AmbiguousGuy
Well-Known Member
Weird, ain't it? There seems to be some deep emotion there.
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Could Jesus Have Been Simply a Fraud?
- Thread starter The Sum of Awe
- Start date
Weird, ain't it? There seems to be some deep emotion there.
AmbiguousGuy
Well-Known Member
Seems to. We have a cpl zillion threads about it already, each one containing at least a few hundred posts from people who keep claiming they don't have any interest in the subject.
Wow, that is indeed bizarre. I haven't noticed such people, but I'll be on the lookout for them from now on. I just love weird minds.
Oh absolutely. My theory is that quite a few people in the Mythist camp have this still-scared-to-death choirboy cringing somewhere in the nether regions of their psyche, and what that translates to the rest of the brain is, "MUST. . .PROVE. . . THIS. . .WRONG!!!"
Of course, the idea that Jesus never existed in the first place takes care of that: no Jesus = no (valid) Christianity = no eternal damnation. Problem solved.
It's a magic bullet that, for some reason, mythists keep shooting themselves in the foot with.
I know.
I'd guessed.
I doubt it.
That's a lucky coincidence. :yes:
Sees
Dragonslayer
I have a hard time not chiming in on it now and then like most. It is so crucial to traditional Christianity, and many English speakers were or are Christian or surrounded by Christian influence of family or community, it's like an itch you have to scratch now and then.
For my self I started out in the area trying to figure out how to be a super-man apologist and what I read and pondered dragged me all over in every direction - I don't even remember 5% of that stuff besides my conclusion on the matter.
It's tough to balance the itch to get all into it now and then with being respectful and kind to folks who believe Jesus is their very life.
Quagmire already touched on most of this during my slow post
Had to put on another Simpson's DVD for the kids.
For my self I started out in the area trying to figure out how to be a super-man apologist and what I read and pondered dragged me all over in every direction - I don't even remember 5% of that stuff besides my conclusion on the matter.
It's tough to balance the itch to get all into it now and then with being respectful and kind to folks who believe Jesus is their very life.
Quagmire already touched on most of this during my slow post
Had to put on another Simpson's DVD for the kids.
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technomage
Finding my own way
Can I claim the xkcd defense?
Nah, it's okay. Even if I did go by Frankie, it would be with the "ie". The "y" spelling is weird to me. But it's just Frank.
AmbiguousGuy
Well-Known Member
Geez... what a bunch of geeks! I hope we spot some like that here in this thread!
I have a hard time not chiming in on it now and then like most. It is so crucial to traditional Christianity, and many English speakers were or are Christian or surrounded by Christian influence of family or community, it's like an itch you have to scratch now and then.
For my self I started out in the area trying to figure out how to be a super-man apologist and what I read and pondered dragged me all over in every direction - I don't even remember 5% of that stuff besides my conclusion on the matter.
It's tough to balance the itch to get all into it now and then with being respectful and kind to folks who believe Jesus is their very life.
Quagmire already touched on most of this during my slow post
You're hanging out in here, your kids are watching the Simpsons.
Aren't you afraid that your kids will, you know, become smarter than you?
Yes, I think that would be very healthy. :yes:
technomage
Finding my own way
You're hanging out in here, your kids are watching the Simpsons.
Aren't you afraid that your kids will, you know, become smarter than you?
Ouch. Just ... ouch. :thud:
Can I claim the xkcd defense?
No worries man, the pie fight was already going on when you got here.
AmbiguousGuy
Well-Known Member
Think about it like this: Once upon a time, the majority of Christians thought of Adam as an historical figure. But as they began to see him mythically, they actually became better Christians.
Or this: Once upon a time, the majority of Christians insisted on Creationism. But as they began to let Creationism go and accept Evolution, they didn't lose their faith. Instead, they became better Christians.
Same with the historical Jesus. There is no necessity of thinking of Jesus as historical. It's exactly the same as people thinking that their faith would be lost if they went with evolution. Nope. Their faith just got better.
A Christian can live without an historical Jesus just as he can live without an historical Adam. (Although, of course, they will tend to resist the changeover.)
technomage
Finding my own way
And just in case I didn't make things COMPLETELY obvious, I have grave difficulties resisting a good pie fight.No worries man, the pie fight was already going on when you got here.
And just in case I didn't make things COMPLETELY obvious, I have grave difficulties resisting a good pie fight.
Well who doesn't?
[youtube]a4-spBDcJyk[/youtube]
The Three Stooges - Pie Fight - YouTube
Sees
Dragonslayer
You're hanging out in here, your kids are watching the Simpsons.
Aren't you afraid that your kids will, you know, become smarter than you?
It's destiny anyways
They will also be more cultured and respectful than I based off the wisdom and lessons shared...most definitely with the holiday specials.I need to find an episode that talks about Jesus so I can finally know the truth of the matter!
technomage
Finding my own way
Better ... by whose standards?
Let's for a moment consider the possibility that the Christians who argue for a literal interpretation of their Bibles are correct. (Yeah, I know, that's against the evidence of several fields of science, including biology, astronomy, archaeology, and even history if you consider that to be a science, but work with me for a moment.)
_If_ the Bible is literally true, abandoning a belief in a literal Adam actually makes them worse Christians, because they move further away from "God's truth." Sure, it may make them more capable of dealing with modern culture, but the Bible makes it pretty clear that they're supposed to "set their affections on things above, not on things of the earth."
Now, you and I know that such a view is impossible. While I have frequently asserted, and still believe, that science would be incapable of analyzing a purely supernatural question (such as "Does God exist" or "Is there such a thing as the soul"), I am quite aware that science can analyze some supernatural claims, such as "The earth was created 6000 years ago." Science is quite capable of refuting that claim.
The Christians have a passage in their Bible that says something to the effect of "If the resurrection is false, we are the most miserable of people." For them, they can't have Christianity without an actual, living Jesus.
Now, that's not why I am persuaded that there was a historical Jesus. That's my best analysis of the evidence. But it is an important point to remember, in my (for once, humble) opinion.
It's destiny anyways
I need to find an episode that talks about Jesus so I can finally know the truth of the matter!
Hmmm, can't think of any Simpson-Jesus episodes off the top of my head.
I know there are a bunch of South Park ones, but I'm not sure how reliable they are.
technomage
Finding my own way
That's not Simpsons. You need South Park for that.It's destiny anyways
I need to find an episode that talks about Jesus so I can finally know the truth of the matter!
That's not Simpsons. You need South Park for that.
I tend to only trust South Park when it comes to politics and human nature. Religion, not so much.