robto

Hi, folks, I just got my new website up and running. There are some essays that I think you-all will find interesting. In one I argue for the historical Jesus (I haven't done a careful critique of any of the mythicist proposals, I mainly emphasize the postive arguments). Also, a pretty in-depth discussion of how OT Judaism became dualistic through Greek/Zoroastrian influences. I set up a forum there for discussing the essays: please stop by and tear me to shreds!

maddog

What kinds of sources/resources do you have about/from early Christianity?

#2047

show_no_mercy

Just skimming your page on the historicity of Jesus and came across this:

You might want to qualify that with "ignoring the gospel of Luke which places Jesus' birth during the census of Quirinus (another event Josephus mentions) in 6 CE" or at least cite what wikipedia says that "most scholars" think that Luke was in error.

mountainman

Hi Robto,

Welcome. The following is quoted at the commencement of the article entitled Questioning the Canon

Your statement applies only to the period after the Council of Nicaea. One might also point out that the fourth century christian regime and the bishops were not interested in computational mathematics. The christian rulers of Alexandria verge on being described as fascist despots. Theophilus of Alexandria was not a good person in any sense of the word, and Cyril of Alexandria followed in his uncle's footsteps. Sir Isaac Newton on "The Morals of Athanasius and his Followers" provides food for thought about Athanasius' activities in and around Alexandria in the earlier period after Nicaea - in that city.

The mathematicians and astronomers who performed these calculations were not christians, and the purpose of the calculations were not for "easter" but for the general cycles of the year - midsummer and midwinter especially. The academics who computed the adjustments necessary to correct for the precession of the equinoxes came from the epoch BCE. They were obviously not christians.

The history of the introduction of the focus of Easter in the calendar year commences with Constantine in the year 325 CE and the council of Nicaea. Against the advice of the same lineage of academic pagans he formally chained Easter to the Vernal equinox. This was a mistake which was not adjusted for for over 1000 years until Pope Gregory altered the calendar and adopted an algorithm by which the human calendar and the human easter always coincided on the Vernal equinox.

Constantine's big mistake is clearly seen by the existence of two forms of astrological zodiac in use today. The Solar or Tropical Zodiac which you find in the newpapers and is the more popular. And the Sideal zodiac. The two zodiacs are different by about 24 degrees, and slowly diverging at the rate of one degree every 72 years. Extrapolate that backwards to get the date when these two forms of astronomical/astrological reckoning last coincided are you are back around the fourth century.

Also from 363-364 CE: The Council of Laodicea a reference to the value
that the fourth century church placed on mathematics ....

Anyway, best wishes to you,


Pete

robto

maddog: That's kind of a hard question to answer. I think if you go to the site and read one of the essays, you'll see the sort of (primary and secondary) sources I used.

show_no_mercy: Thanks for pointing that out. You are right, I should mention that somewhere. I originally conceived these essays as a book with five chapters. The reader would already have encountered the subject of the historical contradiction of the nativity stories in the previous chapter (Gospel Truth). I should have a footnote here pointing to that discussion.

mountainman: Thanks for your comments. The issues of the dates of Christian celebrations like Easter and Christmas, and whether/how they are connected to earlier pagan celebrations, are interesting enough for a whole chapter. Maybe I'll get around to that sometime....