Johnny Skeptic

Equinox, thanks very much for the web site references. As Elaine Pagels said, "The victors rewrite history, their way." Larry Taylor says "How does this apply to the story of Jesus? Simply that all of the early critics are dead. Skeptical opinions were banned. Christian opinions, other than those of the establishment, were banned. Books were destroyed, and later, heretics were burned."
These facts should embarrass Christians, but their perceived vested interest in one day obtaining a comfortable eternal life prevents them from honestly considering any and all alternatives to one day obtaining a comfortable eternal life. A comfortable eternal life and emotional comfort in this life is in fact the entire point of religion.

Equinox

No problem!

I've met Dr. Pagels, and gave her one of my replica bookmarks. I made it by finding online pictures of the fragments of the Gospel of Thomas, Mary, etc, adjusting the contrast to just make the letters black & all else white, printing them out on regular paper, crumpling, then tearing up the paper, dipping each fragment in soy sauce, laminating, then cutting out around each fragment and giving out as bookmarks. They looked cool (I put a note with each fragment before laminating that said it was just a replica). I gave them out for a “Lost Christianities� class that I taught last year at our UU church. Here is the syllabus: http://www.uufom.org/AdultRE/LostChrist.htm

With the Da Vinci Code coming out next spring, this topic is timely. Especially since the Da Vinci code is such a mix of some accurate information (such as the idea that the Gnostics existed) and complete speculation (like the idea that Mary Mag. had Jesus’ kid).

Anyway, I’m getting off topic. Take care-

-Equinox