Rabbi warns: Some Christians are attempting to convert Jews

Do you not agree that Judaism is NOT an ethnicity, then?

As I said, I was very firmly told by my Jewish friend's family, that this was absolutely a false notion.

Note that I say "ethnicity," which denotes genealogy, not "culture." But there are also many Jewish "cultures," depending upon where in the world those Jews live.

As I said, I was very firmly told by my Jewish friend's family, that this was absolutely a false notion.

I think that being Jewish is both an ethnicity and religion. By the way, I find it interesting that you have a picture of an "American Jew" given that Jews (just like everybody else) immigrated here.

No one can ever be equal to God. If you could become equal to God then you would be another God with the same attributes.

I never said we (or any human) could be equal to God--God said it. Revelation 3:21 seems unequivocal to me. The only qualificaion is being one that "overcometh". That would appear to require something more than Grace, perhaps some form of "works"?

Consider this, which kind of a God is more powerful, one who can (and did) create something that can become just as he is, or one that can't (or won't)?

The scriptures you cite obviously refer to us in our human and mortal state, where clearly no human can be like God. See 1 John 3:1-2 where John refers to some future time (post mortality) when "...we shall be like him..."

You may choose to limit what God can do with his creations, I choose to accept that our potential is unlimited because he has said as much. BTW, this is not something I choose to do out of ambition or ego, but only to emulate Him as best as I can--I will do my part, but realize ultimately He makes it all possible.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Someone had told me once that Mormons believe that God is a man with a physical body who was redeemed on another planet by another Jesus and achieved godhood,

Perhaps you misunderstood, Mormons do believe that God has a tangible body (See Luke 24:39), and that at some time he may not have been God. To fully understand that apparent contradiction requires an infinite mind, and we have something quite less than that in our present state. However, if you refer to John 5:18-19 you will see that Jesus is explaining to the Pharisees that he is only doing what he has seen his father do. The implication is God also had a mortal life where He did what Jesus did during his mortality. Since we know that Jesus grew from grace to grace, the assumption is God at some time also did.

As I mentioned an apparent contradiction about how God has always been God, yet could not have eternally been God if he went through a mortality like Jesus, requires us to re-examine our understanding of the meaning of eternal and eternity.

None of this belief on my part in any way (IMHO) diminishes the nature and stature of God. I only presently lack the ability to adequately communicate my spotty understanding of His nature.

I do not believe God the Father had a mortal life on this earth. But God the Son did. When the Old Testament (sorry, no exact cite at hand) said something to the effect of "...God Himself is come down among us..." it referred to Jesus as Jehovah.

Whether those who overcome and become like God have their own "planets" is not a point I dwell on. it seems rather like pondering whether the Pearly Gates swing in or out. Interesting, but not essential to know.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.