What is " the standard story of Christians and Jews"?

At a glance, I say that the difference is that Israel used to at least acknowledge the existence of other gods but now adopts the Highlander attitude that there can be only one. We’re not talking about the head of a pantheon like Odin either; other Gods do not exist!

How much mention is made of Asherah these days anyways? She used to be a Goddess in Israel. Now Yahweh is the only one that ever existed and all others are imposters and fakes.

It’s saying that we think of Judaism and Christianity as always being monotheistic – both in commandment and practice, but closer looks are suggesting that monotheism didn’t really start being practiced in the Abrahamic religions until about 500 BC.

They were both picked on by ancient bullies, but they both persevered and are doing well now.

@papayalily Abrahamic religions until about 500 BC? Abraham, Isaac’s father from the Bible, is considered the father of the Jewish people.

Jesus, a nice Jewish boy, came around thousand of years later. If you’d like to say B.C. (before Christ) then it doesn’t make sense to say Abrahamic – especially as the “third” one – Islam – is from the 8th century more or less.

I think calling all three Abrahamic is silly anyway, and I’m not religious in the least bit.

Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah. Jews think he was a nice Jewish boy who went into his father’s business. I don’t want to talk about Islam – which always confounds me anyway – the Qoran, misquoted so often when being used against Israel and the Jews, Americans and the West – does not even include Jerusalem in it once, e.g. ... but I digress.

@zenele I know that at the time there was only the one Abrahamic religion, but since the article said “Christians and Jews” I figured phrasing it that way would provide more clarity.

One word – micromanagement.

The God of Abraham was not the only god in the pantheon of the ancients. He distinguished himself by demanding that He be placed above all other gods in status and reverence. In exchange, he offered protection. Sort of like the Mafia.

TIme is probably subscirbing to the Religionsgeschichtliche Schule { History of Religions school, from Germany] which denies all prophecy miracles revelation etc