Posted on 10/12/2004 2:54:10 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
A movie whose purpose is to prove that Jesus Christ never existed and that demonizes Christian fundamentalists is scheduled to open on June 6, 2006 – that is, 06-06-06, the "666" biblical mark of the Beast.
Directed by Brian Flemming, who is described on the film's website as a "former fundamentalist Christian," "The Beast" promises to spread the theory he claims is "gaining credibility among scholars" – that Jesus was made up out of thin air.
"The authors of the Gospels, writing 40 to 90 years after the supposed life of Christ, never intended for their works to be read as biographies. There are no credible non-Christian references to Christ during the period in which he is said to have lived," states the film's site.
Currently in pre-production, the film's cast and crew are "legally sworn to secrecy," the promotional site says.
Here's how the film's promoters describe its plot:
When her father, a biblical scholar, mysteriously disappears, a Christian high-school student named Danielle investigates. She discovers that he had stumbled across a cover-up of Christianity's best-kept secret: that Jesus Christ never existed.Now that she possesses proof of this dangerous fact, Danielle must confront two strong forces: a band of fundamentalist Christians who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth, and her own desire for Jesus Christ to be real.
Diving into factual territory well-explored by scholars but largely hidden from the view of the public, "The Beast" is an epic story of innocence lost, faith in crisis and the astonishing power of the truth to survive.
On the trailer, which is viewable on the film's site, ominous music plays while these words flash across the screen: "Centuries ago, a legend was invented… forgery … fraud … coercion … wealth … greed … torture … murder … war … gave it the power to dominate the world." The words are displayed on a background of a painting of Christ's face.
The producers offer a newsletter for those interested in following the making of the movie.
Fleming is touted on the film's website as "internationally acclaimed."
States the site: "Flemming's work has been called 'a parallel universe' by the BBC, 'jaggedly imaginative' by the New York Times, and 'immensely satisfying' by USA Today. The Fox News Channel dubbed him 'a young Oliver Stone.' Flemming won the New York Times Claiborne Pell Award for Original Vision for his groundbreaking feature film 'Nothing So Strange,' which was released theatrically in 2003 and is currently distributed on DVD in more than 200 countries."
Supporters of the film have participated in a discussion forum on the site.
Says one excited poster: "I must say, I highly commend this director for his immense courage on putting something like this out!! The fact that he has the courage to put out a movie about the possibility of Christ never existing after all the controversy surrounding a movie about the LIFE of Christ (well death really) is just amazing!!
"Mad Kudos (and thanks) to EVERYONE involved in the making of this movie and good luck in handling all the 'adverse' reactions!!"
Another participant enthused, "I'm so excited! I can't wait until it's released! This is DEFINITELY the age of Aquarius!!"
Greg Koukl is head of Stand to Reason, a Christian apologetics organization. He says this kind of story line is not unusual among books and movies.
"It always turns out that fundamentalist Christians are the bad guys," he told WorldNetDaily.
"The problem with this is the evidence they draw from is always out on the fringes of academic scholarship" – evidence, he says, that is not even used by the leaders of the leftist Jesus Seminar.
Koukl noted historians that have no affinity for fundamentalist Christianity certainly write about Jesus and his impact on history.
"Nobody is trying to explain the indelible mark of Jesus of Nazareth on history by saying he never existed," he said. "That's way beyond the pale. No credible historian would make that claim. … It's a bizarre statement from an academic perspective."
Koukl wonders what motive anyone would have to invent Jesus and then "fool everybody."
He dismisses "The Beast" promoters' argument that because no non-Christian accounts of Jesus exist from the time of his life, he must be a fictional character.
"It may be the case that only Caesar wrote about the Gaelic wars," he explained, "but just because there are no other writing about the Gaelic wars doesn't mean we can't trust Caesar," mentioning the four Gospels are themselves four separate accounts of Christ's life.
He mentioned there are a "number of historical references to Christ outside Christianity, which buttress the fact he did exist."
Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of MovieGuide and chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission, predicts "The Beast" will bomb with American moviegoers.
"Generally, these movies do very poorly at the box office," he told WND. "'Saved!' which had a lot of publicity, did about $6 million at the box office. … That's pitiful."
Baehr said bringing the film's contentions into the light of day in the media works well to expose the agenda of its promoters.
