THREE REASONS WHY MODERN CHRISTIANITY IS A MYTH

by Tiresias 17 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Tiresias

  Modern Christianity is based on the notion of a universal outreach to the nations, begun in the First Century. However, a closer examination of the scriptures suggests that biblical concepts have been misunderstood and misapplied. Here are three:

  1) The "world" into which Jesus was sent was Israel. The "world" is John's name for Israel. This would explain the seeming contradiction between Jesus’ statement that he was ‘sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ and John’s statement that Jesus was ‘sent to save the world’ rather than to 'condemn' it.

  2) The "nations" to which the Apostles were sent were Israelites among non-Israelites. This explains the Apostle Paul's synagogue circuit in the Acts of Apostles. Those Israelites were 'the uncircumcised' to which Paul confined his outreach. His mission was to announce something new (i.e. 'good news' that the Messiah had appeared) so that they could become beneficiaries of the Abrahamic covenant.

  3) The "Jew/Gentile" dichotomy is a misreading of Judean and nations. Judeans were those who practiced the customs of Judea; "Nations" and "Greeks" were Israelites living outside of Judea who largely practiced the customs of Hellenists.

  If the above assertions are correct then no current version of Christianity is true. All versions are but flawed attempts to replicate the worship and worldview of Judaism's closing chapter. This would explain why Hebrew terms and concepts characterize "Christian" religions--especially those more zealously steeped in the study of the scriptures.

  I welcome discussion of the above.

  Reference:

  Social-Science Commentary on the Letters of Paul. Malina, Bruce J. and Pilch, John J. (2006). Fortress Press
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  jgnat

  Attempting to rebuild an "authentic" Christianity is inherently flawed as well.
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  garyneal

  Interesting but what about the idea of Righteous Among the Nations as put forth by Jews?

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteous_Among_the_Nations

  An excerpt from the page reads as follows: "The term originates with the concept of "righteous gentiles", a term used in rabbinical Judaism to refer to non-Jews, as ger toshav and ger tzedek, who abide by the Seven Laws of Noah."
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  Tiresias

  Hello Jgnat,

  Well said!

  Attempting to re-create a "world" which passed away in the First Century [e.g., Jerusalem and its system becomes the modern world and its system] results false hope and unfounded fear.

  The authors, whose research I cite, state: "Modern Christianity in all its forms has little to do with its ancestral expressions in the Jesus groups of Paul's day" (Malina and Pilch, p.3).

  Thank you for responding.

  T
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  jgnat

  Instead of attempting to claim authenticity by looking to the past, perhaps Christianity is better served by embracing it's evolution.
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  Tiresias

  Hello Garyneal,

  A very thoughtful question. Basically, I believe that First Century Christianity completed Judaism. I don't simply mean that Judaism was the soil out of which Christianity grew. I mean Christianity was the capstone of Judaism, its "crown," so to speak. A modern analogy may illustrate my point: When we speak about union-management relations, we are usually referring to two entities within a specific company. Similarly, Judaism/Christianity were dual entities within the same religion. Both passed away in the First Century.

  Consequently, I consider modern Judaism and Christianity to be mythical constructs, echoes of an obsolete religion.

  Thank you.

  T
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  jgnat

  Our entire history is a mythical construct. Myths are handy.
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  Tiresias

  Hello Jgnat,

  "Instead of attempting to claim authenticity by looking to the past, perhaps Christianity is better served by embracing it's evolution."

  Symphony in print! Thank you!

  I think you and I will agree that any claim to "authentic" Christianity is an attempt to control a set of ancient documents. That control results in "orthodoxy" [i.e. the correct way to think] and "ideology" [i.e. a system of ideas and ideals which tell us how to behave]. I continue to read the Bible, not as a blueprint for modern worship, but as a treasure trove of ancient wisdom. I see the Bible as an anthology of Israelite literature, as I have stated elsewhere.

  My anxiety is aroused when I see biblical interpretations congeal into systems of power and control. As the playwright Vaclav Havel put it, people then 'serve systems rather than vice versa.' As Maria Montessori stated, our purpose in life is to create paradise for one another. Any evolution which creates an environment wherein we can cultivate our gifts, express our better humanity, and be seen, not as a means to an end, but as the goal itself, has my vote.

  Bye for now!

  T
• 

  Terry

  We are all--yes ALL of us, saturated in things we firmly believe to be factual which are not factual.

  We've been told by people who seem to know----and don't know.

  Protestantism is 41,000 (denominations) OPINIONS and little else.

  The alternative is the infamous Catholic Church.

  _________________________

  Here is a page you might enjoy spending a half hour scrutinizing.

  TEST YOURSELF.

  Convince yourself how easily you've been led to believe and tell others about things which are SIMPLY NOT TRUE.

  http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/common-mythconceptions-worlds-most-contagious-falsehoods/
• 

  Crazyguy

  If point number 3 can be proved you would be on to something but we also have to remember the Romans promoted this as the state religion so scriptures most likely changed for this benefit.