Maybe it’s just a human trait.
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Is The Story Of Jesus Really About A Man 2000 Years Ago?
- Thread starter Jimmy
- Start date
Maybe it’s just a human trait.
Sgt. Pepper
All you need is love.
Until you dismiss them because they're not Christian.
It's not as if you or I forgot everything we learned as Christians when we disavowed our beliefs about Jesus, God, and the Bible.
Tomef
Well-Known Member
Well, it’s a powerful narrative. The figure of Jesus encapsulates a lot of what people thought was important at the time, and still do, in a way that is both down to earth and gnostic enough to cover all tastes. The bible covers a lot of the major themes people have an interest in across disciplines, but puts it all in a direct and appealing way. A good narrative, with good guys, bad guys and a deep reaffirmation of belief in community and the notion that everything will turn out for the best. And a whole lot more besides.
It’s not just about one man, though, it’s the culmination of centuries of rabbinical teachings, elements of Greek philosophy and the various re-workings of later Christian writers. A lot of contributions from different thinkers and writers are squeezed in there.
I'm not a Christian. Jesus is just a dead person to me.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
It sounds like you think there might be something deeper in the shadows.
Tomef
Well-Known Member
Well, yes. It’s a deep book. If you like that kind of thing, the section on Abraham / Ulysses in Auerbach’s mimesis is really worth reading.
That’s not to say there’s some sort of god floating about. The bible is a glimpse into the preoccupations of centuries of thinking humans, and how they expressed and lived out their ideas. Other religious books have that kind of depth too, like the Bhagavad Gita (although I only ever listened to that as an audiobook).