What do you make of Jesus Christ?

Borneo Fnctn

Having read Polestar's thread, I started thinking about Jesus Christ. I don't believe he was the son of god. I don't believe any of the mad **** (the impossible stuff anyway) he was supposed to have done. I believe he existed. I don't even dispute the chain of events from the bible (the stuff that was actually possible anyway). The only thing I'm certain of is that there is no connection between Jesus and any "God".

But did Jesus believe it himself? I suppose we'll never know where he got his notions from. What do you think?

I just think that Jesus was a damn good politician.

Galvasean

I don't believe any of the supernatural stuff. I do however believe he was probably some sort of healer/medicine man and also a very charismatic leader.

EskimoErased

Plus he could make a damn fine table.

Gordon

I'm sure he was pretty cool, and knew how to do a couple of catchy magic tricks here and there.

Red Hand

One (compound) word: Superstar. Though Joseph and his technicolour dreamcoat had the better tunes, Jesus had the it factor.

I think he was a charismatic leader who was only one of several "messiahs" floating around at the time-the only difference being that he had one of best PR machines ever.

fitz0

I am doubtful about whether he even existed at all. The bible is such a mishmash of stories written after the fact that for all we know they could be a collection of fables about all the wannabee messiahs that were around back then.

But in reality I don't think it even matters if there was such a person as Jesus. As is the case with Laozi even if Jesus were a collection of figures, the fact that the teachings collected in the Bible makes him just as significant a figure real or otherwise.

JimiTime

jackpalance wrote: »

Having read Polestar's thread, I started thinking about Jesus Christ. I don't believe he was the son of god. I don't believe any of the mad **** (the impossible stuff anyway) he was supposed to have done. I believe he existed. I don't even dispute the chain of events from the bible (the stuff that was actually possible anyway). The only thing I'm certain of is that there is no connection between Jesus and any "God".

But did Jesus believe it himself? I suppose we'll never know where he got his notions from. What do you think?

I'd recommend reading C.S. Lewis': 'Mere Christianity', for a deeper exploration of your belief on who and what Jesus is.

phelixoflaherty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUrqaJZH-04

Overblood

Don't forget that he was a freak of nature ie. a white caucasian with flowing hazel hair born in the middle east. Wierd eh?

robindch

jackpalance wrote: »

I suppose we'll never know where he got his notions from. What do you think?

It's come up quite a few times in the past, but many christian notions come from contemporary Greek philosophy, mixed in with a few Egyptian bits and all of it resting upon a firm foundation in Jewish religious teachings. There are few original ideas anywhere, and of the little original stuff there is, most of it was developed not by Jesus, but by Paul who only "met" Jesus in a dream.

All the evidence suggests that there probably was an itinerant preacher named Jesus or something similar to that, but he was firmly jewish and viewed himself as such. Again, it was Paul who did most of the political work necessary to split Jesus' followers away from mainstream judaism and to create the separate and wildly varying pantheon of religions that go by the collective name of "christianity".

Red Hand

Overblood wrote: »

Don't forget that he was a freak of nature ie. a white caucasian with flowing hazel hair born in the middle east. Wierd eh?

There's plenty of them in Israel.;)

Zombrex

jackpalance wrote: »

But did Jesus believe it himself? I suppose we'll never know where he got his notions from. What do you think?

It is hard not to look at cult leaders today and imagine that Jesus was a lot like them. Maybe he truly believed what he was teaching, maybe he just wanted his followers to look after him (Jesus was supported by his wealthy female followers)

But we will probably never know. One should always remember though that it was his followers who wrote the history on Jesus. How seriously would any of us take a "David Koresh - What really happened" book written by the Branch Davidians?

Overblood

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

There's plenty of them in Israel.;)

Yeah what´s the story with that? Aren´t some Israelites decended from folks that saught refuge after WW2?

useful_contacts

jackpalance wrote: »

Having read Polestar's thread, I started thinking about Jesus Christ. I don't believe he was the son of god. I don't believe any of the mad **** (the impossible stuff anyway) he was supposed to have done. I believe he existed. I don't even dispute the chain of events from the bible (the stuff that was actually possible anyway). The only thing I'm certain of is that there is no connection between Jesus and any "God".

But did Jesus believe it himself? I suppose we'll never know where he got his notions from. What do you think?

Ive never been here before- been on boards a long time but never on this part of it

How do you explain RISING FROM THE DEAD?????

Look my partners an atheist and ive to listen to his "jesus didnt exist" crap all the time

Look if you dont believe in it FAIR ENOUGH but stop trying to bully others into it ok- you athiests and your "god doesnt exist" stuff pisses me off

Its your decision to believe- but let the rest of us decide our own path!!!

category

Look if you dont believe in it FAIR ENOUGH but stop trying to bully others into it ok- you athiests and your "god doesnt exist" stuff pisses me off

Er. It'd be fine to be all up in people's grills if this was over on the Christianity forum, but this is the Atheism & Agnosticism forum. Posting about the big JC here is hardly bullying others.

useful_contacts

category wrote: »

Er. It'd be fine to be all up in people's grills if this was over on the Christianity forum, but this is the Atheism & Agnosticism forum. Posting about the big JC here is hardly bullying others.

oh... ha sorry love im on the wrong forum ha ha

sorry i saw the "What do you make of Jesus Christ? " thread and had to add my bit- i didnt even LOOK at the forum

sorry all- my bad:D:D:D:D

* waits for throwing of tomatos *

Red Hand

useful_contacts wrote: »

Ive never been here before- been on boards a long time but never on this part of it

How do you explain RISING FROM THE DEAD?????

Lies, good PR, fantasy, misdiagnosis etc-take your pick.

