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Ta old mate, but it's more than that. Not just 'people write stuff. people believe them and they make money'. We know about that. It's how do we decide whether what they write is true or not?
Faith? Faith is, as you rather touche on here, Not a good reason to decide anything.
Jesus is almost as popular as the Beatles were in the 1960s, and that is saying something. Jesus is loved all over the world.
But why? Is it because his teachings are amazing and will transform your life? Is it because of his great wisdom and profound thoughts? Did he bring new insights to humanity?
I don't think that is why.
I appreciate Jesus and I value the ideas he expressed. I don't consider myself a Christian, but I definitely sympathize with the basic ideas -- the importance of faith in God, the need for salvation, etc.
However, I have always been interested in comparative religion, and I don't think what Jesus taught was really special or unique. I think there have been many Jesuses in all times and places. I think he was a sort of shaman or prophet, a mystic who was able to communicate with the Father God.
I guess Jesus had maybe thousands of followers among the Jews. He never tried to teach any non-Jews, did not travel to other countries. He would have been forgotten a while after he died.
However, the pharisee Saul had a vision that convinced him Jesus was something special. Saul became Paul, the founder of the Christian church. He traveled to Greece (and I forget where else) and made converts.
The Christians were hated and persecuted by the Romans, but then one Roman emperor decided the Christian God would help him win wars, so the Roman Empire became Christian. The Romans conquered Europe, and forced everyone to be Christian.
Rome fell, Europe rose. There were many European colonies, including the ones in America. Native people were converted to Christianity.
The USA became a great world power. The USA is, and always was, predominately Christian.
The greatest world power is Christian -- Christianity must be a powerful religion.
So that's how a local shaman/prophet became almost as famous as the Beatles in the 1960s.
I am NOT trying to minimize Christianity and all it stands for. But the things Jesus said were probably said by many others. And maybe they were said better by others.
Jesus didn't want to be crucified, didn't know ahead of time that was his fate, was not intending to be the world's blood sacrifice.
Jesus didn't come back to life after 3 days. At least we have no reliable reason for thinking that he did.
Jesus wasn't the biological son of the Jewish God. He called God his Father, because that's what everyone called the Jewish God, and we still do.
It's rather how Jefferson thought of himself as 'Christian'. He didn't believe that Jesus was son of God, divine or able to work miracles. But he did think that the Gospels were the best rule of law for life that there was.
Of course, he'd probably never read a word of the Tripitaka. But even then he'd probably opt for the teachings of Jesus as they are, when you come to think of it, surprisingly apt to be worldly commands for living. He could have just said - "Never mind about you fellow man, your job, your car and you wife. They all suck, except your wife. You just give it all the the poor and follow me." But a lot of it can be put into worldly practice, like as if this world mattered.
I’ll bet that there’s a lot of married men that can relate to that...lol...
Jesus is so popular because most of the ancient world always worshipped and celebrated Tammuz.......Modern Christianity keeps all the pagan ways of Tammuz, and so the Pagans never had to convert to the ways of Messiah, they just kept keeping the same ways of Tammuz and all they did was change the name.
Not just Tammuz. Jesus, and Christianity, is related to other gods and religions also. Christianity was not unique, was not something new.
Christians seem to think Jesus brought new ideas to the world. But that's only because so many of them only learn about Christianity.
If you actually read the texts (the Gospels) you should see that he was a decent and helpful man. Even if you don't consider him God or the savior, it seems hard to argue with his ideals, and how he treated people.
I like that he went after and exposed the corrupt persons in power, and the finger-pointing power-mongers in the synagogues. At the other extreme, he showed special attention and love for those often considered the "underbelly" of society (leapers, the poor, the blind, etc.) He had the healthy approach of uplifting the "low", and bringing down the high-minded. He sought to bring love, peace, and balance.
If you leave out all the junk and judgement of the world, and focus closely on his life and mission, a great person and great example emerges. One deciding to take him further - spiritually - might find additional benefits.
Depends on the gospel you read.
Keep the Jewish law; turn the other cheek; eternal damnation for none Jesus believers; ignore the family if they do not believe.
Not just Tammuz. Jesus, and Christianity, is related to other gods and religions also. Christianity was not unique, was not something new.
Christians seem to think Jesus brought new ideas to the world. But that's only because so many of them only learn about Christianity.
Now I'm going to have think about that. Did Christianity actually bring anything new? I mean, Sons of Gods from the Greeks, Resurrection from the Pharisees, giving away your video games and following the Master, was Buddhist 500 years before. Satan was Zoroastrian, Being able to see the entire Mercator map from one mountain was just Babylonian, and heaven knows how much was borrowed from Mithras and Isis, as nothing of their writings seems to have survived.
Ta old mate, but it's more than that. Not just 'people write stuff. people believe them and they make money'. We know about that. It's how do we decide whether what they write is true or not?
Faith? Faith is, as you rather touche on here, Not a good reason to decide anything.
1. The calling of God. He is the reason I have faith, and I believe in him.
2. I believe the Bible, based on historical, archaeological, and literary, reasons. It's proven to be inspired.
1. The calling of God. He is the reason I have faith, and I believe in him.
2. I believe the Bible, based on historical, archaeological, and literary, reasons. It's proven to be inspired.
not surprisingly I think it's the other way around, and really if your claims of evidence stood up, you'd use those rather than plonking assertions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allamshield
In accordance to religious scripture Yashua (Jesus) is popular because of his teachings and works. He was not considered to be an ordinary man because he proved himself as a follower of God (Elohim) and and he became the Messiah for people not just Israel. Basically our buffer or representative before God. Essentially chain of command he is our middle man to God. He also was different from other individuals because in accordance to Biblical scripture through the Holy Spirit he was able to raise the dead, himself and others. I do not recall of any other person being able to do so. He also had the Holy Spirit power of healing. He had ultimate faith in God and like all men was given the free will to decide on his path to follow either his own selfish vice or the will of the Creator. He chose the latter which exalted him to his present status.
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Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 10-17-2018 at 11:58 AM..
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