Do Pagans believe Jesus ever exsisted?

[Reverend Rick]

What are the tenets of the Pagan faith? Did Jesus ever exist on this planet? I realize Pagans don't recognize Jesus as Lord or worship him, but did a man named Jesus walk the earth? Did he perform miracles? It is written that he amazed the Rabbi's in the temple when he was 12 years old. Could Jesus have used the Qabalah, (ancient mysticism) to perform these miracles? Could modern day people who study the Kabalah and perform magick be using the same techniques that Jesus did when he performed miracles?

Please remember this is not a debate. I would really like to hear your personal opinions, so please tell me what you think about the subject of Jesus, not what anyone thinks of another's opinion.

 

[MaddLlama]

There is no official teaching in Paganism about it, it's up the the individual to decide. "Paganism" is an umbrella term for a number of different religions anyway.

I personally don't know enough about the evidence outside of the Bible to make a judgment either way.

 

[Reverend Rick]

The Paganism Umbrella is almost as big as the Religion I belong to, The Universal life Church. We have Wiccans and Christians. As you know, Wiccans are Pagans, but not all Pagans are Wiccan. Just like Wiccans can be members of the Universal Life Church, so can Christians. Pagans and Christians under the same umbrella is one huge umbrella.

 

[Isabella Lecour]

What are the tenets of the Pagan faith?

My observations are intstead of tenets, perhaps trends in thinking exist within the faith. There are strong currents of openness of deity. An inclination towards self-understanding and insight. A huge move for unorganised structure. A protective stance to the earth and home. There are so many trends within Paganism.

Did Jesus ever exist on this planet? I realize Pagans don't recognize Jesus as Lord or worship him, but did a man named Jesus walk the earth?

I actually don't see why he's automaticly exluded from the options of worship. He is one of the Gods and there is a whole religion based on him. But did he exist, I don't think he did as what the religions have built up around him. I do think it's likely that a kernal of truth just might haver remaided. He may have been a human that was later deified.

Did he perform miracles?

No, for the simple fact that I'm most skeptipal about miracles. If he did, really did partake in miracles, it makes him a huge con man in my eyes.

It is written that he amazed the Rabbi's in the temple when he was 12 years old. Could Jesus have used the Qabalah, (ancient mysticism) to perform these miracles?

I don't understand what the amazement with the Rabbi's have to do with miracles, or the Qabalah. My understanding of Qabalah is incompleate. I would think that the Qabalah was more a mystical thelogy instead of manual for miracles.

Could modern day people who study the Kabalah and perform magick be using the same techniques that Jesus did when he performed miracles?

Again as my knowladge is incompleate, I'm leaning towards, no.

 

[Booko]

I don't understand what the amazement with the Rabbi's have to do with miracles, or the Qabalah. My understanding of Qabalah is incompleate. I would think that the Qabalah was more a mystical thelogy instead of manual for miracles.
Again as my knowladge is incompleate, I'm leaning towards, no.

You're spot on, Isabella. Kabalah is all about mysticism within a framework of Judaism, much as the Sufis are mystics within Islam.

It has doodles to do with miracles, from whatever slight reading I've done on the subject. Maybe he has it confused with golems or something of that sort.

 

[Gentoo]

Rick, as a former Pagan, shouldn't you already know the answers to your own questions?

 

[Reverend Rick]

I would really like to hear your personal opinions, so please tell me what you think about the subject of Jesus, not what anyone thinks of another's opinion.

I want to know what YOU personally think. Jesus is a myth. Jesus was just a man, nothing special, Jesus really did perform miracles, what?

 

[Gentoo]

I want to know what YOU personally think. Jesus is a myth. Jesus was just a man, nothing special, Jesus really did perform miracles, what?

If you're asking what I personally think, then why ask for Pagan tenets as a whole?

 

[Reverend Rick]

If you're asking what I personally think, then why ask for Pagan tenets as a whole?

Gentoo, you always ask the best questions and I really cannot wiggle out of answers with you. You have busted me. It was a dishonest question on my part, because there are no tenets to the Pagan religion. My experience has found that very few Pagans follow any discipline to the letter. Far more than not are Eclectic and use what is useful to them and discard what they don't need. This is my experience, your mileage may vary.

