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Old 01-19-2012, 09:58 AM   #21
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Your claim is erroneous and does NOT make much sense. The Pauline writings STRONGLY indicate that the author believed or wanted people to believe that God's Son, made of a woman was on earth and was crucified, died, and resurrected on the THIRD day.
Inanna was raised from the dead after three days in the underworld. I see no reason why there could not be "days" in Paul's "heavenly realms"...
The Pauline writings do NOT contain the Heresy that Jesus crucified in the Sub-Lunar so you are really wasting time.

You MUST FIRST understand what a Canon represents.

It is horribly absurd and illogical that the Canonised Pauline writings was placed in the Canon although it was known to be Heretical and written by a well known Heretic.

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Galatians Paul claimed Jesus was made of a Woman so your claim is totally FLAWED and baseless.
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...Maybe Jesus' mother was the woman in Revelation? The woman clothed with the sun?
Maybe you need to understand what a Canon of the Church represents. The Pauline writings are Canonised and do NOT contain the Heresy that Jesus was NOT God Incarnate.

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There is also NO evidence whatsoever that anyone knew of the Pauline writings before the mid 2nd-3rd century
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I agree. If I recall correctly your theory and that of Mountainman is that the entire New Testament was fabricated beginning in the 2nd century. If that is the case, why is the New Testament such a mess of competing ideas and contradictions?...
First of all, you must try and recall what I said and do NOT confuse me with mountaiman.

Now, please explain why a supposed Presbyter of the Church, the writer of "Against Heresies" would claim Jesus was crucified about the age of 50 years, that John the disciple of Jesus and the other disciples preached the very same thing when the very same writer Irenaeus the Presbyter of the Church was supposedly AWARE of Paul and that he preached Christ crucified?

Why is the claim that Jesus was crucified at about the age of 50 years in "Against Heresies" attributed to Irenaeus NOT Canonized with such a mess of contradictions???

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Justin Martyr did NOT claim that Marcion had written a gospel.
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Did any early Christian claim that Marcion had written a gospel or possessed a unique gospel (Jesus biography)?...
What is the name of the Christian?

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Marcion's Son of God was NOT the Son of the God of the Jews and was NOT found in Hebrew Scripture.
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...Yes, but the idea is that the proto-orthodox co-opted many elements of Pauline (i.e. Marcionite) theology...
There was no such thing as Pauline writings, No Pauline Churches, No Pauline Converts, and No Pauline Jesus because we now know that there was NO Jesus cult of Christians up to 110 CE.

Do you not understand an Apologetic source have DENIED that Marcion used the Pauline writings? See "Refutation of All Heresies" by Hippolytus of Rome.

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It is NOT at all logical that the Pauline writings were Canonized with Heresies and were also interpolated and Sanitized to be Compatible with the Church.

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Then why is the New Testament such a mess of competing ideas and contradictions?
Well, please show me where it is stated in the Canon that Paul was an HERETIC?

Why was the claim that Jesus was crucified at about 50 years old by Irenaeus NOT Canonised although "Against Heresies" is such a mess of contradictions?

You seem to have very little idea what a Canon of the Church represents.

You won't find HERESY that was PUBLICLY condemned by the Church in the Canonised Pauline writings.
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Old 01-19-2012, 11:45 AM   #22
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Hi jgreen,

Yes, this is a good example how people still try to flesh out the apostles. Judas was the apostle that betrayed Jesus. Thus we an answer to the question "What is Judas?" He is an apostle and he is a betrayer. Thus we can attach any adjectives that we associate with apostle with him, "loyal," trustworthy," "selfless" and we can associate any adjective we associate with "betrayer," such as "disloyal," "untrustworthy" and "selfish."
What we never get is an answer to the question "Who was Judas?" To know this would involve having to answer questions like "Where was he born?" Who were his parents? "What position did his parents have in society?" What was his relationship to his parents? What education did he have? What did he wish to be as a child? Did he show quickness of wit or dullness? Was he married? Was he gay? What were his politics? When did he become an apostle? Was he a good apostle before the betrayal? What did he want to happen with Jesus and the movement?
The gospel text does not tell us this. The gospel text does not care about this. What they care about is that Jesus was betrayed by a disciple. The name does not refer to any person, so it could have been Thomas, Dickus or Harry. The name is not meant to be anyone except the name of the Apostle who betrayed Jesus.
A stick figure may be a symbol of a man and not a reference to an actual person. Judas is just a stick figure. This is Judas and everything we know or can ever know about him because it is all that the text really tells us.


