To be intellectually honest and fair, here is a well done debate between Ehrman and William Lane Craig. It's not about the Gnostics, but it is about the historicity of Jesus' resurrection. It's 12 videos long, so I'll just post the first 2. Both sides make great points:
Christ Alone
JoinedPosts by Christ Alone
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Why did the Early Church Accept the Four NT Gospels and Reject the Gnostic Gospels?
by Christ Alone inthis has been a subject that has been explored by many secular scholars today.
bart ehrman is one of them.
the divinci code had this to say about why the gospels were chosen:.
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Why did the Early Church Accept the Four NT Gospels and Reject the Gnostic Gospels?
by Christ Alone inthis has been a subject that has been explored by many secular scholars today.
bart ehrman is one of them.
the divinci code had this to say about why the gospels were chosen:.
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Christ Alone
Look up Jewish beliefs in the Messiah and compare to Paul's version
Yeah...they were wrong. They were expecting a political leader to save them from the Romans. They are STILL looking for a political leader. And we have a record of the Jews that left the church in the NT, and why they left.
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Why did the Early Church Accept the Four NT Gospels and Reject the Gnostic Gospels?
by Christ Alone inthis has been a subject that has been explored by many secular scholars today.
bart ehrman is one of them.
the divinci code had this to say about why the gospels were chosen:.
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Christ Alone
He is an authority. And a great teacher. And...wrong.
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Christ Alone
Awesome points, everyone. I especially have enjoyed your JW perspective, NC. Well done! I have to say that you have argued better than most JWs would've been able to do...
...but of course....the Christians won!
kidding...sorta
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Christ Alone
The WT writer must have just finished reading one of tempelijah's, Larsinger's, or Shelby's posts...
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Christ Alone
The most important ritual for a Christian is to receive God through the Eucharist. For Catholics/Orthodox, that is the primary purpose of going to
Mass/Divine Liturgy.
Very true. Communion is the most important to me. It's great to listen to a good sermon, or even listen to a great prayer. But communion is something that you share personally between you and God.
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Jehovah's Witnesses View of Jesus Compared to the Early Church
by cofty inthe following is an extract from something i wrote 16 years ago soon after leaving the watchtower.
i am posting it because it may help honest jws consider how far their beliefs are at odds with new testament christians.
if they have "the truth" then their attitude to jesus ought to reflect that of the apostles.
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Christ Alone
tornapart, most subjects have been done to death here. But it's always cool to get different perspectives from posters that did not post on previous threads.
Anyone that likes designing graphs: It would be a cool project to see the amount of threads on particular subjects in relation to others. What topic is spoken of most? 1975? New Light? Child Abuse? Politics? Christ Alone's awesomeness?
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Jehovah's Witnesses View of Jesus Compared to the Early Church
by cofty inthe following is an extract from something i wrote 16 years ago soon after leaving the watchtower.
i am posting it because it may help honest jws consider how far their beliefs are at odds with new testament christians.
if they have "the truth" then their attitude to jesus ought to reflect that of the apostles.
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Christ Alone
I think this is basic orthodox Christianity, myelaine. I'm not aware of anyone that believes that Jesus was a man prior to his incarnation. But did Jesus exist as God before man was created? Yes! Jesus existed "in the beginning". John 1:1. This would be before everything else, including man.
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Stones preparing to CRY OUT?
by irondork intracking the rolling stones of racetrack playaby: shannon dybvigit's the time of year when the sailing stones of racetrack playa in california's death valley are on the move.
no one has actually seen these huge rocks move along the flat, dry lake bed.
sometime, when no one's looking, usually after freezing weather or heavy wind or rain, the rocks up and scoot themselves leaving unmistakable travel grooves in their wake.
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Christ Alone
Whoa...I'd never heard of that! Awesome!
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Christ Alone
The thought of Jesus elevating any symbol in his life the way the cross has been elevated goes against all I read about Jesus and even the Ancient Jews.
NC, read what Jesus Himself said about the cross in the scriptures that Kepler sited above.
The Cross CAN be an idol. And it can also merely be a symbol of what we stand for in Christianity. ANYTHING can be an idol, the cross included.
Well, understanding the risk of it becoming an idol, as is human nature, it was taken away.
More than the risk, it DID become an idol. 2Kings 18:4 says that the Israelites were burning insense to the copper serpent, and it was eventually destroyed. So yes, something that was important DID become an idol to Israel.
And again, none of this addresses exactly what is being symbolized.
Paul spoke of this. I keep siting 1Cor 1:17: "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." Paul did not use words of human wisdom why? Lest the CROSS of Christ be emptied of IT'S power.
We could argue that other objects could have been considered symbols of Christianity. But the fact is that those other items were not. It was the cross that was important to people. It was the object that Jesus said they all must bear.
As was already brought out, Paul wouldn't boast except in the cross of Jesus Christ (Gal 6:14)
Col 2:14 says: "...having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."
Eph 2:16 says: "...that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity."
Gal 5:11 says: "...if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? The the offense of the cross has ceased."
Gal 6:12: "As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ."
Phil 3:1: "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame -- who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven...."
The cross was important to early Christians, and to Christians today.
What the cross symbolizes is our transgressions being nailed to it. The message of the cross is not merely Jesus body. But our dying as to sin and being raised to new life afterward.