Is there something special to you about Judaism? Share it with us!

Well, since Judaism is the basis for the three major religions in the Western World(tm), I like to think of it as kind of like Linux. A smaller, simpler, and more compact version of the others.

The most important difference, IMO, is that there is no concept of thought being equivalent to action in terms of sin. And, as such, no guilt over one's inner thoughts or feelings. Only your actions.*

There also isn't a concept of heaven or hell. That was added by Christianity and then Islam.

Or any established concept of God. In a nutshell, "God is." What or why or how is up to debate and there's no litmus test, either. As long as you believe in God, and follow the rules, everything else is up to interpretation. It's actually fairly liberal compared to Islam and Christianity in that way.
(though there are a LOT of rules, almost to the point of being silly...)

* interesting footnote - There is no absolution for your sins if they involve others. Repenting and being forgiven only is between you and God for personal and ethical failings. Anything else has to be dealt with by yourself.

How about three of the major world religions?


I think the linux analogy is meaningless.

How can you consider Judaism more compact when it's holy book - the Tanakh is larger than the NT and the Quran combined?

Considering the nearly billion Hindus and 1.5 billion Buddhists, they aren't the only religions in the world. And they are classified as "western" religions by all of the academics as well.

Christianity includes the Jewish texts as well, and Islam includes all three as source material. Therefore it is smaller. Even moreso if you consider that The Torah(first five books and core of the religion) is really quite a bit smaller than the "Old Testament". Originally there was only The Torah - the rest were added later. Kind of a rounding out of the original with extra stories, history, and events.

Torah: 5 books originally. 19 more books added later.

New Testament - 27 books originally(varies from version to version) Plus most of the Jewish texts as well if you're talking about mainstream Christianity.

Koran - 114 chapters on top of most of that.(lots of reading, to be sure)

How many academics consider Islam a western religion?

Yes but Christians and Muslims don't consider the OT as anywhere near as important as their own texts.

Don't you mean 0 book originally? There was Christianity before any of the NT books were written.

But not so much that many Muslims can't memorize it.

The real issue is the compactness of the religion, though.

http://www.rossel.net/basic03.htm

The core beliefs are very simple, really. Everything basically is on that one page. I find it to be quite a good deal simpler in many ways.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/colplat.htm
Reform Judaism has an even easier set of ideals and beliefs that it follows.

Christianity has had far more added to it over the centuries and Islam... it's an enormous amount.(I'm actually quite impressed by people who have it memorized)

And perhaps this explains why I like it the best of the three(though I personally don't ascribe to any organized religion): "The righteous of all nations have a place in the world to come." That statement can't be said by either of the other two religions. And that exclusionary attitude is something I find unappealing.

Many would say that Christianity can be summaried in even less - 1 paragraph - the Nicene creed.

I think all religions have stuff added to them.

I don't subscribe to any either (I consider myself a social Christian) but I don't think one is more compact than the other.