An apostle named Judas Who Betrayed Jesus

Of course we can present this information in countless ways.
Who was Judas? He was the apostle who betrayed Jesus.
Who betrayed Jesus? The apostle named Judas.
Which apostle betrayed Jesus? Judas

We can rephrase the text as much as we like, but the text never tells us anything more. It doesn't have anything more to say on the matter. The text does not care who Judas was. It only cares to tell us who Jesus was.

Warmly,

Jay Raskin

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One can conceive of a possible cult of Judas as beloved of God might have been the only historical core of Christianity. Hence the desperate attempt to demonize Judas by the orthodox.
Perhaps what you describe was the inspiration for Borges' short story, Three Versions of Judas.
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Old 01-19-2012, 07:43 PM   #23
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The Pauline writings do NOT contain the Heresy that Jesus crucified in the Sub-Lunar so you are really wasting time.
The Pauline writings never indicate that Jesus was crucified on earth.

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It is horribly absurd and illogical that the Canonised Pauline writings was placed in the Canon although it was known to be Heretical and written by a well known Heretic.
It would be absurd...if the Catholics had not tampered with the original Pauline epistles.

Amsterdam theologian, A. D. Loman, in his, "Quaestiones Paulinae", had come to the result that the existence of Pauline Epistles before the middle of the second century could not be proven. This excited Leiden scholar Willem Christiaan van Manen's (1842-1905), interest in the first unquestionable witness of the Pauline Epistles, the arch-heretic Marcion, who was excommunicated in Rome in 144 C.E., accused by the Fathers of the Church of tampering not only with the Gospel of Luke, but also with the Pauline Epistles in the interest of his dualistic-gnostic theology. With the help of the Epistle to the Galatians Van Manen wanted to look into this reproach ventilated by the Fathers of the Church and repeated by the theologians ever since. Could the accusations leveled by the Fathers of the Church be verified? Or was it rather the Marcionites who were right in returning the reproach, accusing the Catholics themselves of falsifying the Pauline Epistles?

The result gained by Van Manen in his study was startling: contrary to the opinion of the Fathers of the Church and contrary to the consensus of theologians still today, he upheld the greater originality of the Marcionite recension of the Epistle to the Galatians. After a careful review of the textual findings, it became evident to Van Manen that neither Marcion nor the Marcionites had shortened the Epistle, but that Catholic editors had added or changed passages in the text. Marcion's edition of the Epistle was in any case older and more original than the canonical version. What lies here before us is a Catholic revision of the Marcionite text.

At the outset of his investigation Van Manen warned that nothing less than the larger question of the authenticity of the Principal Epistles was at issue. The result of the investigation could not but have consequences for the problem of the authenticity of the Corpus as a whole. If Marcion was not only the first witness for the existence of Pauline Epistles, but, moreover, was simultaneously in possession of the oldest and original text of the Epistles, this could easily be regarded as a further argument for Loman's supposition that the Pauline Epistles were altogether falsifications coming from Marcionite circles, which became a possession of the Catholic Church at a later date after being suitably tailored. Once one arrived at this conclusion, the way was opened for further questions and speculations in the same direction. One might consider, with some radical critics, whether the relationship "From Paul to Marcion" should not be reversed. In that case, Marcion would not be a pupil of Paul, but the figure of "Paul" would in reality be a creation of Marcionism, by means of which the Marcionites retrojected their theology into the apostolic past, in order to provide themselves with a pedigree and a precedent for their doctrines in the theological conflicts of the second century."

Hermann Detering, The Dutch Radical Approach to the Pauline Epistles

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Now, please explain why a supposed Presbyter of the Church, the writer of "Against Heresies" would claim Jesus was crucified about the age of 50 years, that John the disciple of Jesus and the other disciples preached the very same thing
Presumably because the canon was not yet determined and Irenaeus was referring to info about Jesus that did not contradict the canon because the canon did not yet exist.

But if that is not the answer then please explain to me why a Catholic forger would say something so wacky about Jesus long after the four gospels had been settled as the only gospels.

