RE: The Reasons why "Just Following Jesus" Doesn't work
September 30, 2015 at 8:08 pm
(This post was last modified: September 30, 2015 at 8:15 pm by TheRocketSurgeon.)
(September 30, 2015 at 9:46 am)Rekeisha Wrote: Why would the disciples die for a lie? Some were crucified when they could have easily said that Jesus didn't rise from the grave. If they didn't see Jesus then what was the point?
Sweetie, none of them were executed for "refusing to say Jesus didn't rise from the grave". Not one.
They were executed as followers and promoters of a false and pernicious doctrine that claimed authority was in a Jewish man who was called "The Annointed One" (messiah), and not in the "true authority", the Roman Emperor who "rightfully" ruled the Roman Province of Judea.
Their teachings were seen as treasonous. They saw their teachings as nationalist, at least at first, and later spread the word as it had evolved to the other provinces of Rome. The authorities, according to Josephus and Tacitus (et al) felt this was a dangerous anti-authoritarian cult that needed to be wiped out. They failed, and the religion grew and changed with time.
If you'd like to try an experiment, start a religious sect (it can be Christian, or not, as you prefer) and teach the members of the group that the United States has no authority and that members can defy the laws and customs of the country.
See how long they tolerate you. Oh, it won't be as soon or as harsh as the Romans were, where defying the Emperor was seen as akin to defying the authority of the gods, and defying the Empire got you killed. But it'll happen, even here where the USA guarantees you can believe whatever you want.
Your image of Romans killing Christians for refusing to deny that Jesus rose from the dead is a comic-book story, making the Romans out to either be buffoons or demonic puppets, instead of the most efficient military the world had ever seen up to that time. The Romans were actually famous for religious tolerance, so long as you didn't have a religious view that denied the authority of Rome... then you might have to die.
Like America did with the Branch Davidians.
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
