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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
July 27, 2012 at 11:24 pm
(This post was last modified: July 27, 2012 at 11:57 pm by Justtristo.)
(July 27, 2012 at 7:08 am)DeistPaladin Wrote: (July 27, 2012 at 6:57 am)Justtristo Wrote: Robert M Price on one of his Bible Geek podcasts, talked about a about in a dialogue between Justin Martyr and a rabbi named Trypho. Dr Dr Price mentioned that somewhere in this dialogue Trypho asserted that Christians invented the character of Jesus. I would bet that more ancient writers thought the same as Trypho, however their works have not survived.
There's good reason to think so and not just because of the bad reputation that Christians have earned for the last 2000 years of being book burners. Apologists often tout "hostile witnesses" such as Thallus, Lucien and Celsus, people who were late second century critics of Christianity. Yet their works are "lost to us" and the only reason we even know about them at all is they are quoted in the works of the apologists of the time.
I dunno if we can assume that early Christians (once they were in charge in the Roman Empire) were deliberating burning non-Christian works, as opposed to works by those considered heretics. I believe they just were not interested in preserving them. That is why we have every one of St Jerome's letters (which Richard Carrier called them interminably boring) got preserved. While the vast majority of ancient scientific works were preserved.
(July 27, 2012 at 9:27 am)Rhythm Wrote: That christianity has been in need of apologists since the very beginning is similarly telling. Apparently this bullshit wasn't as easy to believe (even two thousand years ago, when people believed in this sort of shit almost as a rule) as our modern apologists would have us believe today.
I am beginning to think Christianity was the Mormonism of the Ancient World. All sane people would agree Joseph Smith invented Mormonism outright, however currently there are 14 million Mormons in the world.
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
July 28, 2012 at 12:05 am
They did much more than just burn books......
http://www.mountainman.com.au/essenes/article_060.htm
Quote:370 Valens orders a tremendous persecution of non-Christian peoples in all
the Eastern Empire. In Antioch, among many other non-Christians, the
ex-governor Fidustius and the priests Hilarius and Patricius are executed.
The philosopher Simonides is burned alive and the philosopher Maximus is
decapitated. All the friends of Julian are persecuted (Orebasius,
Sallustius, Pegasius etc.).
Tons of books are burnt in the squares of the cities of the Eastern Empire.
372 Valens orders the governor of Minor Asia to exterminate all the Hellenes
and all documents of their wisdom.
373 New prohibition of all divination methods is issued. The term "pagan"
(pagani, villagers, equivalent to the modern insult, "peasants") is
introduced by the Christians to demean non-believers.
375 The temple of Asclepius in Epidaurus, Greece, is closed down by the
Christians.
380 On 27th February Christianity becomes the exclusive religion of the
Roman Empire by an edict of the Emperor Flavius Theodosius, requiring that:
"All the various nations which are subject to our clemency and moderation
should continue in the profession of that religion which was delivered to
the Romans by the divine Apostle Peter."
The non-Christians are called "loathsome, heretics, stupid and blind".
In another edict, Theodosius calls "insane" those that do not believe to the
Christian God and outlaws all disagreement with the Church dogmas.
Ambrosius, bishop of Milan, begins the destruction of pagan temples of his
area. The Christian priests lead the hungry mob against the temple of
goddess Demeter in Eleusis and try to lynch the hierophants Nestorius and
Priskus. The 95 year old hierophant Nestorius ends the Eleusinian Mysteries
and announces "the predominance of mental darkness over the human race."
381 At the Council of Constantinople the 'Holy Spirit' is declared 'Divine'
(thus sanctioning a triune god). On 2nd May, Theodosius deprives of all
their rights any Christians who return to the pagan religion. Throughout the
Eastern Empire the pagan temples and libraries are looted or burned down. On
21st December, Theodosius outlaws visits to Hellenic temples.
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 5, 2012 at 4:52 pm
why would someone invent the Jesus myth?
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 5, 2012 at 5:26 pm
(This post was last modified: August 5, 2012 at 5:27 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
LOL, How much time you got buddy?
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 5, 2012 at 5:34 pm
(August 5, 2012 at 4:52 pm)cratehorus Wrote: why would someone invent the Jesus myth?
Politics and social control, mainly.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 5, 2012 at 6:08 pm
That's what churches are all about.
Any individual xtian moron believing in an invisible sky-daddy is not a danger to anyone but himself. But when you gather enough of the assholes into a church they start trying to tell everyone else how to live.
It is at that point that the GO FUCK YOURSELVES factor kicks in.
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 5, 2012 at 8:45 pm
(August 5, 2012 at 4:52 pm)cratehorus Wrote: why would someone invent the Jesus myth?
Why do people even today continue with myth making? Two modern examples;the documentary film and the cult of celebrity. 
An answer; like all human activity ,such things have at least one purpose.
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 7, 2012 at 4:57 am
Hi I'm average, another user name I had. The board won't let me in on the password I used all the time, so I have had to re register as jupitor. I mentioned somewhere in this thread that In the New International bible, a woman says to Jesus...'But you're a Greek, it is said the son of God comes from Gallilea.'
I got hold of a NIB but can't find the reference as it was printed in 1978. It must be in a more up to date version. It must be in one of these..Matthew/Mark/Luke/John as those are the only scriptures which tell about Jesus when he was alive.
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 7, 2012 at 6:18 am
(This post was last modified: August 7, 2012 at 6:24 am by Oldandeasilyconfused.)
(August 5, 2012 at 4:52 pm)cratehorus Wrote: why would someone invent the Jesus myth?
Some ONE didn't.
Christian mythology developed over centuries. No one person, or one group of people at any specific time were responsible as far as I can see.
Christian mythology has never stopped growing and changing.
Quote: It must be in one of these..Matthew/Mark/Luke/John as those are the only scriptures which tell about Jesus when he was alive.
Actually,they tell us nothing for sure. I have never seen any credible evidence that the entire New Testament is anything more than the mythology built around a person who may or may not have existed. 
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RE: Where did the Jesus myth come from?
August 7, 2012 at 7:53 am
(August 7, 2012 at 6:18 am)padraic Wrote: (August 5, 2012 at 4:52 pm)cratehorus Wrote: why would someone invent the Jesus myth?
Some ONE didn't.
Christian mythology developed over centuries. No one person, or one group of people at any specific time were responsible as far as I can see.
Christian mythology has never stopped growing and changing.
Quote: It must be in one of these..Matthew/Mark/Luke/John as those are the only scriptures which tell about Jesus when he was alive.
Actually,they tell us nothing for sure. I have never seen any credible evidence that the entire New Testament is anything more than the mythology built around a person who may or may not have existed.
Yes I agree.
I think it is all Greek mythology as Greeks had many Gods, one being Zeus who had a son with an earthling virgin. One of the Greeks characters even died and rose on the third day. There was a large Greek community living in Judea at that time and it is feasible that Jesus was introduced as the mythological son to the relatively new invisible God.
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