Look my partners an atheist and ive to listen to his "jesus didnt exist" crap all the time

Take it out on him, not on us.:pac:

Look if you dont believe in it FAIR ENOUGH but stop trying to bully others into it ok- you athiests and your "god doesnt exist" stuff pisses me off

Its your decision to believe- but let the rest of us decide our own path!!!

Well, this is the atheism board? It's not like we're posting this in Afterhours, is it? Hmmmm?

Borneo Fnctn

useful_contacts wrote: »

oh... ha sorry love im on the wrong forum ha ha

sorry i saw the "What do you make of Jesus Christ? " thread and had to add my bit- i didnt even LOOK at the forum

sorry all- my bad:D:D:D:D

OK no harm done.

useful_contacts

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

Lies, good PR, fantasy, misdiagnosis etc-take your pick.

Take it out on him, not on us.:pac:

Well, this is the atheism board? It's not like we're posting this in Afterhours, is it? Hmmmm?

i love the fact you didnt bother reading the post i wrote after this :D:D

Overblood

useful_contacts wrote: »

How do you explain RISING FROM THE DEAD?????

You don´t, it´s not possible.

Overblood

Overblood wrote: »

Don't forget that he was a freak of nature ie. a white caucasian with flowing hazel hair born in the middle east. Wierd eh?

I forgot to mention blue eyes.

994

Overblood wrote: »

Don't forget that he was a freak of nature ie. a white caucasian with flowing hazel hair born in the middle east. Wierd eh?

That's because icons of Jesus are based on those of Zeus; except younger because the Bible says he was 33.

Rev Hellfire

useful_contacts wrote: »

Ive never been here before- been on boards a long time but never on this part of it

How do you explain RISING FROM THE DEAD?????

I suspect the answer to that is fairly easy, it didn't happen

useful_contacts wrote: »

Look my partners an atheist and ive to listen to his "jesus didnt exist" crap all the time

Look if you dont believe in it FAIR ENOUGH but stop trying to bully others into it ok- you athiests and your "god doesnt exist" stuff pisses me off

Its your decision to believe- but let the rest of us decide our own path!!!

But we're doing you a service, faith is worthless unless its challenged.

You see its a little known fact, I really shouldn't be telling you this but its just between you and me ok.
Wicknight is part of a clandestine god-squad, using the devils own weapons of science and reason he tests the faithful. Those whose faith he manages to buckle are reported for further mandatory Sunday school lessons !
Resulting in more souls saved, glory !

Peyton Manning

I make a nice salad, or sometimes if Im ambitious, a spicy JC curry. Thats what I make of Jesus Christ.

Beruthiel

-JammyDodger- wrote: »

I just think that Jesus was a damn good politician.

That, and his name is great for using as swear words.
Jaysus.
Chirst.
Jesus Christ.
Jesus fuking Christ.
Christ on a bicycle.
The list is endless.

DinoBot

Well I don't believe in the bible so why believe the bits that speak about Jesus ?

I don't think the bible was in any way from a god, so I would even doubt if Jesus the man was ever real to begin with.

DarkJager

useful_contacts wrote: »

How do you explain RISING FROM THE DEAD?????

You don't because it didn't and does not happen. Medical Science is a lot more established & knowledgeable about the human body than religion can ever claim to be, and this is just not physically possible. As a poster said, it might have been a misdiagnosis of death, or just stress induced hallucinations, but rising from the dead? Not possible.

Look my partners an atheist and ive to listen to his "jesus didnt exist" crap all the time

Why is it crap? Could it be that you are just scared that all those years of brainwashing in church might have been a load of lies? That maybe there is more truth in what non believers say than what can be recited but not proved from the bible?

Look if you dont believe in it FAIR ENOUGH but stop trying to bully others into it ok- you athiests and your "god doesnt exist" stuff pisses me off

Its your decision to believe- but let the rest of us decide our own path!!!

God doesn't exist. I'm sorry to break the little fantasy you have in your head of some guy in the sky being ruler of the world, but it isn't like that. This is reality. As for trying to bully others into atheism, thats a bit hard considering you have to make up your own mind first. But sure hasn't Christiantity been bullying people into its religions for years and years? Again, I think there is a fear in you that you don't want to admit you could be wrong.

I have sympathy for people blinded by religions. They are stuck in an alternate fantasy where some entity is guiding their life and when they die, they're going to this big kingdom in the clouds. In reality, you make your own choices in life and when you die its just a cold dark box in the ground you'll be sitting in - not some tea party in the sky. Its not a pretty picture, but its better than fooling yourself with such nonsense.

And yes I did see your response after the original post, but felt compelled to comment on the above as its one of the best examples of christian ignorance I've seen in a long time.

stevejazzx

DarkJager wrote: »

You don't because it didn't and does not happen. Medical Science is a lot more established & knowledgeable about the human body than religion can ever claim to be, and this is just not physically possible.

Hey, this this is Jesus we're tlking about; if he wanted to die and rasie himslef as a pineapple shaped version of his former self then I'm sure he could have organsied that, himself and his da were massively non-confirmist when it came it science...

DarkJager

stevejazzx wrote: »

Hey, this this is Jesus we're tlking about; if he wanted to die and rasie himslef as a pineapple shaped version of his former self then I'm sure he could have organsied that, himself and his da were massively non-confirmist when it came it science...

Yeah but you'd have to ignore everything that would happen the body like there being no supply of oxygen to the brain, no blood being pumped from the heart and of course decay of the flesh etc. If there's a reasonable scientifically valid explanation on how you come back to life after passing those stages I would really be interested in hearing it.

Caoimhín

A bit of a hippie.