Peter Kirby

lcb writes: may i add: there is a power behind the concept of Jesus Christ.

No, lcb, you are not welcome to add this type of comment to the Biblical Criticism & Archaeology forum. Please restrict your comments to those related to biblical exegesis or historical criticism and do not make posts about the power you find in the concept of Jesus Christ, about the good that is done in the name of Christ, or about the idea that people should have a religious belief in Christ. Witnessing is inappropriate in BC&A and should be taken to Rants, Raves, and Preaching. I hope that you abide by these guidelines and that no action need be taken beyond this warning. If you have any questions about the policy of no preaching on BC&A, please do not respond on this forum but send me a private message or e-mail me (or, if you like, another moderator).

sincerely,
Peter Kirby

Ted Hoffman

Aikido,
You sound very serious about this issue but some of your comments betray some complacency...a failure to ask yourself the tougher questions and a tendency to succumb to the path of least resistance.
You said:
Now, if the fact that you find the story interesting is enough to argue a claim, then we are on diametrically different frequencies and chances are that we have nothing much to learn from each other because there is NO common ground between us.

I do not compromise a pragmatic approach just because a theory is interesting. If you have no basis other than fascination, then that is very unfortunate and I will have to excuse you so that you can indulge your musings.

Jesus is only the subject of research because his historicity has not yet been determined, and his mythical presence in the imagination of people has entrapped billions. In so far as there are questions to be answered, the research will continue, and from what I can see, billions will still remain enslaved in the christian religion, which I find sad NOT interesting. Because of lack of a proper methodology (I am aware of the ones some scholars have used - multiple attestation, dissimilarity, embarrasment criterion, use of pericopes, tendenz analysis etc) for separating the facts from fiction, Jesus historicity will remain blurred and the church will remain rich.

As for you, I hope you will adopt a practical and rational approach to the issue.

aikido7

I obviously have trouble bring across what I believe about story, metaphor and myth. The gap could be likened to the one between diagramming a sentence and speaking it, or between poetry and prose. Plato warned us long ago that the poets are the dangerous ones.

I am one who believes that science as well as art never "progress," but their materials are never the same throughout history.

In closing, Intensity, here are some last feeble attemps at some "common ground.":

--I could express my condolences in that your practical, rational and pragmative approach to Jesus is "uninteresting" to you.

--I could also commiserate with you that you are having to argue claims and post messages based on your lack of curiosity and interest.

--NOTHING has been "determined," the post-modern ground continues to shift, and the historical research on Jesus, Martin Luther King and George Bush will continue.

I COULD continue to talk about all this, but that would be just another story, wouldn't it?

Ted Hoffman

Aikido
Yeah. But that doesn't mean stories are bad, or that I dont like stories. This is a philosophical forum and anything you say will need to be backed by evidence or logic. I come here for biblical scolarhip-related discussions. But if its simply interesting, we can meet at miscellaneous discussions forum and talk of all sorts of interesting stuff.