There was an honest question as well and you have artfully dodged my question to you by answering a question with a question.

Tell me your thoughts on Jesus please.

 

[Reverend Rick]

"Paganism" is an umbrella term for a number of different religions anyway.

Do the number of different religions share any common philosophy?

 

[MaddLlama]

Do the number of different religions share any common philosophy?

Some do, some don't.

As Gentoo said, a former Pagan probably shouldn't need to ask these questions.

Besides, I thought this was a thread about Jesus.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Some do, some don't.

As Gentoo said, a former Pagan probably shouldn't need to ask these questions.

Besides, I thought this was a thread about Jesus.

Jesus and what Pagan's think about him. I would not feel the need for a back up question if the original question was answered.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Jesus existed in some way, certainly. The man we call Jesus made such an impact on the world, he may as well have. I personally think Jesus was a really cool cat and had some great stuff to say! I am still very in touch with the Christianity I was raised in, even if I don't feel associated with it anymore.

As for him delving in Kabbalic mysticism, I think it's possible. I see no reason why he couldn't have studied with mystics from other faiths as well. Why not?

 

[Gentoo]

Gentoo, you always ask the best questions and I really cannot wiggle out of answers with you. You have busted me. It was a dishonest question on my part, because there are no tenets to the Pagan religion. My experience has found that very few Pagans follow any discipline to the letter. Far more than not are Eclectic and use what is useful to them and discard what they don't need. This is my experience, your mileage may vary.

Why the deception? Why not just come out with it from the beginning?

There was an honest question as well and you have artfully dodged my question to you by answering a question with a question.

Tell me your thoughts on Jesus please.

I'm willing to answer questions when they're asked honestly, and where I feel I'm not being led on.

 

[MaddLlama]

Jesus and what Pagan's think about him. I would not feel the need for a back up question if the original question was answered.

And, I believe I already answered the question.

 

[Reverend Rick]

And, I believe I already answered the question.

Perhaps your personal jury is out on the subject because of a lack of reliable proof one way or the other, but you still have a feeling about this, right? Why the reluctance to share your feelings? A former pagan should know certain things and most people have a feeling about whether Jesus was a fact or a myth.

 

[MaddLlama]

Perhaps your personal jury is out on the subject because of a lack of reliable proof one way or the other, but you still have a feeling about this, right? Why the reluctance to share your feelings? A former pagan should know certain things and most people have a feeling about whether Jesus was a fact or a myth.

I am largely indifferent as to the existence of a historical Jesus. It's a possibility either way, and I can see it from either perspective. It's not really that important to me, so I haven't done a whole lot of reading up on the subject.

 

[Reverend Rick]

For a non believer, it would be similar to UFO sightings. Perhaps it is the government testing something or then again maybe there are real space aliens. People who believe are looked upon as kooks. Yet still we all have a feeling about space people.

 

[Gentoo]

Gentoo, you always ask the best questions and I really cannot wiggle out of answers with you. You have busted me. It was a dishonest question on my part, because there are no tenets to the Pagan religion. My experience has found that very few Pagans follow any discipline to the letter. Far more than not are Eclectic and use what is useful to them and discard what they don't need. This is my experience, your mileage may vary.

There was an honest question as well and you have artfully dodged my question to you by answering a question with a question.

Tell me your thoughts on Jesus please.

Why the deception? Why not just come out with it from the beginning?

I'm willing to answer questions when they're asked honestly, and where I feel I'm not being led on.

Twiddles thumbs...

Hums...

 

[Reverend Rick]

Twiddles thumbs...

Hums...

What? I layed my cards on the table and was asked to stay on topic. I have tried real hard to get back on topic. Either you will tell me or you won't. The more I pry, the more I approach the thin line of debating and discussing.

I seriously don't want to debate and I am genuinely interested in what you believe about Jesus. If your searching for intent, I am curious if Jesus name upsets folks and I am starting to believe it is a subject Pagan's avoid. Myself, I never had a problem talking about Jesus even when I was a Pagan.