Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 03-08-2006, 06:17 PM

Jay Raskin (PhilosopherJay on this board and a moderator on the JesusMysteries yahoogroup) has a new book out. The Evolution of Christs and Christianities is available here along with an excerpt.

ISBN: 1-4134-9791-8 (Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 1-4134-9792-6 (Hardback)
Pages: 649

From the Description:

"This is a book that will surprise the most gullible and the most skeptical. It provides a definitive answer to the question, 'Did Jesus Exist?' . . . The book offers evidence for five major hypotheses: 1) Bishop Eusebius’ fourth century Church History is a tendentious, biased and generally distorted picture of the development of early Christianity. Mainstream scholars who rely on it are promoting a false, fairytale-like ideology rather than promulgating an authentic history of people and social groups. 2) A woman, probably named Mary, wrote the earliest layer of the canonical gospel tales. She may have been a daughter of a Jewish High Priest. 3) Most of the words of Jesus of Nazareth found in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke were originally from texts about John, the Nazarene Prophet A.K.A. John, the Baptist. 4) Important features of the characters of Jesus and the Apostle Peter came from a Samaritan magician later called Simon Magus. 5) The major Christian group in Jerusalem in the first century was The Church of God. This institution was associated with James the Just and opposed by the Apostle Paul. It apparently made its money by training slaves for wealthy widows. It worshipped Joshua (Jesus) of Nun as opposed to Moses and knew nothing of any Jesus from Nazareth who died on a cross. Taken together these hypotheses suggest that Jesus of Nazareth was not a real historical person. but he was a primarily literary creation. He was a combination of various texts about Joshua of Nun, John the Nazarene Prophet, James the Just, Simon Magus and various other literary characters. However some of these earlier characters may have been loosely based on, or intended to refer to, various historical persons. "

Chris Weimer · 03-08-2006, 06:27 PM

I think you spelt his name wrong in the title.

Toto · 03-08-2006, 06:32 PM

Fixed. Happy now?

Chris Weimer · 03-08-2006, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Fixed. Happy now?

With the book or with the title?

ziffel · 03-08-2006, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Jay Raskin (PhilosopherJay on this board and a moderator on the JesusMysteries yahoogroup) has a new book out. The Evolution of Christs and Christianities is available here along with an excerpt.

Thanks for the heads-up, I just ordered The Jesus Mysteries today, and have about 3-4 other titles on the way. I'll add this one to the queue.

Didymus · 03-09-2006, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Weimer

I think you spelt his name wrong in the title.

Umm, isn't spelt spelled "spelled"?

Didy

Julian · 03-09-2006, 09:51 AM

Spelled can be spelled spelt or spelled...

...both are correct.

Chris Weimer · 03-09-2006, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didymus

Umm, isn't spelt spelled "spelled"?

Didy

You can always spot a full-blooded American.

03-08-2006, 06:17 PM	#1
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Jay Raskin's Evolution of Christs and Christianities is available Jay Raskin (PhilosopherJay on this board and a moderator on the JesusMysteries yahoogroup) has a new book out. The Evolution of Christs and Christianities is available here along with an excerpt. ISBN: 1-4134-9791-8 (Trade Paperback) ISBN: 1-4134-9792-6 (Hardback) Pages: 649 From the Description: "This is a book that will surprise the most gullible and the most skeptical. It provides a definitive answer to the question, 'Did Jesus Exist?' . . . The book offers evidence for five major hypotheses: 1) Bishop Eusebius’ fourth century Church History is a tendentious, biased and generally distorted picture of the development of early Christianity. Mainstream scholars who rely on it are promoting a false, fairytale-like ideology rather than promulgating an authentic history of people and social groups. 2) A woman, probably named Mary, wrote the earliest layer of the canonical gospel tales. She may have been a daughter of a Jewish High Priest. 3) Most of the words of Jesus of Nazareth found in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke were originally from texts about John, the Nazarene Prophet A.K.A. John, the Baptist. 4) Important features of the characters of Jesus and the Apostle Peter came from a Samaritan magician later called Simon Magus. 5) The major Christian group in Jerusalem in the first century was The Church of God. This institution was associated with James the Just and opposed by the Apostle Paul. It apparently made its money by training slaves for wealthy widows. It worshipped Joshua (Jesus) of Nun as opposed to Moses and knew nothing of any Jesus from Nazareth who died on a cross. Taken together these hypotheses suggest that Jesus of Nazareth was not a real historical person. but he was a primarily literary creation. He was a combination of various texts about Joshua of Nun, John the Nazarene Prophet, James the Just, Simon Magus and various other literary characters. However some of these earlier characters may have been loosely based on, or intended to refer to, various historical persons. "

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03-08-2006, 06:27 PM	#2
Chris Weimer Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: none Posts: 9,879	I think you spelt his name wrong in the title.

03-08-2006, 06:32 PM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Fixed. Happy now?

03-09-2006, 09:51 AM	#7
Julian Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Washington, DC (formerly Denmark) Posts: 3,789	Spelled can be spelled spelt or spelled... ...both are correct.

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