Pouye

Nobody, even on this forum, can argue the fact that a historical Jew named Jesus has made an incredible impact in our world. His teachings and the accounts of His life have dramatically affected millions of people in every nation on this planet.

Now...

I am writing a book about Christ, and I would like some of you out there to address honest questions to me as if *I* were the historical Jesus invited to this forum. This will help me search the Scriptures to find out, "What would Jesus think/say" about this?"

I'm not your typical "Fundie" (and neither was Jesus, since the typical "Fundies" of His day were the Pharisees...), so don't expect a really Fundie answer. Also, unlike many Fundies, I don't claim to have my Theology tied up in a nice package with a ribbon around it so I'm not ashamed to say when I just don't know about something...

Rock

Jamie_L

Um, you're jumping the gun there with that presumption, compadre. I've seen that very thing (that there was no historical Jesus) argued in these forums.

Check out The Jesus Puzzle by Earl Doherty for an example of someone who argues for this position.

Jamie

HelenM

My question is, how would Jesus react to your comments about 'fundies' and your attempt to gain an 'in' with people here by saying you aren't one?

Here's what I think (although you didn't ask) - I don't think Jesus would distance himself from any hypothetical subset of true believers in himself as you have done, generalizing about them labelling them and stereotyping them as 'fundies'.

Anyway, best wishes with your book. And in becoming conformed to the image of Christ.

Helen

Jamie_L

Issues of the veracity of a historical Jesus aside, if he were real and I could question him, here would be my questions:

Why don't I believe?

If I searched with an open heart and an honestly seeking intellect, why did I find atheism instead of God?

Am I to be held responsible for this honest mistake?

If God loves me, and belief is the road to salvation, why has he not convinced me to believe? Why did he give me a mind and spirit that would take the inputs from his creation and conclude that he does not exist?

There are numerous other questions on different topics that I would have, but these would be first and foremost on the list.

Jamie

Starboy

What is a holy ghost?

Starboy

McNamara

Jesus, did they have weed in ancient Judea? That would have been cool.

Seriously though, what would Jesus say about the hard-core fundamentalists? For example, Fred Phelps? I doubt it would be complimentary; perhaps something along the lines of: "Congratulations. You've memorized every word in the Bible. Unfortunately, you've missed the entire message." -- Jesus

Hugo Holbling

I like to think that Jesus would wonder why so many people spend their time arguing instead of trying to build a better world for everyone, in spite of theological differences.

Stephen T-B

OK
What would Jesus say about:
Gene Robinson?
About people getting divorced; and what would he say about them getting re-married.
About the death penalty?
About abortion, as carried out on a woman made pregnant during a rape, or is most likely to die in childbirth, or is suffering severe depression which giving birth is expected to make a great deal worse?
About stem cell research?
About GM foods?
About the US role in Iraq and the war to topple Saddam?
About statues of himself and his mother in churches?
Is the Pope infallible?
Do you go to Heaven if you believe in him and ask him to forgive your sins? Or do you go to Heaven if you've been a really good person and brought peace to millions of people? Or do you go to Heaven if God already decided you would, regardless of how you've behaved.?
Is Mother Theresa in Heaven?
Did Mary Tudor, who burnt all those Protestant heretics, go to Heaven, for doing the will of the Lord, or to Hell for getting it totally wrong?
Is it really as hard for a rich person to get into Heaven as it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle?

(Will that do to be going on with?)

Yahzi

Here's the only question anybody really cares about:

I'd ask Jesus what he was doing while the Nazis shoved 6 million or so of his grand-nieces and grand-nephews into ovens. I wouldn't necessarily expect Jesus to stop them from dying: but I would ask why he let them suffer so terribly, being subject to the most horrible tortures from the Nazis, starving, shamed, and terrified before they died.

I'd ask Jesus why he let the Germans find Anne Frank.

I'd ask Jesus why he let <insert name of most recent small child who died while be abused by a pastor> die in pain and suffering.

I'd ask Jesus why he hasn't come back yet: just how much suffering does the human race have to endure before God lets us into paradise? And why? How can infinite God need, benefit from, or desire the last 2,000 years of suffering?

I'd ask Jesus why he doesn't excersize the same level of intervention that we expect from an ordinary, merely mortal policeman.

Jayjay

The opening post specified that we're talking about the historical Jesus, but reading the rest of the thread it seems that quite a few are addressing the spiritual Jesus. Anyway, here're mine (assuming that the Bible is more or less correct about Jesus' sayings, if not the miracles):

• What did you mean when you said you're "Son of God"?
• How was your childhood?
• In retrospect, would you do anything differently?