LadyBarker11, first of all thanks for the smiley face site! That's cool!

You are right if you say that the DSS referred to two different messiahs. However, the DSSs never mention the name "Jesus". As a matter of fact, most if not all of the DSSs date to a period 100-200 years before Jesus birth (more than likely during the Maccabean period).

There are certain scholars who have attempted to make connections between Jesus, James the brother of Jesus, John the Baptist, Jesus' disciples, and the DSSs. Their work (Eisenman, Thiering, Allegro, etc.) is usually rejected by the majority of scholars because they ignore paleographic and radio-carbon dating evidence in order to date the DSSs during the time of Jesus because then their theories work...

hezekiahjones, I don't particularly mind talking about the Nag Hammadi texts. These texts were rejected very early as Gnostic and heretical. Not to mention these texts were found in Egypt where many texts seemed to have undergone interesting transformations. We can learn something from them, but since they all come from one particular location I don't think they pose the problems you seem to suggest.

Ish


[This message has been edited by Ish (edited March 11, 2001).]

Ish, they also reject the Lost Teachings of Jesus as well. Seems to me if people were True Christians, they would want to know everything Jesus said, like I do. I believe there are more teachings that are not in the Bible. That is why I think it is an Incomplete book. I mean, they dont even have what he was doing from age 12 to 30 in the Bible. They have found scrolls in India and other places talking of a traveler who seems to fit the description of Christ. Also, the Buddists liked him

I'm not sure exactly what "the Lost Teachings of Jesus" are, but I imagine you're referring to the NT Apocrypha/Agrapha like Gospel of Thomas, Peter, etc. All I can say is that the "rejection" is not without grounds. Christians do want to know if there are other teachings out there. However, most Christians believe the Bible was put together of the best most reliable teachings of Jesus.

The "lost teachings of Jesus" is really a misnomer anyway. They are only lost to those today who are not in academic circles and have not heard of them. Most of these false writings have been known about for nearly as long as Christianity has existed and were rejected very early as heretical. They can tell us something about ancient history, but very doubtfully about Jesus.

Ish

Thomas has been around for centuries, a better more complete copy was found at Nag. So there are no "mystery" documents that Christians are trying to bury as some suggest.

Yes well, there are some i am sure I am a heretic as well but I walk with Christ. I am not a Bible person because I believe that God gave us all the info we needed to know before we came into life. Just some people grab onto the Bible because they feel that they need help. Nothing wrong with it though

LadyBarker11, huh? What do you mean by "walk with Christ"? If you are not a "bible person", then what about "Christ" do you know and follow? I'm not trying to be mean, I just truly don't understand this stance...

Ish

Ish, you need to go visit my website.LOL. There is much to explain. I will say that I lean mostly toward Gnostisicm
http://ladybarker.homestead.com/Spirituality.html