:8), “The word of the Lord stands forever.”

Honor your father and mother - “As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you.” Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.” (Matthew 12:46-49) This does not show honor to his actual mother. Again, on the day Jesus turned water into wine, he says to his mother, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” (John 2:4)

The problem with the Bible is, it is inconsistent, it contradicts itself with astonishing frequency, and yet ordinary (probably) well-intentioned people keep trying to get me to believe it. I'm extremely curious as to how many people agree with me. I'm not that curious about those who don't, because I can hear them preaching everywhere in America any day of the week, often without leaving home. Still, I’m willing to hear your thoughts either way.