(August 15, 2021 at 10:37 pm)Ahriman Wrote:(August 15, 2021 at 10:31 pm)vulcanlogician Wrote: I think the idea of Jesus takes many forms... means many different things, to many different people. As Neo hinted at before, he can be seen as an ideal, or symbol of humanity. But then again, there's always people who insist he was a historical figure who raised from the dead.Any answer to the question, is an adequate answer, provided it's coming from a place of honesty.
Some people focus on his sermons and parables in the Gospels to discern who he is. Others rely heavily on Paul's ideas.
Kinda hard to pin down the subject matter in order to produce an adequate answer to the question.
Honesty helps. But it also helps to have a clear idea which person we're talking about.
If it is Jesus as Leo Tolstoy saw him (an extreme pacifist who led by example), then I admire the guy.
If he is more like the Baptists portray him (a miracle-worker who came to warn us of our impending judgment --his judgement-- and explain that believing the Bible is the only way to avoid eternal torment) then I kinda hate the guy.
Who he actually is matters to my answer. And I don't know. All we have to go on are old writings, mostly stuff other people wrote. There are a plethora of opinions. How should these writings be understood? How literal are they? And what do they reveal about Jesus?
