Yehudi>Medaber>Chai>Tzomeach>Domem?

[David Smith]

So because you COULD wind up being better than your neighbor therefore all shomer shabbos people are better than non shomer shabbos?
Is that what you're saying?

There are that are better than some people too, that doesn't make the chart incorrect in that regard. It wasn't talking about the individuals, it was talking about the general category, and what offers the best opportunity. And better and worse is being used wrong. I wouldn't say that an animal is better than a rock; i would say that it is better to be an animal than a rock, if i had to choose.

[ChaimMoskowitz]

There are animals better than people too, that doesn't make the chart incorrect in that regard.

More Dogs Less People = Better World 

[David Smith]

More Dogs Less People = Better World 

Whoops. I meant better than some people. The whole better and worse thing makes no sense.. Really, the world makes no sense either, but that'll have to wait for a Tuesday or something.

[luckyluck]

Anyone can get to the best of HIS potential based on his choices. And anyone deserve equal respect based on his choices.
That's completely unrelated to the fact that different persons have different potentials. Yes some have higher potential than others, but that shouldn't have any effect on the respect they deserve.

[churnbabychurn]

So because you COULD wind up being better than your neighbor therefore all shomer shabbos people are better than non shomer shabbos?
Is that what you're saying?

If you agree that keeping shabbos improves you, than the mathematical logical conclusion would be that you are therefore improved, and better than the unimproved non shomer shabbos.
Not sure why there is a disconnect here.

[ChaimMoskowitz]

Anyone can get to the best of HIS potential based on his choices. And anyone deserve equal respect based on his choices.
That's completely unrelated to the fact that different persons have different potentials. Yes some have higher potential than others, but that shouldn't have any effect on the respect they deserve.

The problem is when you base this on a birthright.

[sky121]

If you agree that keeping shabbos improves you, than the mathematical logical conclusion would be that you are therefore improved, and better than the unimproved non shomer shabbos.
Not sure why there is a disconnect here.

Because it's one thing. What if he's better than you in every other aspect?

Again, I believe it makes me better person than I would be without it. Not better than my neighbor.

How can you judge that you're better than your'e neighbor just because you keep shabbos and he doesn't?

[luckyluck]

The problem is when you base this on a birthright.

Why would anyone feel wronged by that if it doesn't have any effect on the respect he deserve?

As an example, a regular Jew will never be able to attain priesthood since he was not born in the priesthood tribe. That doesn't make it unfair. We believe everyone is part of a master plan and was born exactly where his mission is.

[sky121]

At the end of the day I don't believe I'm better than my neighbor just because I'm religious. Or Jewish. 
Those things alone don't inherently make you a better person. 

And personally I think we as a Jewish nation will gain more and grow more as people if we can learn to respect all human beings and not look down upon people. I don't think that's doing anyone any good honestly.

[Moshe123]

At the end of the day I don't believe I'm better than my neighbor just because I'm religious. Or Jewish. 
Those things alone don't inherently make you a better person. 

פארקרומט.

צדיקים האבען געזאגט אז דער ערגסטע איד איז בעסער פון די בעסטע גוי.

[ChaimMoskowitz]

OK enough beating around the bush. Does the Torah teach that a Jew is superior in any way to a non-Jew at birth? YES or NO!

[luckyluck]

פארקרומט.

צדיקים האבען געזאגט אז דער ערגסטע איד איז בעסער פון די בעסטע גוי.

חגיגה י"ג ע"א:
הא למדת, שאפילו עובד כוכבים ועוסק בתורה - הרי הוא ככהן גדול

[churnbabychurn]

Because it's one thing. What if he's better than you in every other aspect?

Again, I believe it makes me better person than I would be without it. Not better than my neighbor.

How can you judge that you're better than your'e neighbor just because you keep shabbos and he doesn't?

We have different definitions of good people. Mine is very black and white. Without being judgmental.

Btw, If you teach a child that EVERYONE is good, because there really is no good or bad... IE You can be a good reform Jew, a good gentile, a good pot dealer, a good gay person, a good orthodox rabbi etc. Then IMHO the child is lost in a politically correct mad world.

Orthodox Jews are guided by the Torah subject to the interpretations only of gedoley Torah, (not any feminist wannabe)for the  definitions of good or bad.

[luckyluck]

OK enough beating around the bush. Does the Torah teach that a Jew is superior in any way to a non-Jew at birth? YES or NO!

It would depend what is the context for the term "superior" 

[Moshe123]

We have different definitions of good people. Mine is very black and white. Without being judgmental.

Btw, If you teach a child that EVERYONE is good, because there really is no good or bad... IE You can be a good reform Jew, a good gentile, a good pot dealer, a good gay person, a good orthodox rabbi etc. Then IMHO the child is lost in a politically correct mad world.

Orthodox Jews are guided by the Torah subject to the interpretations only of gedoley Torah, (not any feminist wannabe)for the  definitions of good or bad.

גוט געזאגט

[ChaimMoskowitz]

It would depend what is the context for the term "superior" 

Going to take that as a yes.   

[sky121]

We have different definitions of good people. Mine is very black and white. Without being judgmental.

Btw, If you teach a child that EVERYONE is good, because there really is no good or bad... IE You can be a good reform Jew, a good gentile, a good pot dealer, a good gay person, a good orthodox rabbi etc. Then IMHO the child is lost in a politically correct mad world.

Orthodox Jews are guided by the Torah subject to the interpretations only of gedoley Torah, (not any feminist wannabe)for the  definitions of good or bad.

That's silly. I don't believe everyone is good.
Everyone isn't good. There are bad people In the world. Bad Jews, bad irreligious people, bad non Jews, bad shomer shabbos people, etc.

[ShlockDoc]

As a Jew, I believe that I'm special because I'm a member of the chosen nation. It's not due to my personal achievements that I warrant this status but because I am a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who dedicated their lives to finding and understanding G-d when no one else believed (see Duet. 7:7-8; 9:5-6).

What about converts? How can they inherit the Jewish specialness if they are not descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?

[yitrap]

OK enough beating around the bush. Does the Torah teach that a Jew is superior in any way to a non-Jew at birth? YES or NO!

Chazal definitely held that way.

[aygart]

OK enough beating around the bush. Does the Torah teach that a Jew is superior in any way to a non-Jew at birth? YES or NO!

If your question is whether spiritual levels can be inherited then the answer would be yes. The biggest caveat to that would be that one must must follow in the footsteps of the inheritors to keep that level.