clarification for christian readers II
When I mention that Jesus said ‘something’ in the Bible, I really mean:
At least one generation after he allegedly existed, someone wrote down that the character Jesus was reported to have said ‘something’.
Just to clarify, I’m not sure that Jesus existed, I have doubts that if he did exist his words could have been accurately recalled (in terms of explicit language and the breadth of any teachings he may have given) and I’m certain that if he did exist, he wasn’t the son of a god called God, or at the same time as being the son of a god called God, existed as one being with a god called God.
When I take time to reference the words attributed to the character Jesus, it is not because I think the words are divinely inspired, but because there is something in the words that I expect Christians should take into account when forming opinions (as they do believe the words to be divinely inspired).
I hold no feelings of malice towards the character Jesus as described in the New Testament. He is reported to have been a kind and caring individual with a message of equality and love that he wished to share with everyone. However, I must confess to feeling slightly put off by reports that he violently rampaged against tradespeople he didn’t agree with, and I’m also rather disgusted at the thought of someone killing a tree because they were irritated with it.
Apart from that, anyone who is reported to have promoted the Golden Rule in times of strife, probably deserves some respect.
Erratta gone wild?
LikeLike
Is that a code I’m not familiar with?
LikeLike
No, but it’s what came to mind when I saw the ‘II’ at the end…
LikeLike
I don’t know much Latin but I do enjoy Roman numerals, and it’s the second clarification I’ve felt the need to issue. 🙂
LikeLike
Not sure… the character in question seems a bit like an ego-maniac to me. Total narcissist.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Difficult to avoid if you’re perfect (apart from the occasional petulant outburst). By the way HeWho has issued a criticism of your research link and questioned your intellect on ‘how safe are our children?’ four posts back. Clare and I have given up on his dull, repetitive and directionless ranting, so he’s pretending he’s won. Jump in if you’re bored and like the discursive company of a patronising moron. 🙂
LikeLike
And those reporting felt able to edit. So, Mark reports that Jesus said do not divorce, and Matthew who used Mark as a source edited it to do not divorce, except for adultery.
As for narcissism, he said “before Abraham was, I Am” which is taken as a claim to be God, yet his favourite expression for himself was “son of man” meaning “male human being”.
Reportedly.
LikeLike
Interesting. So are all the bits where he makes it clear he isn’t the god God ignored for that one before Abraham reference? He could just have easily been a magically long-lived pixie type in that case.
LikeLike
How deep do you want to go? Synoptic gospel claims: http://www.tektonics.org/jesusclaims/miscclaims.php
Gospel of John claims: http://www.bugman123.com/Bible/JesusIsGod.html
“Son of Man”: http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=%22Son%20of%20man%22&version1=NIVUK&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no&startnumber=126
LikeLike
I’d forgotten about some of those bits, so it’s interesting to refresh the reasons why the doctrine of the Trinity could possibly have come about. To be honest, it’s all a bit contradictory …
LikeLike
Just so we’re clear, where do you stand on a god named God? 😉
LikeLike
Nice chap. Bit murderous, jealous and misogynistic for my tastes though. Definitely exists, because lots of people have a funny feeling about him and actual conversations with him. You can’t ignore evidence like that.
LikeLike
Indeed, only a fool would. Now do excuse me, i feel the urge to hunt unicorns.
LikeLike
I think this is very clear
LikeLike
Thank you! It’s important to clarify this because Christians take ‘Jesus said something’ to mean he existed, he said exactly that, and what he is reported to have said is important. The next annoying person that asks me why I’m quoting Jesus if I don’t believe anything in the Bible is the word of the god God, will be directed here. (not that it comes up that often actually …)
LikeLike
I will refer them here too.
LikeLike
The Spoken Word of Jesus? lol…right!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I should really watch that film. I enjoyed that interview you posted a while back with Cleese and Palin and the Bishop, but then I saw a clip of the weird annoying Monty Python animation stuff, and more recently you posted some other religious Python sketch that didn’t make me even smirk. Put me off. I think we’re comically, as well as muscially, incompatible. It’s just as well we never have to meet in the real life, could be awkard. And by the way, since HeWho mentioned the liquor, I can’t stop imagining that you’re drunk all the time 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Drunk on life…;)
LikeLike
Pingback: clarification for christian readers III | violetwisp