J-D

The natural question to ask somebody who explores something is 'what did you find?' If an explorer finds nothing, then the explorations may be considered fruitless. You seem curiously reluctant to say whether your explorations have resulted in any findings or not.If that's what Richard Carrier says, then that's a conclusion he's reached. I notice you're not saying whether you share it or not. I have no difficulty in saying that I don't have a view on that particular point.Well, I wouldn't say that about Tolkien, but I'm not sure what difference that makes to the present discussion.I don't have a view about Eusebius. It looks as if you do, but if you do you haven't shown how you arrived at it.That may be the conclusion Bishop Lightfoot reached, but I am not persuaded to accept it just because Bishop Lightfoot did.

J-D

You may be engaged in ethical and spiritual warfare--I wouldn't know. I know that I am not. I also know that the truth does not change according to which side somebody is on, and is not determined by which side anybody is on.

On the other hand, I do know that I am not and never have been a Christian and have never equated Christianity with the forces of good.

tanya

Hi Kapyong!!

Thanks for your message.
Yes, many folks, including relatives, have often mentioned that "You haven't got it", and I don't include "getting it", or "getting any", here, in that category of rebukes.

I apologize to you and Earl, for submitting a thought to the forum which conflicts with Earl's popular theory. My own theory, ideas, notions, and suppositions, have thus far evaded anyone's published domain, including those famous books by Earl. The advantage of being out in left field, so to write, is the absence of harrassment by would be suitors. I can honestly write, that I have thus far, not been troubled by anyone ringing me at inopportune moments, for any purpose.

Thanks J-D, no disrespect intended here, but, "peculiarly alone" is not really a newsworthy item, among the handful of analyses of my life, received thus far. I am not writing on this forum to gain friends, influence enemies, or make my fortune. I am simply expressing an opinion. It may be utterly nonsensical to everyone else. Personally, it seems reasonable to me.

JtB is not presented by the Gospels, at least, as having possessed supernatural capability, therefore, he could have been a real person. I lack knowledge and understanding of Jewish ritual, so I cannot evaluate the logic behind immersing folks in the River Jordan. In my simplistic outlook, JtB's existence has no more relationship to the mythical character Jesus of Nazareth, than Pontius Pilate or Herod, two other historical figures, mentioned in the Gospels.

Historical, DNA yes, Alexandria, Egypt (among many other places bearing his name)

"literally corresponded": if that included walking on water, then, NO.

'the myth Jesus theory', in my view, is not terribly difficult to comprehend:

Jesus was a fictitious character in a fable.

That wasn't too difficult, was it? Have you a suggestion for a different name, that could be understood by simpletons like me? I like MJ because I can understand what it means!

Thanks again, for your rejoinders, J-D. Always a pleasure to encounter.

Sheshbazzar

You wouldn't know_ but you think that you know that you are not.
Did you ever stop to think? Perhaps that is your blind side?

It is not good for a person to not know what they are about, or to not be aware of what manner of territory it is they are sojourning.
Much less not being aware of on which side of the battle lines they are, or in Whose service they stand.
You are here, it is your responsibility to become aware of the lay of the land, and of what it is that you are involved in, and see to it that you are well armed and equipped to survive and to prevail.

Man. Pledge your allegiance. Toss away your little stick, and purchase a sword, shield, armor, and cloak, before you die the death of a traitor.
Your opponents. They know that they are at war, and they know your weaknesses, where you sleep, and are intent to spoil you of both liberty and life.
It will profit you nothing to hide in a hole and pretend that they will pass you by. If they catch you straddling the fence soldier, you are dead meat.


Then you had best become damn well sure of in which camp it is that you eat and sleep, and which side it is that you are on soldier.
Well Good for you!
Why then do you wish to be found repeating and defending the enemy's stupid myths and war propaganda?





.

jakejonesiv

Archibald,

OK, no problem!

Jake

J-D

The truth or falsehood of a statement is not determined by who utters it or which side they're on. Truths don't become falsehoods or falsehoods truths just because a Christian utters them, or because an enemy of Christianity utters them. What I am doing here is discussing what can be known to be true or false and what can't, not participating in a war. I am not soldiering, here or anywhere else, nor am I living my life in the middle of a war. Nobody is waging war on me or trying to kill me. There is definitely nobody being killed in war on this board. I eat and sleep in my own home and am safe there. And if war ever does come here, the content of posts to this board will be one of the first things I stop worrying about.

Sheshbazzar

Not a soldier eh? Then a civilian if you will. You say.
Man, whether you recognize it or not, you are in the middle of a war zone, the battle lines are drawn, and the war has long since commenced..
So you think. Those of both sides, who are on the lines know better.
In one sense yes, and in another sense no. You walk in the ways of the world and eat yourself full on the polluted leaven of the world, swallowing it down.
You swallow down of the mingled wine of the daughters of fornication, and drunk and in stupor you do not discern where you are.
Sleep...ah yes, as it is written; 'a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep......'
Thus many others before you had thought, until the night their door was stove in, and their lives forfeited.

But it can be seen, that you desire to not see, nor to know the manner of, nor the goings forth of these things.

Sleep on now, and take your rest;

The sentinels are in their watches upon every hill, the watchword has gone forth amongst them.
They do not sleep, nor close their eyes, but throughout this long night, slay the the children of the Ephraimites at the passages, one by one;
Every Gileadite sword sharp and shiny, has been baptized in blood, prepared against The Day of Battle and War.
Fold your hands together and sleep.



Sheshbazzar The Hebrew
.

Kapyong

Gday tanya,

No need to apologise for being different, or for expressing your opinions - you are welcome to post your views here any time.
:-)

But I just wanted to point out a particular glitch in your comments about the Mythical Jesus theory - the issue being that the NON-history of Jesus does not quite equate to it being "made up" or fiction or fantasy or any ol' thing.

Because
1) the Mythical Jesus was a real spiritual being to Paul (according to Earl's JMT theory.)
2) the story of the Mythical Jesus was not just "made up" on the spot, it was largely based on episodes of the Jewish scriptures.

But I commonly see a stark dichotomy, a split into polar extremes, when discussing a Mythical Jesus - that there are two possibilites, with no others, no middle :
* real historical truth
or
* made-up fiction

Which excludes Paul's real spiritual Jesus, encoded in the Tanakh, somewhere in the middle there...


K.

Sheshbazzar

round and round it goes.
Hey aa, you really wanna go round and around on this merry-go-round horse another 800+ times?
There isn't anything you are ever going to say to J-D that will be able to prevent him from playing stupid.

I hope Toto or the mods just step up and shoot this dying horse in the head and put it out of its hoof kicking misery.

Toto

OK - rather than just close this thread, I have split off the dance between aa5874 and J-D.

Any further repetitive posts or posts that do not advance the discussion will be dumped there, in particular one line claims that a term has not been defined.

eta: missing posts are here