Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Wolfie · 12-21-2006, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Frank Yerby was one of the most popular and successful African-American novelist of the 20th century.

He wrote more than 30 novels, most of which are historical romances. His novels made him rich but brought him little critical acclaim; rather, his works sold in the millions while being dismissed by most critics as melodramatic potboilers aimed solely at the cash register. He was also consistently attacked for betraying his race by not continuing to write the social protest fiction.

...

Yerby's work ranges widely in history. His first novel, The Foxes of Harrow, which is set in Louisiana, was a gigantic success, and it has been followed by a number of antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction novels, including The Vixens, Floodtide, A Woman Called Fancy, Benton's Row, Griffin's Way, and A Darkness at Ingraham's Crest. As a result, Yerby was associated with the romance of the old South, but it is hardly a `moonlight and magnolias' South, though all of the trappings of the Old South are present--white-columned mansions on huge plantations, extensive description of food, manners, etc. Instead, it is a world of greedy entrepreneurs, racists, and blind chauvinists, where wealth and position are more important than humanity. When not writing about his native South, Yerby moved back in time from the French and American Revolutions (The Devil's Laughter and Bride of Liberty), through the 17th century (The Golden Hawk), the Middle Ages (An Odor of Sanctity and The Saracen Blade), the time of Christ (Judas, My Brother) to ancient Greece (Goat Song). He did extensive research for his novels and they will often contain notes and references. Nevertheless, the basic plot is always the same - heroic male, emotionally immature and an even more immature beautiful heroine, the lovers often separated by social circumstances, caught up in the turmoil of various historic events.

...

taken from here

Don't see the connection. Unless you know of another Frank Yerby?

jgibson000 · 12-21-2006, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfie

I take it you never read Judas, My Brother.

JG

Toto · 12-21-2006, 10:10 PM

Judas, My Brother on wikipedia

used copies available on Amazon (or via: amazon.co.uk)

dancer_rnb · 12-21-2006, 10:26 PM

I'd like to see how Mary actually became pregnant.....:angel:

Clivedurdle · 12-22-2006, 06:36 AM

New Scientist discusses kissing and notes that greet with a holy kiss relates to breathing on someone else and therefore passing the holy spirit from one person to another.

Which means a human male could have passed the holy spirit to Mary....

Wolfie · 12-22-2006, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgibson000

I take it you never read Judas, My Brother.

JG

No - I haven't. Many years ago (25~) I read a novel whose title was something like "The Jesus Diaries" - I can't remember who the author was (and I've been searching on and off these last few weeks). That purported to be a diary written by an elderly Jesus who was living as a monk in seclusion, the published portion covering the last three or so years up until the crucifixion and just beyond.

In this book, the virgin birth and all the Jesus miracles were given rational explanations. The apparent rising from the dead following the crucifixion was explained by substitution of Jesus's brother Judas. Jesus was effectively abducted by his followers... In this version, the body was taken down from the cross and thrown into a pit behind Golgotha. Jesus visited the pit and recognised the body of his brother by a deformation to one of his toes.

I wish I could find this book as I would dearly love to read it again.

Does this sound familar to anyone?

Dentarthurdent · 12-22-2006, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dancer_rnb

I'd like to see how Mary actually became pregnant.....:angel:

It was just a one time thing... I swear! We were talking, and she kissed me, and things just kind of got out of hand after that.

lpetrich · 12-22-2006, 08:48 PM

I make LOTS of visits to Galilee and Jerusalem when Pontius Pilate was prefect, from 26 to 36 CE. In fact, I visit Jerusalem for every Passover during PP's reign, and I don't notice anything like the Gospels -- no triumphal entry of some prophet from Galilee into Jerusalem, no turning against him, no crucifying him and calling him the "King of the Jews".

After returning empty-handed from my time-machine quest for the historical Jesus Christ, I think a long time about alternative strategies. I decide to try tracking down Paul. I have a bit more success this time; I find someone who talks about the visions he had of a heavenly Christ, how this Christ was crucified by the demon powers of the world, and how this Christ nevertheless triumphed over them and rose from the dead.

As he was preaching one of his sermons, I see him start to shake uncontrollably and fall to the ground. His followers get startled and worried, but I stay calm. When he recovers, he tells us of the visions he had.

I ask him how he had known of this Christ, and he said that it was through his visions and his study of the scriptures, showing me some old scrolls of the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament. He had no idea of a Jesus Christ who had recently lived. I ask him about the affliction that he described himself as being troubled by, and he is reluctant to talk about it, so I did not press the issue any further.

After a while, he said that he wanted to start writing a letter to some of his colleagues about something or other, and we parted ways. But I feel that I have succeeded in my quest; even though I had failed to find a historical Jesus Christ, I nevertheless found Paul.

Clivedurdle · 12-24-2006, 03:03 PM

I hope you didn't suggest he wrote it all down! Big problem with time travel that one!

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12-21-2006, 10:10 PM	#13
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Judas, My Brother on wikipedia used copies available on Amazon (or via: amazon.co.uk)

12-21-2006, 10:26 PM	#14
dancer_rnb Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 2,520	I'd like to see how Mary actually became pregnant.....:angel:

12-22-2006, 06:36 AM	#15
Clivedurdle Contributor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: London UK Posts: 16,024	New Scientist discusses kissing and notes that greet with a holy kiss relates to breathing on someone else and therefore passing the holy spirit from one person to another. Which means a human male could have passed the holy spirit to Mary....

12-22-2006, 08:48 PM	#18
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	I make LOTS of visits to Galilee and Jerusalem when Pontius Pilate was prefect, from 26 to 36 CE. In fact, I visit Jerusalem for every Passover during PP's reign, and I don't notice anything like the Gospels -- no triumphal entry of some prophet from Galilee into Jerusalem, no turning against him, no crucifying him and calling him the "King of the Jews". After returning empty-handed from my time-machine quest for the historical Jesus Christ, I think a long time about alternative strategies. I decide to try tracking down Paul. I have a bit more success this time; I find someone who talks about the visions he had of a heavenly Christ, how this Christ was crucified by the demon powers of the world, and how this Christ nevertheless triumphed over them and rose from the dead. As he was preaching one of his sermons, I see him start to shake uncontrollably and fall to the ground. His followers get startled and worried, but I stay calm. When he recovers, he tells us of the visions he had. I ask him how he had known of this Christ, and he said that it was through his visions and his study of the scriptures, showing me some old scrolls of the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament. He had no idea of a Jesus Christ who had recently lived. I ask him about the affliction that he described himself as being troubled by, and he is reluctant to talk about it, so I did not press the issue any further. After a while, he said that he wanted to start writing a letter to some of his colleagues about something or other, and we parted ways. But I feel that I have succeeded in my quest; even though I had failed to find a historical Jesus Christ, I nevertheless found Paul.

12-24-2006, 03:03 PM	#19
Clivedurdle Contributor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: London UK Posts: 16,024	I hope you didn't suggest he wrote it all down! Big problem with time travel that one!

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