Judeo-Christian Tradition Vs. Other Religious Traditions

[SoutherDem]

Yesterday Romney spoke of the Judeo-Christian Tradition and how that was how we have achieved our "global leadership".

I often hear conservatives make claims similar to Romney's especially in respect to the "values" our country holds.

I was wondering. What values are present in the Judeo-Christian tradition which are not present in the traditions of other religions.

I am almost certain that things like murder and thief are held by all religions, but just what part of the Judeo-Christian Tradition is so unique. Unique enough that it was what allowed us to be a global leader.

[Betsy Ross]

1. When some folks say Judeo-Christian

they actually mean the new testament. I'm Jewish, I always cringe when I hear the expression.

[laconicsax]

6. +1000

It's exemplified by the assholes who talk about Judeo-Christian values while being ravingly antisemitic.

The almost as jaw-droppingly stupid thing is saying that God's name is Yahweh.

[provis99]

8. really, they mean the Apocalyptic fundamentalist tradition.

They are Judeo only in the sense that all Jews must be removed to Israel, where during the Apocalypse, all those Jews who don't immediately convert to Christianity will be killed.

This is the only reason they "support" Israel, because in their fevered minds they can somehow jumpstart the battle of Armageddon.

"Judeo-Christian values" advocates are as anti-semitic as you can get.

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Well the same values are present in the third sister: Islam, for starters.

And the fact that Yurp and Murka have ruled the planet since the mid 1700's is not something to get a huge swelled head over. It is a blip in time. Empires come and go. 300 years is nothing.

[immoderate]

3. Nova Scotia lox on a real water bagel, with some cream cheese...

This is a tradition unmatched anywhere, by anything!

And the only Judeo-Christian "tradition" is the one of Christians killing Jews. I know they don't do that now, but it hasn't been long enough to be called a tradition.

--imm

[tama]

4. Abrahamic traditions

and "global leadership" seem to relate on the level of imperialistic universalism. And needless to say, secular eurocentric offsprings of the abrahamic traditions can keep up the tradition of imperialistic universalism just as well.

[cleanhippie]

9. "imperialistic universalism".

Stop it Smalls, you're killing me.

[exboyfil]

5. Probably the religions that don't have a militant streak

get wiped out over time. All of the major ones seem to have a blood soaked period in their history. All have also been used to justify terrible actions. Buddhism could be argued I guess - I am not so sure - there are several reports of aggressive actions towards Christian misionaries and you do have the human sacrifice to contend with. Definitely Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Shinto, and Hinduism have their blood soaked periods.

As far as your question I am not sure a modern world could have evolved from Buddhism as compared to Christianity. That is a major thought of western civilization for better or worse that an eastern mysticism (Christianity) was fused with an Aristotelian thought process leading to what we have now (leading ultimately to the Enlightenment). Buddhism would have never led to such a progression.

You could probably define a better moral code than the New Testament, but I think it was a pretty good start. I think it calls for a more active faith than Buddhism, but I admit I have not studied Buddhism. Buddhism proceeded Christ and it is also a remarkable faith.

Christianity was built upon the "blood" soaked period of the Old Testament, and it has been misused in so many ways. Enlightenment thought which included elements of Christianity is the basis of our democracy, and it was not perfect from the start and it is still struggling to be better.

Gandhi had it right when he said, “If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today.”

As far as achieving our global leadership, the fact that we have oceans separating us from major powers as a big consideration. We also had the opportunity to exploit a vast land just as modern tools were being developed. I think Enlightenment thought also had a major hand in it, but I am not going to say that it was God's divine will (too much blood was unjustly spilled to conclude that).

[dimbear]

7. Serious answer? Having everybody, or at the very least the men, be able to read.

Truly critical ingredient in the success of the west.

Obviously a policy that had its ups and downs.