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when the very same writer Irenaeus the Presbyter of the Church was supposedly AWARE of Paul and that he preached Christ crucified?
I don't see how knowledge of Paul would prevent Irenaeus from claiming that Jesus was around 50 when he died.
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Why is the claim that Jesus was crucified at about the age of 50 years in "Against Heresies" attributed to Irenaeus NOT Canonized with such a mess of contradictions???
Because the claim is in none of the four gospels that were canonised.

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What is the name of the Christian?
I guess Tertullian did not say that Marcion wrote, specifically, a "gospel". Are you saying that the Gospel of Marcion that has been pieced together from the comments of his various detractors is just a modern fantasy? Was Marcion another myth?

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What is the name of the Christian?
There was no such thing as Pauline writings, No Pauline Churches, No Pauline Converts, and No Pauline Jesus because we now know that there was NO Jesus cult of Christians up to 110 CE.
Works for me.

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Do you not understand an Apologetic source have DENIED that Marcion used the Pauline writings?
Used them? I thought Marcion introduced them to the world.


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Well, please show me where it is stated in the Canon that Paul was an HERETIC?
Well, obviously I couldn't show you that. The Pauline writings were sanitized for the Canon.
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Old 01-19-2012, 07:54 PM   #24
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What they care about is that Jesus was betrayed by a disciple.
That's how it works when you're using the Old Testament for plot elements to write a story.

"All critics recognize the seed of the last supper story in Psalm 41:9, “Even my bosom friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” Frank Kermode has traced (pp. 84-85) the logical process whereby the original, entirely and abstractly theological claim that Jesus had been “delivered up” (paredoqh, Romans 4:25) has been narratized. From God having “handed over” his son for our sins grew the idea that a human agent had “betrayed” him (same Greek word). For this purpose, in line with anti-Jewish polemic, a betrayer named Judas was created. His epithet “Iscariot” seems to denote either Ish-karya (Aramaic for “the false one)” or a pun on Issachar, “hireling” (Miller, p. 65), thus one paid to hand Jesus over to the authorities. Much of the Last Supper story is taken up with this matter because of the mention of the betrayer eating with his victim in Psalm 41."

http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/art_midrash1.htm

Looking at the issue of Judas' act of betrayal, the above explanation is blazingly obvious. This is because the Sanhedrin did not need a betrayer. Although no one outside of the New Testament ever heard of him, Jesus was not a fugitive hiding in the woods or under a secret identity.The Sanhedrin or the Romans could have arrested Jesus any old time they wanted to. Judas is nothing but a prop in a novel.
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Old 01-20-2012, 04:07 PM   #25
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The Pauline writings do NOT contain the Heresy that Jesus crucified in the Sub-Lunar so you are really wasting time.
The Pauline writings never indicate that Jesus was crucified on earth.
There are no writings of antiquity which indicate Marcion first wrote the Pauline Epistles.
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Old 01-20-2012, 06:20 PM   #26
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Is there a aa5874 FAQ that explains exactly what you believe? Specifically, in your estimation. when and what is the first legitimate manifestation of Christianity? And how do people like Marcion and Basilides fit into your theory? Because from what I can gather from your writings, they seem to be nothing more than boogeymen made up by the Church centuries after they were supposed to have lived.
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Old 01-20-2012, 07:23 PM   #27
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Is there a aa5874 FAQ that explains exactly what you believe? Specifically, in your estimation. when and what is the first legitimate manifestation of Christianity? And how do people like Marcion and Basilides fit into your theory? Because from what I can gather from your writings, they seem to be nothing more than boogeymen made up by the Church centuries after they were supposed to have lived.
In the future please say what you believe and allow to me to state my position because you obviously don't know what you are talking about with respect to my position.

I have NOT claimed Marcion and Basilides were boogeymen or made up by the Church.

How come you are so wrong????

Now, was Paul a boogeyman of the Church? Who first wrote the Gospel? Marcion or Paul?

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Originally Posted by jgreen44
......Early Christians, such as Justin Martyr, did not start writing about a gospel or gospels until Marcion. This suggests that Marcion's gospel was the first and that the canonical gospels were based upon Marcion's gospel. Which pushes the germ of the historical Jesus idea up to the ministry of Marcion....
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Old 01-20-2012, 11:33 PM   #28
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... allow to me to state my position ...
Please do. Go ahead. What is your position?
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Old 01-21-2012, 02:45 AM   #29
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What they care about is that Jesus was betrayed by a disciple.
That's how it works when you're using the Old Testament for plot elements to write a story.

