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Old 05-06-2013, 10:50 PM   #91
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You made a most blatant unsubstantiated claim that not even .001% of the popuplation were Christians and refuse to admit your error
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Originally Posted by Sheshbazzar View Post
See Post #84 above. In case you haven't noticed, I dropped the .001% claim.

abandoned it as a poor choice of expression in view of your objections.

I think that should be pretty clear to anyone else by now.

No big deal to me, the point being made was that for propaganda purposes Justin exaggerated the size of the Christian religion in the early 1st century.
_ and also exaggerated the injustices and persecutions they encountered.
But, you continue to make unsubstantianted claims against Justin. How in the world can you determine that Justin exagerrated the injustices and persecutions they encountered.

Please IDENTIFY an exaggeration of Justin.
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Going back to eralier discussions between us, We agree Justin and his writings are credible as being authentic 2nd century writings, that however does not entail that their content or claims are entirely credible.
I consider all apolgetics as HOSTILE witnesses. I have no obligation to accept everything written by apologetics as credible.

The writings of Justin Martyr are compatible with the recovered dated manuscripts like the DSS and NT manuscripts.

Effectively, no masnuscripts that have been dated contradict the writings of Justin.

Justin's Big Black Hole of 100 years c 33-133 CE is completely intact after 1800 years.

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Do you unconditionally BELIEVE what is found written in the writings attributed to Justin?
In this case you quoted Justin, even bolded his claim. Do you believe that Justin's claim here, that "almost all the Samaritans" worshipped Simon Magnus as the first god, is accurate and factual?
What I find completely strange is that you seem not to understand that I must write what Justin said. I cannot add or remove any words of the written statements found in the works of any writer of antiquity.

I cannot assume that any statement by Justin is not credible.

In order to understand the past I must take all writings into consideration.

Now, Justin Martyr's writings contradict Eusebius' History of the Church.

I will use the writings of Justin Martyr and others for the history of the 2nd century Jesus cult because those of Irenaeus have been found to be a product of multiple authors, [forgeries and false attribution] and are not compatible with the recovered dated manuscripts like the DSS and NT texts.

In fact, there are many writings that are compatible with the recovered and dated DSS and NT manuscripts like the writings of Theophilus of Antioch, Athenagoras, Aristides, Muinucius Felix Octavius, and Arnobius.
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Old 05-06-2013, 10:59 PM   #92
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What I find completly strange is your methodology.

You 'cannot assume that any statement by Justin is not credible.'

But you can selectively assume that any statements by other ancient writers are not credible.

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Originally Posted by aa5874
almost all of Samaria worshiped Simon as a God.
You assume that is true? beyond question? because Justin said so?
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Old 05-06-2013, 11:15 PM   #93
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The Catholic Church did not make Saint Justin into a non-Trinitarian, such a thing would be unthinkable.
In the Catholic view Saint Justin accepted the Holy Trinity, he was simply in error in not confessing Father, Son, and Spirit as being co-equal.
By definition a Christian cannot be Trinitarian for whom the Father, Son and HS are three persons of one God because the Trinity collapses when the believer becomes Christian wherein the father and son become one, and hence the HS is redundant and the descend of the dove is in evidence of that.

Now, to be fully One is not until then entire TOK has been raised into the TOL and there God and Lord God will be fully one (when all doubt was removed as Thomas exclaimed).
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Old 05-06-2013, 11:35 PM   #94
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Is that what you were taught in Catechism Chili?
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Old 05-06-2013, 11:40 PM   #95
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What I find completly strange is your methodology.

You 'cannot assume that any statement by Justin is not credible.'

But you can selectively assume that any statements by other ancient writers are not credible.
Again, your claim is wholly unsubstantiated. I do NOT assume. I present the written statements of antiquity. I present actual statements and compare them with other sources.

For example, when I state that "Against Heresies" is NOT credible it is because I located and showed that the author claimed in "Against Heresies" 2.22 that Jesus was crucified at about 50 years of age when he was about 30 years old in the 15th year of Tiberius buit still claimed he was aware of Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline writings.

It is virtually impossible that the author of Against Heresies 2.22 could have known of Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline letters and still argued that Jesus was crucified at about 50 years old because it is climed Paul preached Christ crucified even before Claudius was Emperor or since 37-41 CE in the time of King Aretas and Paul's conversion would be about 34-37 CE if he went to Arabia and returned to Damascus after 3 years.

"Against Heresies" cannot be credible in its present form. The author of "Against Heresies" did not know it was claimed or implied Paul preached Christ crucified when Jesus would have been about 35 years old.

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Originally Posted by aa5874
almost all of Samaria worshiped Simon as a God.
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Originally Posted by Shebazzar
You assume that is true? beyond question? because Justin said so?
You assume it is false? Must be false? because Justin said so?

I have not argued that all Justin's statements are true.
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Old 05-06-2013, 11:53 PM   #96
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Is that what you were taught in Catechism Chili?
Yes, because Catholics are not Christian and that is the difference between these two.

If I remember correctly, in Catholic theology these are profound lines, and maybe more so in expressions made than pulpit material.
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Old 05-07-2013, 12:10 AM   #97
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What I find completely strange is your methodology.

You 'cannot assume that any statement by Justin is not credible.'

But you can selectively assume that any statements by other ancient writers are not credible.
Again, your claim is wholly unsubstantiated. I do NOT assume. I present the written statements of antiquity. I present actual statements and compare them with other sources.

