A friend sent me a link to website for the movie “The God who was not there”. The trailer looks interesting and the supporting documentation catches my interest. I would like to watch it, but the only place it is playing in California is up in Berkeley. I am going to have to buy it; at about $30 bucks it isn’t cheap. I’ll post a review when after I’ve seen it.The website makes this claim: In this provocative, critically acclaimed documentary, you will discover:
- The early founders of Christianity seem wholly unaware of the idea of a human Jesus
- The Jesus of the Gospels bears a striking resemblance to other ancient heroes and the figureheads of pagan savior cults
- Contemporary Christians are largely ignorant of the origins of their religion
- Fundamentalism is as strong today as it ever has been, with an alarming 44% of Americans believing Jesus will return to earth in their lifetimes
- And God simply isn't there
Technorati Tags:
atheism, religion, Christianity, video, God, Jesus
4 comments:
It would be something I would like to see as well, good or bad. Can't wait for your review.
MoJoey,
This is total tripe:
1. The idea that Jesus did come in the flesh is totally addressed in 1 John. It was a common Greek belief that the "good" could not be physical so false Greek teachers called Gnostics invaded the early church and the apostles, John the Disciples, had to say, "we are eyewitnesses of the truth... He who says Jesus did not come in the flesh is anti-Christ".
2. The Jesus as hero is the language of the NT. The Caesars called themselves 'Lord and Savior" like Hitler did. This is common. The early church said "No there is only one savior who is the Christ, Jesus" . That is not some new thing. That is the way the early Christians presented the idea of Messiah. They used the language of the day to describe the power of Jesus to grant peace and the blessed life.
You are so quick to believe such uneducated nonsense. It is embarrassing.
Brad - you complete butthead. I always ask myself the rhetorical question, Is this the real deal or nutball stuff. Since I don't know, I need to see it for myself so that I can test it.
And - you don't know enough to denounce it with your pseudo religious babble without seeing its arguments for yourself. I never trust your responses when you resort to rhetoric. Simply saying Jesus was real because the bible says so is…. simple.
MoJoey,
That is not what I am saying...(Jesus is real because the bible says). I am saying this is not a new concept and the idea that Christ was only a fantasm was addressed in the first generation of greek-minded churches. The early belief was a religious syncretism based on platonic idealism. To the platonic mind it was categorically impossible for the Christ or the Spiritual man to have a body. Because platonic idealism sees the body as inhernetly evil. Therefore the Gnostic movement was a result of turning the Hebrew gospel into a greek philosophy.
Obviously I think that there is a huge difference between saying Jesus isnt the Christ and this is all religious fantasy and saying the historical Jesus didn't even exist. I think the later is just not plausible. It seems utterly ridiculous to say the apostle stood up and said "this guy whom you just killed is the Christ" and for there have never been a "guy just killed". No one ever responded "what guy?". They instead said "no way, he was a Gallilean or an uneducated northerner". The jewish attack on the apostolic proclamation was never "jesus never existed" It was always "the Messiah would never have been crucified". Your take is just not plausible. Note: I give you that Jesus being Christ is anotehr story altogether. You can be perfectly rational and reject the religious claims.
Uberkuh,
As for faith, the most common Christian definition of faith is an assurance of a thing hoped for. If one does not have an assurance of the thing believed it is usually not considered to be actual faith. For example, if Terrel Owens believes he is god's gift to women, we would call it real faith if he really really beleived it. That is an assurance of a thng hoped for.
Post a Comment