"All critics recognize the seed of the last supper story in Psalm 41:9, “Even my bosom friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” Frank Kermode has traced (pp. 84-85) the logical process whereby the original, entirely and abstractly theological claim that Jesus had been “delivered up” (paredoqh, Romans 4:25) has been narratized. From God having “handed over” his son for our sins grew the idea that a human agent had “betrayed” him (same Greek word). For this purpose, in line with anti-Jewish polemic, a betrayer named Judas was created. His epithet “Iscariot” seems to denote either Ish-karya (Aramaic for “the false one)” or a pun on Issachar, “hireling” (Miller, p. 65), thus one paid to hand Jesus over to the authorities. Much of the Last Supper story is taken up with this matter because of the mention of the betrayer eating with his victim in Psalm 41."

http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/art_midrash1.htm

Looking at the issue of Judas' act of betrayal, the above explanation is blazingly obvious. This is because the Sanhedrin did not need a betrayer. Although no one outside of the New Testament ever heard of him, Jesus was not a fugitive hiding in the woods or under a secret identity.The Sanhedrin or the Romans could have arrested Jesus any old time they wanted to. Judas is nothing but a prop in a novel.
Judas is nothing but a prop in a novel”. Indeed. Keep in mind though that novels often retell or use historical details in their literary storyline. Where would Hollywood be without all its movies based upon some war or other. Realism in novels, or on the big screen, needs an anchor in historical events.

And the gospel story of Judas who betrayed JC for 30 pieces of silver?

Josephus reports that Herod the Great gave Marc Antony a “great deal of money” in order to have Antigonus, the last King and High Priest of the Jews, slain. (37 b.c.)

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Antiquities of the Jews Book 14.ch.16

So when Sosius had dedicated a crown of gold to God, he marched away from Jerusalem, and carried Antigonus with him in bonds to Antony; but Herod was afraid lest Antigonus should be kept in prison [only] by Antony, and that when he was carried to Rome by him, he might get his cause to be heard by the senate, and might demonstrate, as he was himself of the royal blood, and Herod but a private man, that therefore it belonged to his sons however to have the kingdom, on account of the family they were of, in case he had himself offended the Romans by what he had done. Out of Herod's fear of this it was that he, by giving Antony a great deal of money, endeavored to persuade him to have Antigonus slain, which if it were once done, he should be free from that fear. And thus did the government of the Asamoneans cease,
Cassius Dio reports that Antigonus was tied to a stake/cross and scourged.

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Antigonus II Mattathias

Josephus states that Marc Antony beheaded Antigonus (Antiquities, XV 1:2 (8-9). Roman historian Dio Cassius says he was crucified. Cassius Dio's Roman History records: "These people [the Jews] Antony entrusted to a certain Herod to govern; but Antigonus he bound to a stake and scourged, a punishment no other king had suffered at the hands of the Romans, and so slew him." In his Life of Antony, Plutarch claims that Antony had Antigonus beheaded, "the first example of that punishment being inflicted on a king."
Slavonic Josephus, in its wonder-doer story, has the “teachers of the Law” giving Pilate the 30 talents to get JC crucified.

Quote:
26. The teachers of the Law were [therefore] envenomed with envy and gave thirty talents to Pilate, in order that he should put him to death. 27. And he, after he had taken [the money], gave them consent that they should themselves carry out their purpose.
28. And they took him and crucified him according to the ancestral law.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/gno/gjb/gjb-3.htm
The gospels do an update - and have the Judas storyline.
So, while the gospel Judas story is just that, a story, it could well be reliant upon a historical account, via Josephus, of a historical figure, the last King and High Priest of the Jews, whose death came about through money changing hands.
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Old 01-21-2012, 03:50 AM   #30
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Josephus reports that Herod the Great gave Marc Antony a “great deal of money” in order to have Antigonus, the last King and High Priest of the Jews, slain. (37 b.c.)

Cassius Dio reports that Antigonus was tied to a stake/cross and scourged.
Maryhelena, have you read Robert Graves' fictional "King Jesus"? The novel posits Jesus as the grandson of Antigonus, with Mary the daughter of Herod the Great. Graves apparently researched the background and claimed he could defend some of the premises of the novel. I haven't read it myself, though his two "Claudius" books are among my favorites. I was wondering what you thought of it.
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