"The way you pull the teeth of a false argument is bring up the argument first and show that it's frivolous and fallacious," he said. "Of course it's frivolous. The original apostles wouldn't have gone to their death for Jesus if they didn't believe he was real."
Baehr said, "There is a small group of teenagers who will see ['The Beast'] who will be convinced it is the truth. … It will have an impact on a susceptible few."
One of the film's producers, Amanda Jackson, was contacted for this story but did not respond by press time.
The Jewish Historian Josephus was a non christian source.
Like these?
Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano
The Tilma of Guadalupe
Incorrupt bodies of the saints
Fatima
Shroud of Turin
Sudarium of Oviedo
In 1977 Ruth Carter, Jimmy Carter's sister, helped Larry Flynt convert to Christianity. At the moment of conversion, Flynt said that he saw (paraphrasing) "the heavens open, cherubs, the usual thing." Usual? Not for any Christian that I know.
He continued (again paraphrasing), "But my psychologist helped me to see that this was just a figment of my imagination. Just wishful thinking."
In other words, it's possible to even deny one's own sensory experience, especially if one wants to. The power of rationalization can't be overestimated.
Most importantly, we are not in a position to tell God what He should reveal to us, since His Wisdom is so far above ours.
God may use them to attract some of his elect, who knows? It may just be the springboard that gets them into thinking for the first time about this "Jesus" business.
Or are you one of those who believes than puny man is able to thwart what the Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the Universe is doing?
"God is dead"- Voltaire
"Voltaire is Dead"- God
Exactly.
My point is that some choose to believe that the Gospels were written many years (75-200) after the Crucifixion. The best scholarship points to much earlier dates (35-65 AD).
IF the Gospels or epistles were written at such a late date, it would have been impossible to ignore the destruction of Jerusalem.
"My point is that some choose to believe that the Gospels were written many years (75-200) after the Crucifixion. The best scholarship points to much earlier dates (35-65 AD).
IF the Gospels or epistles were written at such a late date, it would have been impossible to ignore the destruction of Jerusalem."
Could it be that there is a reason why tooooo many Christians have not been taught that Christ is the TEMPLE and are led astray believing that a building must be constructed?
Remember Christ's first warning about the sign of His return was deception. Now if most Christians are taught there has to be another temple built and that is not written then are they not following another Christ????
Are you aware that your eschatological viewpoint (one of the various flavors of "Dispensationalism") is a doctrine that is barely 160 years old?
The Application of the Scriptures: A Biblical Refutation of Dispensationalism
You've got that right, brother! :o)
I don't think I could stand to see all that crying and all those shamed faces as they cringe before the ever-lasting, blinding, domineering, Omnipotency of the Lord Jesus Christ.
HE's gonna be big, cuz, they are so small......
The argument against Josephus is that there are no copies of his work that actually date from the pre-Christian period. All of them are copies of copies of copies, most likely done in monasteries by scribes not above slipping in a little extra something. I'm not really a scholar of these things, but apparently the evidence is that the passage in question has certain characteristics that point to it being written by a different author than the rest of the book.
If you're interested, here's a website dedicated to the argument over the reliability of Josephus:
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/josephus.html
That snippet in Josephus' writings has been debated for many years--with both sides presenting good arguments.
I wouldn't base my faith on it.
How about Matthew 24 first & second verses?
Jesus prophesizes about future events. This chapter is the most confusing to me, I believing owing to lack of time reference for each specific event.
Well, yeah. But I'm not talking about as prophesy.
The destruction of Jerusalem and Herod's Temple as an historical event is not broached, thereby lending much credence to the view that the Gospels were written before 70 AD.
Who intervened with Paul...what persuaded him to do a 180 degree turnaround? What persuaded him to trade in his comfortable life for one that would lead to scourging, stoning, shipwreck, imprisonment and ultimately beheading?
I have no problem with that. I do believe in Divine Intervention.
My comment on Paul was to illustrate that at the time The Christ was performing His ministry there was no reason for it to be included in the official annuls – hence, there would be no reason for Him to be mentioned by the contemporary historical sources.
I checked out the site you noted and question its veracity, after all remember what Daniel was told
Daniel 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, "O MY Lord, what shall be the end of these things?'
9 And he said, 'Go thy way Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
That word "sealed" is an interesting study in and of its self.
Yes.
lol
Easy. The U.S. Postal Service put it on a whole series of stamps. Would the USPS lie to us?
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