RE: Plagiarism in the NT
July 27, 2017 at 10:30 am
(This post was last modified: July 27, 2017 at 10:36 am by Brian37.)
(July 27, 2017 at 10:22 am)Astonished Wrote:(July 27, 2017 at 10:11 am)Brian37 Wrote: He saw Jesus as a philosopher, not a man with super powers. He saw him as being like Plato or Socrates. I would have to disagree with that too but still. Neither Plato or Socrates sold a authoritarian figure but the Jesus character no matter how kind many try to paint him, is still under himself/God who does have the final rule.
It would not surprise me one bit if Jefferson or Paine for that matter were alive today and could see all the modern technology and science would ditch even deism considering how much they valued the natural world and science. But back then they were also playing politics and even personally, even the most intellectual humans can be held hostage by the fear of being wrong and punished in an afterlife.
Little known French figure Paul Heinrich Dietrich or Baron d'Holbach, was even far more direct and blunt about a god or gods not existing than Jefferson. He really is considered by many atheist historians to be the catalyst to the modern atheist movement. Now don't get me wrong, I would never paint him as a prophet, but extremely intuitive for his time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_d%27Holbach
It's hard to take it seriously from a guy who owned slaves (and illegitimately fathered children with at least one of them). Hardly makes sense for him to re-write the story of Jeebus as a moral teacher when his own morals are so fucked-up.
Nobody is or should justify his ownership of slaves. But it still remains that it was a far different time back then. And many of the founders back then wanted to end slavery at the signing of the Constitution, but could not gain the full support. Slavery however had ended in the North for the most part by the time he died.
I would not scrap the constitution because of the bad things the founders were still doing at the time. That same constitution was written in such a way for future generations to use free speech, protest and courts to gain rights. Even with that inability to end it at the signing of the Constitution, I do think they had the foresight knowing it could eventually be used to expand rights.
No it is not a perfect history one bit. Our country has lots of horrible things in it's history sure. But the concept of checks and balances and the ability to appeal to government is what also brought us progress.
Let me add, the fact that Jefferson fathered kids with Sally and eventually willed her to be free, would indicate at a minimum he was conflicted on the issue. I don't think he was brave enough to go all the way of course and like even politics today, some politicians will do what they hate just to keep their seat to keep up image.
No it does not make it right. It is merely an explanation.
