Judaism

[ottermax]

Judaism belives that everyone's soul will spend eternity with God, so no, there is no Heaven and Hell per se, because everyone spends eternity in a heaven like place.

I've heard this explanation before...i guess I don't understand it...why would He have a chosen people...and why wouldHe allow vile souls (i'm not talking about debatable ones, I'm talking about the most vile people in human history) to have the same outcome?

Sorry, but what exactly is the question?

Why would Hitler or Stalin spend eternity in heaven?

I've never known my religion to have much concern with heaven/hell/afterlife. I believe one rabbi said that the focus of Judaism is to live the current life. Then again, i'm reform, so my beliefs are rather liberal. I can answer some questions too!

[ottermax]

Judaism is usually viewed as a race by many Orthodox Jews, rather than a religion. It it not evangelical, and Judaism is not supposed to be a religion people join. Although conversion is permitted, it is not promoted. Reform Jews believe it is more of a religion, but still it is not evangelical, but rather the literal idea of a Jew is not as precise.

For example if child A has a Jewish mother and a Christian father, but is raised as a Christian, then an Orthodox Jew would tend to consider child A a Jew, even though child A believes in Christianity because a Jew cannot lose their identity. However a Reform Jew will tend to believe that child A is a Christian.

If child B has a Christian mother and a Jewish father, and is raised as a Jew, then that child is considered Jewish by Reform Jews, but not a Jew in the Orthodox community because child B is not born of maternal Jewish heritage.

(i'm child B, so I'm Reform...)

[ottermax]

Yom Kipper or whatever that is is tomorrow. That's a Jewish holiday, right?

yeah, it's our most important holiday of the year. Day of Atonement.