Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Zymurgy · 03-12-2004, 12:47 PM

http://www.leaderu.com/theology/burialcave.html

has anyone heard this. supposley they found at Mt Olive the burial site of 1st centry xians.

Mageth · 03-12-2004, 12:58 PM

To me, that's a pretty strong indication that, when Christians die, they're buried just like the rest of us.

BioBeing · 03-12-2004, 01:15 PM

The existance of Christianity has never been in doubt! It is also hardly surpirising that names common at the time the NT was written were found on coffins from the same period.

Toto · 03-12-2004, 01:43 PM

Crosses were not unique Christian symbols in the first century.

I think that there is an older thread on this article, perhaps after Bill does the upgrade on March 27, I'll be able to find it.

But there is this: The Cross, an ancient symbol

MortalWombat · 03-12-2004, 01:49 PM

I did a little searching around to find related info about this, and found this website. The funny thing about it is that it says

Quote:

Italian scholar P. Bagatti discovered another catacomb holding 100 ossuaries on the western side of the Mount of Olives. Coins that were minted by Governor Varius Gratus (A.D. 16) showed that these tombs were used for burial of Christians before A.D. 70.

But a little farther down, it says this:

Quote:

Another first century Jewish catacomb at the southern end of the Kidron valley was investigated by Dr. Eleazar Sukenik of Hebrew University in 1945. Several ossuaries with the sign of the cross, Greek inscriptions, and a coin minted in A.D. 41 for King Herod Agrippa 1 were found, indicating a sealing date by 42 A.D.

Gee, anyone care to guess why they would claim that a coin found in one tomb which dates to 41 AD should indicate a sealing date of no later than 42 AD, but a coin in another tomb which dates to 16 AD doesn't indicate a sealing date of no later than 17 AD, but only "before A.D. 70"? I think I can think of one reason...

spin · 03-12-2004, 07:11 PM

The article is pure crap.

Has anyone stopped for example to ask when the cross started appearing in xian necropoli??

spin

BATERBOY · 03-14-2004, 01:40 AM

I believe it was at the Council of Nicea, in 325 AD, that they made the cross the official symbol of Christianity. It's also where they voted to make Jesus a god instead of a man, and he only won by 3 votes!
I'm not sure if the cross was used by Christians prior to that though. I do know it was used in Mithraism, they would put it on the forehead of their worshippers with bulls blood.

spin · 03-14-2004, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BATERBOY
I believe it was at the Council of Nicea, in 325 AD, that they made the cross the official symbol of Christianity. It's also where they voted to make Jesus a god instead of a man, and he only won by 3 votes!
I'm not sure if the cross was used by Christians prior to that though. I do know it was used in Mithraism, they would put it on the forehead of their worshippers with bulls blood.

It was Constantine who first intitiated the use of the cross as a symbol. He had a dream before a battle, when he was still a believer in Sol Invictus, that if he put the symbol of the sun's rays in the four cardinal directions on his men's shields he would win the battle, so according to the story, he put the symbol on and he won.

spin

unregistered_user_1 · 10-18-2004, 08:56 PM

Problem is, even though the cross may have been used by others, if this statment is true, it would look like there were xians around that early.

Quote:

Also found in the same area was another monogram inscription comprised of the Greek letters Iota, Chi, and Beta, which is translated: "Jesus Christ the helper [or redeemer]."

Do they know for certain the dates of the cave? Is this actually before the NT was supposed to have been written as it says?

Magus55 · 10-18-2004, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BioBeing

The existance of Christianity has never been in doubt! It is also hardly surpirising that names common at the time the NT was written were found on coffins from the same period.

But if it can be authenticated that Christians were around in the 1st Century, it casts doubt on the notion of Jesus being a legend. Legends aren't created that fast.

03-12-2004, 12:47 PM	#1
Zymurgy Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: roanoke,va,usa Posts: 8	Jerusalem Burial Cave Reveals http://www.leaderu.com/theology/burialcave.html has anyone heard this. supposley they found at Mt Olive the burial site of 1st centry xians.

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03-12-2004, 12:58 PM	#2
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	To me, that's a pretty strong indication that, when Christians die, they're buried just like the rest of us.

03-12-2004, 01:15 PM	#3
BioBeing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 6,004	The existance of Christianity has never been in doubt! It is also hardly surpirising that names common at the time the NT was written were found on coffins from the same period.

03-12-2004, 01:43 PM	#4
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Crosses were not unique Christian symbols in the first century. I think that there is an older thread on this article, perhaps after Bill does the upgrade on March 27, I'll be able to find it. But there is this: The Cross, an ancient symbol

03-12-2004, 07:11 PM	#6
spin Contributor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: nowhere Posts: 15,747	The article is pure crap. Has anyone stopped for example to ask when the cross started appearing in xian necropoli?? spin

03-14-2004, 01:40 AM	#7
BATERBOY Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 14	I believe it was at the Council of Nicea, in 325 AD, that they made the cross the official symbol of Christianity. It's also where they voted to make Jesus a god instead of a man, and he only won by 3 votes! I'm not sure if the cross was used by Christians prior to that though. I do know it was used in Mithraism, they would put it on the forehead of their worshippers with bulls blood.

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