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A brief history of me.
I am a PK MK (preachers kid missionaries kid) I was raised for the most part in Salt Lake City Utah. My father was a missionary to the Mormons with the Southern Baptists. Later we moved to Bolivia as missionaries there.
I eventually was a pastor of a Calvary Chapel in Salt Lake. Lost half the members of the church the first week because I invited the poor and needy to our pot lucks.
I eventually moved to Mozambique as a 'missionary' even though I hated and object to that title. I'm a founder director of an orphanage called Kedesh. I've been here 17 years now.
During my time here I have passed my time studying the bible seeking God. I was blessed to be given a computer with a top notch bible study program. Through that and studying Judaism I became very disenchanted with what I was taught to believe and realized much of it couldn't be true. But I also had a life changing experience as a christian that I could not deny. I was left between two places, knowing that there was truth but yet seeing much of what I was taught and had taught was not true. I spent 10 years not preaching or teaching till I could make sense of what I believed and what was true.
The short of it was that I was left in this no man's land between a christian and a Jew. I rejected Rabbinical Judaism for the same reason as traditional Christianity, -the teachings of the fathers. Rabbinical Judaism seemed based on teaching upon teaching rule upon rule that in the end changed what the Tanakh said. Christianity was based on blending with paganism.
So now I am a christian that is considered too far out there by most christians... too Jewish. Because I still see Jesus as messiah I am out there from the jewish point of view.
I have come to see that so much of Christian teachings are based on misreadings, misunderstanding or mistranslations of the NT. There are many many problems in the NT scriptures but through study of Greek, seeing through built in bias, understanding the teachings of Jesus' and Paul's opponents I believe that in my heart I have reconciled the most all of them. But this none the less puts traditional Christianity on it's ear. We can no longer walk together for the two are not in agreement.
I now just share with those who care to hear and the group of boys in my home. I challenge everyone who comes through my home, visitors, to think about what they believe and why. We will sit for hours reasoning together over the scriptures.
I appreciate any interaction with people on the net because that is my only 'fellowship' I have with people. I live in a very isolated existence. There is only one other like minded person here that I can talk to. So any thoughts questions shared things are welcome, my net is my social life!!

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At 12:12pm on June 2, 2011, rimmon 24 said…: let me welcome you to this congregation of beleivers. Shalom.

At 12:15pm on April 23, 2011, Daniel Lanclos said…: Hello John, My name is Daniel Lanclos, and I am not good on writing on the net. I belong to a baptist church but find that the teachings or not good. My beliefs mach your beliefs. this is all new to me. DL

At 6:53pm on April 22, 2011, Tamla Boone said…: Hey John, I think I just saw your comments on my comment page. Thank you for the wonderful answer, I will study it closely.

Tamla

At 1:37pm on February 13, 2011, pilgrim said…: Hi John,

I don't disagree with your view. Some of us are still working through the "same law" and "Noachide" issues. Even after 2 years of digging and rabbinic studies we have gotten to the "understanding" that the Noachide "path" is a starting point for Torah observance. While the non Jew is not required to do more than the Noachide requirements he may take on as much of the Torah as he "sees fit".

I can see how Judaism may have adopted this view to shield them from persecution. The rabbinic view here is that conversion is not required and Torah observance (and how much) is an individual choice. I am sure these issues will be debated and will be a moving target. One thing is for sure, the base is Torah. The key is getting beyond "I can preach it either way". While we think we are getting close I am not there yet.

Good learning

Shavua tov

At 1:35pm on February 12, 2011, pilgrim said…: John, should you ever decide to visit a Chabad, if there is ne near you, let me know and I may be able to get you an introduction.

Baruch HaShem

Les

At 1:07pm on February 12, 2011, pilgrim said…: Hi John,

Leaving "Christianity" is definitely an isolating experience. Once we stop living based on our emotions we are able to separate truth from myth. Since "Christianity" was weaved from Judaism and simply redefined we will always be able to justify it's teachings as the "real" truth. I have found that the NT can only be authorized by itself which is in itself invalid.

If there is a Chabad near you I am sure they would be willing to answer any questions, once they were comfortable that you were not trying to convert or teach them real Judaism. In my experience, i am sure they would welcome you and you woulld not be expected to embrace Judaism. They may even bre able to tell you about "ben Noach" or Noachides.

At 12:51pm on February 12, 2011, pilgrim said…: Hi John,

These teachings are very good, but, they assume you already know all the nuances associated with the Torah or, as you noted, at a minimum accept the base it comes from.

Deut. 22: 11. You shall not wear a mixture of wool and linen together.

Instead of giving you my opinion as I understand it, I will check with a Torah scholar and someone trained in Torah law. Give me a week to track this down. You are correct in looking for the root of any teaching. Also you must understand that a rabbinic decree, even if based on Torah, is stated as such by rabbis and they will be the first to tell you it is not commanded by HaShem. If they were to say “HaShem commanded “wear a kippa” they would be adding to Torah.

My bad and my error in being accustomed to saying “all”. I should almost always say “almost all or many”. Whether we are aware of it or not we always bring our, ooopps, “my” training or understanding to a situation. In my case it was almost always “the rabbis” perverted it and “christianity” came along to correct it.

Your approach is a correct one and the only one. I will also find out if this is a textual Torah teaching, an oral Torah teaching, or a rabbinic “fence”/tradition. These categories are very difficult to determine by simply trying to “read” the Talmud.

At 2:50pm on July 10, 2010, Suzanne Andria venter said…: More or less the same here,discovered all the lies in christianity,and I am messianic now, believe with all my heart that Yeshua is the Son of God and also the promised Messiah,believe there is already a false messiah,the one that died on good friday and rose on sunday,he useally still hangs on a cross or is held by his mother.
My Messiah died on a wednesday and rose after being in the grave for 3 days so he rose on the weeklysabbath day. He is the lion of Judah,the Branch and the Root of David the Bright morning Star!!!

At 2:43pm on July 10, 2010, Suzanne Andria venter said…: Its by the beach 1000km north of Maputu.

At 10:26am on July 10, 2010, Suzanne Andria venter said…: Hi John,we will be visiting Moz in Dec if its YHVH's will,friends invited us to go on holiday with them there,the place's name is called Cunjatta(not sure about the spelling). I live on a small holding near Pretoria,with my family,where are originally from?
Blessings to you
shalom
Suzanne