For example, when I state that "Against Heresies" is NOT credible it is because I located and showed that the author claimed in "Against Heresies" 2.22 that Jesus was crucified at about 50 years of age when he was about 30 years old in the 15th year of Tiberius buit still claimed he was aware of Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline writings.

It is virtually impossible that the author of Against Heresies 2.22 could have known of Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline letters and still argued that Jesus was crucified at about 50 years old because it is climed Paul preached Christ crucified even before Claudius was Emperor or since 37-41 CE in the time of King Aretas and Paul's conversion would be about 34-37 CE if he went to Arabia and returned to Damascus after 3 years.

"Against Heresies" cannot be credible in its present form. The author of "Against Heresies" did not know it was claimed or implied Paul preached Christ crucified when Jesus would have been about 35 years old.
And what if the author of 'Against Heresies' knew of Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline letters and rejected their chronology?
Or if earlier or different versions of these texts among the various sects read differently?
__ "even as the Gospel and all the elders testify ..." The Author here is telling us that HIS Gospel (text) and HIS elders supported the 'about 50 years old' date for the Crucifixion, in opposition to those that proposed an earlier date.

We have plenty of evidence for the existence of early textual variations.

Early Christianity was not monolithic, there were many different persuasions. Nor can we just assume that all early NT texts read exactly as our received texts.

The author of 'Against Heresies' explains the basis of his persuasion;

Quote:
Irenaeus says that Jesus Christ was around 50 years old during his ministry. He claimed that Jesus Christ advanced through all stages of human life so as to be an example for people of any age.

".. He was an old man for old men .." (Against Heresies 2:22:4).

Pointing out their error, Irenaeus said,

"... they are forgetful to their own disadvantage, destroying His whole work, and robbing Him of that age which is both more necessary and more honourable than any other; that more advanced age, I mean, during which also as a teacher He excelled all others. For how could He have had disciples, if He did not teach? And how could He have taught, unless He had reached the age of a Master? For when He came to be baptized, He had not yet completed His thirtieth year, but was beginning to be about thirty years of age (for thus Luke, who has mentioned His years, has expressed it:

"Now Jesus was, as it were, beginning to be thirty years old,"
when He came to receive baptism); and, [according to these men,] He preached only one year reckoning from His baptism. On completing His thirtieth year He suffered, being in fact still a young man, and who had by no means attained to advanced age. Now, that the first stage of early life embraces thirty years, and that this extends onwards to the fortieth year, every one will admit; but from the fortieth and fiftieth year a man begins to decline towards old age, which our Lord possessed while He still fulfilled the office of a Teacher, even as the Gospel and all the elders testify ..."
(Against Heresies 2:22:5).
The Author of Against Heresies does not just make a 'slip up' in the age Jesus at his death, but mounts an argument against the Crucifixion having taken place while Jesus was a young man. He knew of those claims of a early age Crucifixion and that variation of the Gospel and quite strongly rejected it.

This view, presented in 'Against Heresies' simply lost out to that one finally favored and supported by the Orthodox majority. (which incidentally would argue that the latter Orthodoxy did not compose that portion, ie it was already well established before they were able to bring it into conformity with their late prevailing views. )

Quote:
Originally Posted by aa5874
almost all of Samaria worshiped Simon as a God.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aa5874
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shebazzar
You assume that is true? beyond question? because Justin said so?
You assume it is false? Must be false? because Justin said so?
I don't assume it is false, I regard the statement, in the absence of any corroborating non-apologetic contemporary testimony, as being highly unlikely, and highly likely to be hyperbolic exaggeration. (Not unusual in ancient writings.)
And not because Justin said so, I would have exactly the same view if any other ancient author made such an uncorroborated and unlikely statement.
Such things do not need be taken literally, nor does 'many' need to be interpreted as thousands.

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I have not argued that all Justin's statements are true.
Well that's nice to hear.


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Old 05-07-2013, 12:25 AM   #98
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Is that what you were taught in Catechism Chili?
Yes, because Catholics are not Christian and that is the difference between these two.

If I remember correctly, in Catholic theology these are profound lines, and maybe more so in expressions made than pulpit material.
I just finished reading the Catholic Catechisim on The Trinity. Article 1, paragraph 2, II & III (238-267) online.
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Old 05-07-2013, 01:02 AM   #99
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Is that what you were taught in Catechism Chili?
Yes, because Catholics are not Christian and that is the difference between these two.

If I remember correctly, in Catholic theology these are profound lines, and maybe more so in expressions made than pulpit material.
I just finished reading the Catholic Catechisim on The Trinity. Article 1, paragraph 2, II & III (238-267) online.
I suppose you are correct but I never did. Not interested to read it either. Just not my thing to read what they have to say.
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Old 05-07-2013, 01:22 AM   #100
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almost all of Samaria worshiped Simon as a God.
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Originally Posted by Shebazzar
You assume that is true? beyond question? because Justin said so?
You assume it is false? Must be false? because Justin said so?

I have not argued that all Justin's statements are true.
The statement that almost all of Samaria worshiped Simon as a God is false.

Justin's claim that there was statue to Simon in Rome was false.

Replies to Justin's purported letters by the emperors Marcus Aurelius and Antoninus Pius were forgeries (as were his original letters and apologies).

Justin is a literary stooge.






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