Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Evolutionist · 09-06-2005, 07:40 AM

I just got word that the founder of the Jesus Seminar, Robert Funk, has passed away. I don't know any details except that he passed away in his sleep.

Here

For some of their beliefs:

Quote:

The Jesus Seminar

Jimmy Williams

Introduction

"Jesus did not ask us to believe that his death was a blood sacrifice, that he was going to die for our sins."
"Jesus did not ask us to believe that he was the messiah. He certainly never suggested that he was the second person of the trinity. In fact, he rarely referred to himself at all."
"Jesus did not call upon people to repent, or fast, or observe the sabbath. He did not threaten with hell or promise heaven."
"Jesus did not ask us to believe that he would be raised from the dead."
"Jesus did not ask us to believe that he was born of a virgin."
"Jesus did not regard scripture as infallible or even inspired."

So says Robert W. Funk, Architect and Founder of the Jesus Seminar, in a Keynote Address to the Jesus Seminar Fellows in the spring of 1994.(1) The Jesus Seminar has been receiving extensive coverage lately in such periodicals as Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, as well as on network television.

<snip>

A major presupposition of the Jesus Seminar, therefore, is philosophical naturalistic world view which categorically denies the supernatural. Therefore they say one must be wary of the following in the Gospels:

1. Prophetic statements. Predictions by Jesus of such things as the destruction of the Temple, or of Jerusalem, or His own resurrection are later literary additions or interpolations. How do we know this? Because no one can predict the future. So they MUST have been added later by zealous followers.

2. Miracles. Since miracles are not possible, every recorded miracle in the Gospels must be a later elaboration by an admiring disciple or follower, or must be explained on the basis of some physical or natural cause (i.e., the Feeding of the 5,000: Jesus gave the signal, and all those present reached beneath their cloaks, pulled out their own "sack lunches," and ate together!).

3. Claims of Jesus. Christ claimed to be God, Savior, Messiah, Judge, Forgiver of sin, sacrificial Lamb of God, etc. All of these, say the Jesus Fellows, are the later work of His devoted followers. The historical Jesus never claimed these things for Himself, as Funk infers in his above-mentioned statements. Reality isn't like this. It couldn't be true."

source

I can hear the cheers from the wing nuts already- the bloke is burning in hell- woo!

Chuck · 09-06-2005, 10:57 AM

Let's try GRD.

Azathoth · 09-06-2005, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evolutionist

I just got word that the founder of the Jesus Seminar, Robert Funk, has passed away. I don't know any details except that he passed away in his sleep.

I can hear the cheers from the wing nuts already- the bloke is burning in hell- woo!

So, then, Satan now has the Funk?

Toto · 09-07-2005, 10:50 AM

Here's the Westar Obituary

From the LA Times long time religion reporter, Larry Stammer: Robert Funk, 79; Scholar Questioned Miracles of Jesus

Quote:

After many years in academia, Funk's rise to public recognition came after he founded the nonprofit Westar Institute in Santa Rosa in 1985 to promote research and education on what he called biblical literacy. Its first project, the Jesus Seminar, renewed the quest for the historical Jesus.

In the course of those studies, the think tank stirred controversy among conservative Christians even as liberal Christians applauded its scholarship for making Christianity believable and relevant in the postmodern world.

Among the Jesus Seminar's assertions was that many of the miracles attributed to Jesus never occurred, at least in a literal sense. Nor, the Jesus Seminar concluded in 1995, did Jesus rise bodily from the dead. The scholars also agreed that there probably was no tomb and that Jesus' body probably was disposed of by his executioners, not his followers.

. . . . Jesus, Funk said, was "one of the great sages of history," but he was not the man portrayed in a surface reading of the New Testament.

"I do not want my faith to be in Jesus, but faith in the really real … in some version of whatever it was that Jesus believed," Funk said.

Nero's Boot · 09-07-2005, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evolutionist

I can hear the cheers from the wing nuts already- the bloke is burning in hell- woo!

So fucking typical of Christian zealots, too--as soon as they feel insulted or threatened, out come the Hell-threats.

--sad, really, that their God is so pathetic he needs to threaten people NB

Toto · 09-07-2005, 05:01 PM

Hold on, we have no obituaries from Christians consigning Robert Funk to hellfire that I have seen.

Nero's Boot · 09-07-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Hold on, we have no obituaries from Christians consigning Robert Funk to hellfire that I have seen.

Give them time, they'll not be able to resist crowing over Funk "burning in Hellfire and damnation."

--religious fundamentalists can be crueller than any devil, demon, or beast from Hell NB

Peter Kirby · 09-07-2005, 05:10 PM

Actually there is a thread over at "TWeb" on the same subject, and one of the first few posts--no doubt a troll but apparently a serious one which dominated the thread--was "Days in Hell: 1".

kind thoughts,
Peter Kirby

spin · 09-07-2005, 05:12 PM

Umm, Katrina was divine judgment on a sinful city... doh, doh, doh.

ipns

JGL53 · 09-07-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azathoth

So, then, Satan now has the Funk?

Or maybe - de Lawd sayeth "Get The Funk Out My Face." - and it was so.

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09-06-2005, 10:57 AM	#2
Chuck Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: gone Posts: 3,953	Let's try GRD.

09-07-2005, 05:01 PM	#6
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Hold on, we have no obituaries from Christians consigning Robert Funk to hellfire that I have seen.

09-07-2005, 05:10 PM	#8
Peter Kirby Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: the reliquary of Ockham's razor Posts: 4,035	Actually there is a thread over at "TWeb" on the same subject, and one of the first few posts--no doubt a troll but apparently a serious one which dominated the thread--was "Days in Hell: 1". kind thoughts, Peter Kirby

09-07-2005, 05:12 PM	#9
spin Contributor Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: nowhere Posts: 15,747	Umm, Katrina was divine judgment on a sinful city... doh, doh, doh. ipns

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