Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 06-07-2005, 11:10 AM

The evangelical publication Christianity Today has published an interview with Brian Flemming, who will be making a movie based on the plot line of a young woman who discovered evidence that Jesus never existed.

Interview with Brian Flemming

Flemming gives the most comprehensive brief argument for the Jesus myth theory that I have seen in a mainstream publication, summarizing Early Doherty's arguments succinctly and elegantly. The CT interviewer seems to just lap it up, and it's not clear why the entire readership of CT would not want to become atheist Jesus Mythers after reading this.

Flemming describes himself as a "Christian Atheist."

Toto · 06-07-2005, 12:14 PM

Fixed the URL.

from the interview:

Quote:

Where did you first come across this idea that Jesus didn't exist historically?

Flemming: It was probably one of the older scholars, maybe G.A. Wells, who's written a few scholarly books on the subject. It was probably his work which led me to the more recent authors who have more up-to-date scholarship on the issue, such as Earl Doherty, who wrote the book The Jesus Puzzle, which remains today unrefuted. He has a theory about what early Christianity looked like and why there's all these odd anomalies with regard to the Christian version of the story, and he explains them all, and I think his theory makes the most sense of any theory I've ever heard about early Christianity.

Can you summarize briefly what some of those anomalies are?

Flemming: Yeah, for example—and this is in the movie—why doesn't Paul, in the documents that can be confirmed or somewhat confirmed as being from Paul, why doesn't he ever talk about a Jesus who recently lived? Why are there all these points where he's trying to make an argument and the context he's in cries out for him to say, "Oh and by the way, Jesus said this," and that would have settled the argument instantly? Why doesn't he pull that arrow out of his quiver? There are all sorts of things that don't make sense that are in the record, that you go, "Why didn't this person mention Jesus, because he died just a decade or two before this, supposedly, and he would have been in recent memory?"

And ultimately, why is the historical Jesus mentioned more and more as you get away from the historical period he was supposed to have lived? That is the reverse of what we would expect. We would expect all sorts of information right away. For example, in Scientology, there is a big effort under way to document the life of L. Ron Hubbard, because he's their messiah, and that will probably drift more and more and more into legend as time goes on. But with Christianity, it's the reverse. The figure is mythical and legendary at the start, and becomes more historical as time passes. And that just doesn't make sense, if he was a real historical person.

Brian63 · 06-07-2005, 02:39 PM

They even link to Earl Doherty's bio page here on the II.

Hurrah!

Brian

NWT · 06-07-2005, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

The evangelical publication Christianity Today has published an interview with Brian Flemming, who will be making a movie based on the plot line of a young woman who discovered evidence that Jesus never existed.

Interview with Brian Flemming

Flemming gives the most comprehensive brief argument for the Jesus myth theory that I have seen in a mainstream publication, summarizing Early Doherty's arguments succinctly and elegantly. The CT interviewer seems to just lap it up, and it's not clear why the entire readership of CT would not want to become atheist Jesus Mythers after reading this.

Flemming describes himself as a "Christian Atheist."

Thanks for the info and the link - I will order the DVD A.S.A.P.
It is just this sort of thing, that I have been arguing is the response needed to counter the growing aggressiveness of the Christian Religious Fanatics - who are trying to destroy the seperation of Church & State and to impose Religious Dogma in Schools.

Diogenes the Cynic · 06-07-2005, 07:03 PM

Kudos to Christianity Today for giving the interview and for allowing Flemming a fair opportunity to air the mythicist view.

Yahzi · 06-07-2005, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diogenes the Cynic

Kudos to Christianity Today for giving the interview

I agree. It reflects well on the magazine.

-FAITH ALONE- · 06-07-2005, 11:49 PM

Lets not forget the release date of this movie folks 6-6-06

Brilliant!

...dunno how wide that release will be but I'll do some driving if I have to.

06-07-2005, 11:10 AM	#1
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Jesus Myth in Christianity Today The evangelical publication Christianity Today has published an interview with Brian Flemming, who will be making a movie based on the plot line of a young woman who discovered evidence that Jesus never existed. Interview with Brian Flemming Flemming gives the most comprehensive brief argument for the Jesus myth theory that I have seen in a mainstream publication, summarizing Early Doherty's arguments succinctly and elegantly. The CT interviewer seems to just lap it up, and it's not clear why the entire readership of CT would not want to become atheist Jesus Mythers after reading this. Flemming describes himself as a "Christian Atheist."

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

06-07-2005, 02:39 PM	#3
Brian63 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: My own little fantasy world Posts: 8,911	They even link to Earl Doherty's bio page here on the II. Hurrah! Brian

06-07-2005, 07:03 PM	#5
Diogenes the Cynic Moderator - Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Posts: 4,639	Kudos to Christianity Today for giving the interview and for allowing Flemming a fair opportunity to air the mythicist view.

06-07-2005, 11:49 PM	#7
-FAITH ALONE- Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: cincinatti Posts: 129	Lets not forget the release date of this movie folks 6-6-06 Brilliant! ...dunno how wide that release will be but I'll do some driving if I have to.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.