Posted on 08/31/2014 8:18:05 PM PDT by Mean Daddy
Most antiquities scholars think that the New Testament gospels are “mythologized history.” In other words, they think that around the start of the first century a controversial Jewish rabbi named Yeshua ben Yosef gathered a following and his life and teachings provided the seed that grew into Christianity.
At the same time, these scholars acknowledge that many Bible stories like the virgin birth, miracles, resurrection, and women at the tomb borrow and rework mythic themes that were common in the Ancient Near East, much the way that screenwriters base new movies on old familiar tropes or plot elements. In this view, a “historical Jesus” became mythologized.
(Excerpt) Read more at jobrny.com ...
He is a lot smarter than most. Degree in Quantum Physics and such. You also might enjoy this site http://www.veritas.org/talks/ The truth, the way and the light, is definitely out there and he's coming back!
Cant believe anyone takes Bart Erhman seriously, hes a second rate Richard Dawkins on his best day if hes even that good, hes been spewing the same evil for a number years now,
Speaking of Dawkins, I saw a program a year or so back with him and a panel of mostly atheists, and he came off looking worse than usual when he began denying that Jesus was an actual historical figure, even the other panelists called him out on this fallacy and he quickly backed away from it, but the more interesting response came later on when he became outright disturbed and almost shaking and with spittle coming out of his mouth as he fumed about the need for God to redeem fallen man by offering himself as a sacrifice,
It’s a demonic hatred of the truth
Why is only Jesus ever singled out for this extreme lack of scholarly insight by ignoring even a rudimentary review of available records? Because they don’t really have any say in the matter, it is the influence of an evil spirit at work over them, the spirit of Antichrist,
“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 1 John 4:3
rework mythic themes that were common in the Ancient Near East, much the way that screenwriters base new movies on old familiar tropes
So Jesus is reduced to “an old familiar trope”?
Well, you don’t see them trying that with Mohammed,
they know better, and want to live.
Jesus was indeed an historical figure and history proves it. History declares that without a doubt, Christianity or “the way” as it was earlier called after the death of this “supposed” Jesus started in Jerusalem. Now clearly there were two immediate antagonists to early Christianity that could have put out the flames to this faith if no such person named Jesus had ever existed and that were many of the Jewish leaders of the Sanhedrin and the Romans. It was in Jerusalem that the “imaginary” Jesus taught, performed miracles and most importantly died right outside the walls on a known hill that everyone knew about, in facted Jesus died on a Friday on the Passover, the most holiest day and died around 3:00pm. If the man never existed and never carried the cross and nevered died between 2 criminals then it would have easy for the leading authorities to have nipped this in the bud with talk of him being resurrected. I understand that urban legends can grow in spite of overwhelming evidence but the average Jewish person of that day thought the coming Messiah was going to restore Israel by overthrowing the Roman Empire, so its odd that thousands upon thousands of these Jews would put their faith in a Messiah that offered spirtual restoration unless they saw, witnessed and experienced something about a man and his disciples.
Name the names of your scholarly authors. IT’s just the opposite. The Bible, Historically speaking, is more authenticated thru research than debunked.
Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.
Our entire belief in these three men rests on VERY LITTLE WRITTEN EVIDENCE. In fact, IIRC, and I may not have the order right, the first taught the second, the second was a student of the third, and we have no evidence in writing at all for the existence of the first master teacher, other than mentions by his former students.
There are (how many?) manuscripts attesting to the existence of these men. What? About 8? Again, IIRC.
But of Christ, we have > 5,200+ manuscripts. AND people died, knowing they’d be arrested under Roman law for promulgating what He’d taught them.
Don’t tell me Christ wasn’t here in the flesh.
Actually, there is some recent work on the historicity of Muhammed.
http://www.amazon.com/Did-Muhammad-Exist-Inquiry-Obscure/dp/161017061X
Scant evidence of the historical Jesus, but overwhelming and indisputable evidence of man-made “climate change”. Let us trust in the superior intellect and wisdom of our “scholars”.
Muslims have been doing that en masse for around 1,400 years.
There’s nothing new under the sun.
Their opinion means nothing.
Perhaps these “scholars” should employ a bit of detective and scientific method work - else, they may just as well come up with a thesis that the Atlantic Ocean is just a fabrication that doesn’t exist.
....and dying til this very day because of Him. The power that has gripped people for 2,000 years.
Exactly—the article doesn’t doubt his historical existence, it only says that scholars note how many Biblical plot points were elements in earlier myths.
Did you read the article—or just its erroneous headline?
...just more pseudo-intellectual dribble.
Actually, our Lord Jesus doesn't want anything from us. You can keep your money, you don't have to go out and spread the word, you don't really have to do anything.
The only thing the our Lord Jesus would like is for us to sincerely acknowledge that we are sinful and we need His help to fix our lives. That's it. That's all He wants. One can do this in the quietness of their bedroom and they don't even have to tell anyone about it. And, if we sincerely acknowledge our sinfulness and our need for His help; He will help us and our lives will never be the same.
But it is so hard for people to do.
There is a new trend of people having profound spiritual experiences that are life transforming. The frequency of these events is on the increase. Many of these people see Jesus and experience His Love during the experience. Their comments are usually along the line of "I have no doubt that Jesus is my savior." I've even had Jews share this experience with me in confidence, explaining that they have been devout Jews, attending services, children are in the Jewish school,.... They can't share their experience with anyone as they will be alienated from their own families. Times are changing as we are now in the springtime of soul growth. The Holy Spirit is working....
I was aware that the Josephis passage has so debate. It is amazing that the one passage gets the focus of speculation. Common sourcing is the latest “theory.”
This is just a question for my own edification. If I come to FR and go directly to "latest comments" to see what people are discussing at the moment, and I wish to join in on an interesting discussion I see going on, you are saying that I must stop to consider what forum the thread I wish to comment on is in before I comment?
I must say that in all my years on FR, and I am no newbie, I have never once even considered or stopped to notice what "forum" a thread was in before considering my comment. What difference should it make? A discussion is a discussion, or is it not? This would be news to me. Thanks.
“A growing number of scholars don’t think so . . . “
Oops.
“A growing number of scholars don’t think . . . “
There.
Fixed it.
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