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There would be no Western Civilization without the Christian religion.
Savage’s 7 moral principles, while partially admirable, are also flawed. They simply aren’t enough because we’d have to go from the Oak Tree that civilizational Christianity blossomed into in its heyday back to an acorn.
Probably what we need is a renewal or occasional renewal. Some have speculated that perhaps a new divine revelation is coming but I doubt it. You have the Old Testament presaging the coming of the Messiah, Jesus and the New Testament after his death and resurrection: the Alpha and the Omega: the beginning and the end…
Savage is speaking of the 7 Noahide laws. The first of which considers traditional Christians as idol worshipers. So, based on that alone, I have to reject Savage’s proselytizing message as off to a bad start and alienating to over a billion faithful Christians worldwide.
So, in order to bring peace to the world I have to reject the divinity of The Prince of Peace Jesus and accept that at best he was a prophet or good man?
______QUOTE: *Source: Chat GPT AI
The Noahide Laws, also known as the Seven Laws of Noah, are a set of universal moral principles in Judaism that, according to tradition, apply to all of humanity. These laws are derived from the Torah and are considered binding on non-Jews (gentiles) as a means to ensure ethical conduct and justice in the world
The Seven Noahide Laws
The Seven Noahide Laws are:
- Prohibition of Idolatry: Do not worship false gods. (THIS INCLUDES THE WORSHIP OF JESUS AS DIVINE)
- Prohibition of Murder: Do not take innocent human life.
- Prohibition of Theft: Do not steal or take someone else’s property without permission
- Prohibition of Sexual Immorality: Do not engage in illicit sexual relations.
- Prohibition of Blasphemy: Do not curse or show contempt toward God.
- Prohibition of Eating Flesh Taken from a Living Animal: Do not consume meat taken from a living animal.
- Establishment of Courts of Justice: Set up a legal system to promote and enforce the observance of these laws.
These laws are considered a foundation for ethical behavior and are seen as a way for non-Jews to live righteous lives in accordance with divine will. Observing these laws is believed to grant a place in the World to Come (Olam Ha-Ba) for gentiles.
Under the Noahide Laws, worshiping Jesus as God is generally considered idolatry. The first of the Seven Noahide Laws prohibits idolatry, which is defined as worshiping any entity other than the singular, omnipotent God. This prohibition extends to ascribing divinity to any figure, including Jesus, as understood in Christian theology.
Noahide Perspective on Worshiping Jesus
From a traditional Noahide perspective, worshiping Jesus as God violates the prohibition against idolatry. This view is based on the understanding that attributing divinity to Jesus constitutes a form of polytheism, which is incompatible with the strict monotheism central to the Noahide Laws. As one source explains, “worshiping Jesus, who is considered a deity in Christian theology, falls under the category of idolatry” from a Noahide standpoint.
Variations in Interpretation
However, interpretations of the Noahide Laws can vary. Some authorities distinguish between different forms of Christianity. For instance, Unitarian Christians, who do not believe in the divinity of Jesus, may not be considered to have violated the prohibition against idolatry. Conversely, mainstream Christian denominations that worship Jesus as divine are generally viewed as engaging in idolatry under the Noahide Laws.
Conclusion
In summary, worshiping Jesus as God is typically considered idolatry under the Noahide Laws due to the prohibition against ascribing divinity to any entity other than the singular, omnipotent God. However, interpretations can vary, and some forms of Christianity that do not attribute divinity to Jesus may not be viewed as violating this prohibition.
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In other words, to enact Savage’s peace plan for the world, I have to reject the second person of the Trinity: Jesus Christ in his divinity. Then there will be peace. That’s not a very good plan…
The New Testament says Jesus was a stumbling block to the Jews 2,000 years ago and it seems not much has changed since then.
While Christians respect what is good in other religions, they are right and obligated to reject what is errant in them. Therefore, I reject Savage’s rejection of Christ as divine and his adherence to the Chabad branch of Hasidic Judaism’s belief that worship of Jesus is idolatry.
Any religion and denomination in the world is free to compare their beliefs to the traditional Roman Catholic Church’s: Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish, Moslem, Hindu, etc. Perhaps they have something to teach us: our prophets, martyrs, mystics, saints, sages and holy Apostles. If so, bring it forth. We have no secret teachings. Everything is open to examination and discourse.
The early Christian Church made many converts who witnessed their martyrdom at the hands of the Romans and were quite impressed! They walked the walk, so to speak. As did Jesus on the Cross. St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr – who was stoned to death – impressed the great persecutor of Christians named Saul (later St. Paul) who said Stephen had the countenance of angel while being killed. Yes, Steve was possessed by an angel, a good one. In Eastern Orthodox hagiography, a halo is often shown around the heads of their saints.
The Church is always open to dialog but not so open as to denying the sanctifying truth of the life, mission, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy Trinity: God incarnate!
Like Fr. Malachi Martin said, there were no religious wars before Christianity. In other words Christianity brought something worth fighting for. Say, the Crusades to liberate Western Civ from the barbarian Muslim hordes.
Yet, Catholics respect what is good in other religions, including Islam, as do I: the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz; the wisdom of some Sufi Mystics; the Qawwali devotional music of Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan and Aziz Mian; the scientific contributions; their respect for and reverence of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
Most of Christ’s 12 Apostles died as martyrs to love. Some while trying to convert others to Christianity through personal example, dialog and preaching via the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: in Jerusalem, Turkey, Greece, Ethiopia and India…
Are we supposed to deny Christ’s admonition to spread the gospel to the entire world?
When does tolerance of moral error become ultra tolerance, intolerance and anti-Christianity?
1. Peter (The first Pope)
- Death: Crucified upside down in Rome around 64 AD during Emperor Nero’s persecution.
- Location: St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.
2. James the Greater (son of Zebedee)
- Death: Beheaded by the sword in Jerusalem around 44 AD, as recorded in Acts 12:1–2.
- Location: Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
3. John
- Death: Died of natural causes in Ephesus around 98 AD. He was the only apostle not martyred.
- Location: Ruins of the Basilica of St. John, Ephesus (modern-day Turkey).
4. Andrew
- Death: Crucified on an X-shaped cross (saltire) in Patras, Greece, around 60 AD.
- Location: St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Patras.
5. Philip
- Death: Traditions vary; some say he was crucified upside down in Hierapolis (modern-day Turkey) around 80 AD.
- Location: Basilica of the Twelve Apostles, Rome.
6. Bartholomew (Nathanael)
- Death: Flayed alive and beheaded in Armenia.
- Location: St. Bartholomew-in-the-Island, Rome.
7. Matthew
- Death: Traditions suggest he was stabbed to death in Ethiopia.
- Location: Cathedral of Salerno, Italy.
8. Thomas
- Death: Stabbed with a spear in Mylapore, India, around 72 AD.
- Location: St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica, Chennai, India.
9. James the Less (son of Alphaeus)
- Death: Stoned and beaten to death in Jerusalem around 62 AD.
- Location: Holy Apostles Basilica, Rome.
10. Jude Thaddeus
- Death: Traditions vary; some say he was clubbed to death, others by an axe.
- Location: St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.
11. Simon the Zealot
- Death: Traditions suggest he was martyred in Persia or crucified in Britain.
- Location: Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.
12. Matthias
Location: St. Matthias Abbey, Trier, Germany.
Death: Traditions vary; some say he was stoned and beheaded in Jerusalem or Cappadocia.