Imagine this...

[Jehanne]

Imagine today, Sunday (or, for those reading this later, just pick another day), CNN issues a worldwide news flash at 4 PM EST announcing the following:

"President John F. Kennedy has been shot."

Shortly thereafter Anderson Cooper appears on live TV to describe the mayhem that occurred some 60 or so years ago.

What would you think? A joke? They are all crazy? An alien virus???

The above scenario, however, happened just under two thousand years ago, which, today, believers and skeptics refer to as The Four Gospels. The earliest Gospel, Mark, was composed around 70 of the common era with The Gospel of John being written sometime in the 90s, some 60 to 70 years after the execution of Jesus. These writings (as well as others outside of the New Testament) claim many extraordinary things that Jesus supposedly did, such as walking on liquid water and raising the clinical dead back to life.

Some living during that time appear, however, to be completely unimpressed by these stories, which were never mentioned by hundreds, if not thousands, of literate human beings who could have recorded those events. For instance, the Jewish-Roman historian, Josephus, was born in Jerusalem, the city that Jesus died in, sometime in 37 CE, but in his book on the Jewish & Roman wars, written 30 years later, Josephus never even mentions the existence of Jesus; he does mention Pilate and Ananus, the high priest. Only some 20 years later, when writing a tome on the history of the Jews does Jesus get a brief, undisputed reference as being "called the Christ".

Clearly, Josephus was unimpressed with the stories surrounding Jesus, no doubt viewing such tales as being a "dime a dozen". Knowing what scholars know today about all the other miracle workers who lived prior, during and after the time of Jesus should cause us to be even less impressed about the supposed "historical data".

[purplepurpose]

Religion helps a lot of people to survive in this sad world. And there are many awesome people among christians. Its arrogant to say "It isnt backed by facts. Its useless". Useless for some. But it helps greatly others.

[onlinebiker]

Praying to " god" or sniffing the seat of Wonder Woman' s invisible jet - if it gets you through the day - fine....

Just don't expect everyone to respect your delusions....

[edial]

Imagine today, Sunday (or, for those reading this later, just pick another day), CNN issues a worldwide news flash at 4 PM EST announcing the following:

"President John F. Kennedy has been shot."

Shortly thereafter Anderson Cooper appears on live TV to describe the mayhem that occurred some 60 or so years ago.

What would you think?  A joke?  They are all crazy?  An alien virus???

The above scenario, however, happened just under two thousand years ago, which, today, believers and skeptics refer to as The Four Gospels.   The earliest Gospel, Mark, was composed around 70 of the common era with The Gospel of John being written sometime in the 90s, some 60 to 70 years after the execution of Jesus.  These writings (as well as others outside of the New Testament) claim many extraordinary things that Jesus supposedly did, such as walking on liquid water and raising the clinical dead back to life.

Some living during that time appear, however, to be completely unimpressed by these stories, which were never mentioned by hundreds, if not thousands, of literate human beings who could have recorded those events.  For instance, the Jewish-Roman historian, Josephus, was born in Jerusalem, the city that Jesus died in, sometime in 37 CE, but in his book on the Jewish & Roman wars, written 30 years later, Josephus never even mentions the existence of Jesus; he does mention Pilate and Ananus, the high priest.  Only some 20 years later, when writing a tome on the history of the Jews does Jesus get a brief, undisputed reference as being "called the Christ".

Clearly, Josephus was unimpressed with the stories surrounding Jesus, no doubt viewing such tales as being a "dime a dozen".  Knowing what scholars know today about all the other miracle workers who lived prior, during and after the time of Jesus should cause us to be even less impressed about the supposed "historical data".

---

But Jesus was only popular among the common people, but very unpopular among the Jewish leadership.
They hated him intensely, but even they wrote in Talmud that Christ was doing miracles.

So the Jews and the Romans kicked in their propaganda machine and tried squashing the historical fact of Jesus Christ and slandering his name ... way too many people were leaving their synagogues and the Roman temples to follow Jesus of Nazareth.

People like Anderson Cooper (whom you mentioned) are hired to either promote or disrepute whatever news are happening.
Controlling the news is as ancient as civilization is.

Thanks,
Ed

[Pat Mustard]

Imagine today, Sunday (or, for those reading this later, just pick another day), CNN issues a worldwide news flash at 4 PM EST announcing the following:

"President John F. Kennedy has been shot."

Shortly thereafter Anderson Cooper appears on live TV to describe the mayhem that occurred some 60 or so years ago.

What would you think?  A joke?  They are all crazy?  An alien virus???

The above scenario, however, happened just under two thousand years ago, which, today, believers and skeptics refer to as The Four Gospels.   The earliest Gospel, Mark, was composed around 70 of the common era with The Gospel of John being written sometime in the 90s, some 60 to 70 years after the execution of Jesus.  These writings (as well as others outside of the New Testament) claim many extraordinary things that Jesus supposedly did, such as walking on liquid water and raising the clinical dead back to life.

Some living during that time appear, however, to be completely unimpressed by these stories, which were never mentioned by hundreds, if not thousands, of literate human beings who could have recorded those events.  For instance, the Jewish-Roman historian, Josephus, was born in Jerusalem, the city that Jesus died in, sometime in 37 CE, but in his book on the Jewish & Roman wars, written 30 years later, Josephus never even mentions the existence of Jesus; he does mention Pilate and Ananus, the high priest.  Only some 20 years later, when writing a tome on the history of the Jews does Jesus get a brief, undisputed reference as being "called the Christ".

