Can someone help me with this sentence from a book I'm reading? (English isn't my first language) (writing, story)

[Hans12]

«If a focus for religious aspirations, a projection in myth form of spiritual experience, is all that the New Testament had represented in the Christian world, then the story of Jesus, the suffering son of God, however unhistorical, is as good as any other.» That's the sentence, can someone please help me interpret it?

Thanks

[PAhippo]

English is my 1st language and I find it a difficult sentence to understand, but I'll take a shot at it.


Paraphrasing: if the only things the New Testament meant to Christians is a goal to aim for, expressed in a mythical way,
the story of Jesus will do that.

As the sentence is taken out of context, I'm not really sure but it seems to mean that the story of Jesus' life, wether true or not, is an inspiration to Christians.

[Hans12]

Thanks. PAhippo.

[Hans12]

And can you tell me what is meant by the words aspirations and projection in this context? Thanks

[PAhippo]

aspirations: hopes, goals

projection: promotion or expression


There's a writing forum. You may get better answers there. As I said, it's rather a confusing sentence.

//www.city-data.com/forum/writing/

Originally Posted by Hans12

«If a focus for religious aspirations, a projection in myth form of spiritual experience, is all that the New Testament had represented in the Christian world, then the story of Jesus, the suffering son of God, however unhistorical, is as good as any other.» That's the sentence, can someone please help me interpret it?

Thanks

"The fact that Jesus's story itself is so prominent among Christians means the spirit felt by them is likelier to be true, even if the story itself is factually questionable (unhistoric)."