The Rambam writes [in the uncensored edition Melachim 11/10-11]:
י אף ישוע הנוצרי שדימה שיהיה משיח, ונהרג בבית דין--כבר נתנבא בו דניאל, שנאמר "ובני פריצי עמך, יינשאו להעמיד חזון--ונכשלו" (דניאל יא,יד). וכי יש מכשול גדול מזה: שכל הנביאים דיברו שהמשיח גואל ישראל ומושיעם, ומקבץ נדחיהם ומחזק מצוותן; וזה גרם לאבד ישראל בחרב, ולפזר שאריתם ולהשפילם, ולהחליף התורה, ולהטעות רוב העולם לעבוד אלוה מבלעדי השם
יא אבל מחשבות בורא עולם--אין כוח באדם להשיגם, כי לא דרכינו דרכיו ולא מחשבותינו מחשבותיו. וכל הדברים האלו של ישוע הנוצרי, ושל זה הישמעאלי שעמד אחריו--אינן אלא ליישר דרך למלך המשיח, ולתקן את העולם כולו לעבוד את ה' ביחד: שנאמר, כי אז אהפוך אל עמים, שפה ברורה, לקרוא כולם בשם ה', ולעובדו שכם אחד
To summarize: Yoshke THOUGHT he was Moshiach but just lead people astray. He is בני פריצי עמך - a lawless man who stumbled. He caused many Jews to be killed by the sword, their scattering and humiliation, the switching of the real Torah with a false Torah and caused most of the world to serve a god other than the Real One. Bad Dude.
BUT - Hashem has a master plan and ultimately both Chritianity and Islam will be forerunners to the coming of Moshiach and recognition of Hashem and devotion to His service. [See further there where the Rambam describes how this will happen].
A rabbi here in Israel, has a special interest in promoting interfaith relations. He is on video singing the praises of Yoshke, calling him "rabbi Jesus" [עפ"ל]. He later retracted stressing that we must also appreciate the differences between Christianity and Judaism. But he clearly departs from our tradition upon joining the Yoshke fan club.
In his book he took this Rambam and completely twisted his intent in order to promote his own tendentious goals.
"But sometime in the second century CE – perhaps because in our pride we forgot that it was the Torah’s superiority, and not our own, which had brought us such success – we became unable, or unworthy, of sustaining the momentum.
We stopped “hearing” God’s voice, were forced to leave history, and virtually forgot the mission of the third covenant.
Remarkably, the Christians in many ways continued where we left off. Maimonides, in the unexpurgated versions of the Mishneh Torah, records: “God’s ways are too wondrous to comprehend. All those matters relating to Jesus of Nazareth and the Ishmaelite who came after him are only serving to clear the way for King Messiah, to prepare the whole world ‘…to worship God with one accord’ (Zephaniah 3:9). Thus the messianic hope, the Torah and the commandments have become familiar topics… among the inhabitants of the far-flung islands at the ends of the globe…”
…Now that we as a people and a nation have returned to history, and the Christian world is beginning to recognize the continuing legitimacy of its elder brother’s covenant, grafting itself onto us as a branch is grafted to the roots, we must each complete our return to God, join hands and bring a religion of love, morality, pluralism and peace to a desperate, thirsting world."
According to the Rambam, X-tianity continued where we left off?? Pu-lease!
And what is a religion of "pluralism"? That all religions are true and valid? He-llooooo! McFly, anyone home?? [If you don't understand the reference then consider yourself fortunate...]
Lesson: Let us always separate the chaff from the wheat, the real rabbis and leaders from those who need to do teshuva....
Keep that in mind when you choose schools for your children, the shul you daven in, the posek with whom you consult etc. Many innocents are led astray by people who should know better. They also donate millions and millions that would better serve more worthy causes. A double loss.