Clearly, Josephus was unimpressed with the stories surrounding Jesus, no doubt viewing such tales as being a "dime a dozen".  Knowing what scholars know today about all the other miracle workers who lived prior, during and after the time of Jesus should cause us to be even less impressed about the supposed "historical data".

At least we know what happened to JFK. We have evidence from those who witnessed it and videos of the shooting. Even with that though, there are unknowns.

Religion helps a lot of people to survive in this sad world. And there are many awesome people among christians. Its arrogant to say "It isnt backed by facts. Its useless". Useless for some. But it helps greatly others.

But there are better things for helping people. Religion, because it is a method of control, is actually a pretty shitty means of consolation in isolation; most times where religion consoles, it's not the religion doing it but the good and kind nature of the person giving the religion (and quite often, they go way off message to offer consolation).

[Jehanne]

Imagine today, Sunday (or, for those reading this later, just pick another day), CNN issues a worldwide news flash at 4 PM EST announcing the following:

"President John F. Kennedy has been shot."

Shortly thereafter Anderson Cooper appears on live TV to describe the mayhem that occurred some 60 or so years ago.

What would you think?  A joke?  They are all crazy?  An alien virus???

The above scenario, however, happened just under two thousand years ago, which, today, believers and skeptics refer to as The Four Gospels.   The earliest Gospel, Mark, was composed around 70 of the common era with The Gospel of John being written sometime in the 90s, some 60 to 70 years after the execution of Jesus.  These writings (as well as others outside of the New Testament) claim many extraordinary things that Jesus supposedly did, such as walking on liquid water and raising the clinical dead back to life.

Some living during that time appear, however, to be completely unimpressed by these stories, which were never mentioned by hundreds, if not thousands, of literate human beings who could have recorded those events.  For instance, the Jewish-Roman historian, Josephus, was born in Jerusalem, the city that Jesus died in, sometime in 37 CE, but in his book on the Jewish & Roman wars, written 30 years later, Josephus never even mentions the existence of Jesus; he does mention Pilate and Ananus, the high priest.  Only some 20 years later, when writing a tome on the history of the Jews does Jesus get a brief, undisputed reference as being "called the Christ".

Clearly, Josephus was unimpressed with the stories surrounding Jesus, no doubt viewing such tales as being a "dime a dozen".  Knowing what scholars know today about all the other miracle workers who lived prior, during and after the time of Jesus should cause us to be even less impressed about the supposed "historical data".

---

But Jesus was only popular among the common people, but very unpopular among the Jewish leadership.
They hated him intensely, but even they wrote in Talmud that Christ was doing miracles.

So the Jews and the Romans kicked in their propaganda machine and tried squashing the historical fact of Jesus Christ and slandering his name ... way too many people were leaving their synagogues and the Roman temples to follow Jesus of Nazareth.

People like Anderson Cooper (whom you mentioned) are hired to either promote or disrepute whatever news are happening.
Controlling the news is as ancient as civilization is.

Thanks,
Ed

So, of the thousands of literate individuals who were contemporaneous with Jesus, no one chose to mention him? Why?

[Belacqua]

Shortly thereafter Anderson Cooper appears on live TV

People may not know about Anderson Cooper's background.

His mother is Gloria Vanderbilt. He was raised in extreme luxury on the Upper East Side, and went to the most elite, well-connected prep schools. He worked for the CIA for a brief time, though it's impossible to say what connections he still has there.

(When I worked for an art gallery in NYC, some of his classmates were interns at the gallery. I found out later, when one of them was profiled in The New Yorker, that they are good friends with Cooper. They got the intern gig not for any skill or talent they had, but because their parents spent a lot of money there. When there was any work to be done they would make themselves scarce, but they were popular with the staff because they were generous with their cocaine.)

In other words, this may not be the best analogy to prove your point. If a savior did appear who said that God loves the poor more than the rich, and only those who give their money away will enter heaven, you can be absolutely sure that Anderson Cooper wouldn't report it.

[arewethereyet]

Shortly thereafter Anderson Cooper appears on live TV

People may not know about Anderson Cooper's background.

His mother is Gloria Vanderbilt. He was raised in extreme luxury on the Upper East Side, and went to the most elite, well-connected prep schools. He worked for the CIA for a brief time, though it's impossible to say what connections he still has there.

(When I worked for an art gallery in NYC, some of his classmates were interns at the gallery. I found out later, when one of them was profiled in The New Yorker, that they are good friends with Cooper. They got the intern gig not for any skill or talent they had, but because their parents spent a lot of money there. When there was any work to be done they would make themselves scarce, but they were popular with the staff because they were generous with their cocaine.)

In other words, this may not be the best analogy to prove your point. If a savior did appear who said that God loves the poor more than the rich, and only those who give their money away will enter heaven, you can be absolutely sure that Anderson Cooper wouldn't report it.

And what does the economic status of Anderson Cooper have to do with this since it's stated that he relates a story?  Period.  Nothing whatever to do with a god loving the rich or the poor.

[Jehanne]

In other words, this may not be the best analogy to prove your point. If a savior did appear who said that God loves the poor more than the rich, and only those who give their money away will enter heaven, you can be absolutely sure that Anderson Cooper wouldn't report it.

The decision would lie more with Mr. Cooper's executive producer than with him. My point in the OP is that no one reported it.

[Belacqua]

And what does the economic status of Anderson Cooper have to do with this since it's stated that he relates a story?  Period.  Nothing whatever to do with a god loving the rich or the poor.

The media are owned by the very rich. They exist solely to sell a narrative, and they're extremely good at what they do. Stories which work against the narrative are generally ignored or lied about.