G'day libra_spirit,
Maybe the question isn't which one is true, maybe the question is why do we need to have these beliefs. What does it accomplish for humans to have beliefs like these.
I believe it fills a basic human void. I posted a full article the other day on this titled: "Rex's road to Armageddon?")
Also it is used by those in power to stay on top of the masses. Paraphrasing a poster called trevor who once was here: Christianity would have faded away without a trace, had it not been for the Roman Empire. They saw in the followers of the Nazarene the perfect formula for a political religion. Their adoption of Christianity as a state religion gave them power as head of state and religion. When Rome fell the religious leaders held onto power through the Church of the Holy Roman Empire, and hold power to this day.
Christianity has been ingrained in peoples minds as the true faith by greedy power hungry world leaders. Would a true religion really have used such a corrupt vehicle. Because the vehicle it used was corrupt Christianity became corrupted. It bears little resemblence to the original teachings of the Nazarene called Jesus.
The Christian faith acomplished one thing very well. It gave the Jews a way to shed thier guilt without having to continually slaughter animals for thier sins anymore.
I'd need to research the change in Jewish religious practise by the Roman conquest and rule over Palestine post 70AD to answer that.
It has never been clear to me why God would demand that his perfect Son be killed to attone for our sins. The Christian God is a God of human sacrifice, but at least it states that only one was needed for all time, putting an end to human and animal sacrifice, a definite evolutionary and social jump upwards toward freedom.
Compaired to what was done before this I see it as an improvement to the human condition.
Well an evolutionary social jump toward not being so in fear of a manlike God perhaps.
Maybe the evolution of Religion is not really for Gods purpose but is truly for ours.
Yes religion rarely has anything to do with 'God' in the absolute sense.
As God already knows all things and is all powerfull why would he need us to worship him at all? I do not believe that God needs any vengence at all, who could ever hurt him, he has nothing to fear. Only man has fear, so man needs these beliefs to conquer his fear and get to a place of love.
You are a wise man libra_spirit. It's old saying but true: "man made God in his own image"
unclebruce
===
G'day cellomould,
"This post is resurected at the special request of Shelby, YK, Rex and several others." was this a request in writing? did they all sign it? or did you anticipate such a request? [:-)]
No each of them asked me individually.. I'd like to hear biblemans comments too... (maybe :)
I especially liked the part about the epistles not containing written testimony. Is this really true?
Yes, it's true.
I thought I recall Peter... I really don't remember...something like 'we preach Christ resurrected'... I guess it must have been Paul!
That was Paul and I've been using that as evidence that Paul used Jesus to creat his new nazarite destroying religion. I don't have a bible here but he says in dismissing James, Jesus brother and heir to his Nazarite party, (early in Romans I think) "I am not interested in Jesus except as the risen Christ." In other words "I will use the martyred messiah Jesus as a foundation for moulding a myth that would channel support of the Jewish diaspora away from the Roman fighting Nazarites" (Saul's stated purpose had not changed, he just became more cunning and much more effective)
While James and the Nazarites were sending bags of white pebbles to the diaspora in exchange for cash (with a secret name to be divulged to no one .. as mentioned in Revelation) Paul was intent on stopping those bags of money reaching the anti-establishment forces in Palestine. (things you won't learn in Sunday school ;)
Hey, do you ever read the apocryphal books? Those are quite interesting...
Yes, they're good fun. I listed as many of them as I have on record once, inncluding the fragements of early letters etc.. the list was well beyond 66 'books' ;)
Actually they are proof against the bible's inspiration, since it demonstrates a process of weeding out the bullshit. What's left is horseshit. he he he
Spot on, but not just weeding out bullshit, weeding out things that didn't put authority in good light. My personal favorite is "Susan and the Elders" I'd love to see that story read out from the Hall platform. These books were once considered appropriate reading 'though not inspired' but nowerdays I guess they could have a man disfellowshipped.
Jude alludes to something outside the bible in his 'Jesus disputing with Satan over Moses' body' comment. There is no such account ANYwhere in the bible. What do you know about this? I would like to find where in the Apocrypha this might be.
Thanks, when I get back home I'll look it up and see if I can find anything.
cheers, unclebruce.
