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Gome, both your commentary and the ensuing comments...
are interesting & largely valid. My family taught me right from childhood to focus on good values and not worry about their source, such as this or that book / society, etc. Of course that requires a solid inner conscience, and a belief that everyone has that, to varying degrees, during their lifetimes. This is the universal truth.
posted by
ash_pradhan
on March 25, 2009 at 7:47 AM
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Soul_Builder101 - I don't know how accurate that is
As far as I know, the "Sinai bible" is urban legend, a creation of modern fiction writing. As for Constantine "commissioning the bible", the first known version of what has spawned the modern day versions of the bible is thought to have been assembled several decades after his death in 337AD (somewhere around 370AD) . . . I could be wrong on all of this but my understanding of what Constantine did and intended with the council of Nicea was to call a factious Christianity to orthodoxy with the agenda of unity for political gain. I do not know of any credible references to his commissioning the bible but again, I could be wrong. We must all concede that ancient history has been re-written many times for many reasons and what we believe to be true is likely based on speculation to begin with.
As for the "good men among the writers of the bible and their moral lessons" . . . I cannot disagree with this statement, the authors of the bible were very probably the "good men" of their day. It is the bible as a source of moral lessons that I have a problem with, at least in the modern era. It is too conveniently ignored that this book also contains depictions of, or condones, what are by today's standards immoral actions. Including gang rape, polygamy, murder and slavery.
posted by
gomedome
on March 25, 2009 at 6:49 AM
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callista22001 - "why do men think they know the mind of god?"
It is the simplest justification for actions both good and bad.
posted by
gomedome
on March 25, 2009 at 6:15 AM
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It was in 325AD that Constantine commissioned the Bible. The result was the Sinai Bible, now housed in London's museum. There are many versions. The current version was the work of King James. That was begun in 1605 with 47 men doing the writing which Francis Bacon polished and smoothened....so it will be flowing! I have no beef with the truths you express. I still maintain though, that there were good men among the writers of the bible and their moral lessons are not wasted on seekers. Its the 'saved by the blood of Christ' bible-thumpers that irk me. We really do not know if he really existed or that he didn't exist!
posted by
Soul_Builder101
on March 24, 2009 at 8:29 PM
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"man created god in his own image."
posted by
callista22001
on March 24, 2009 at 9:22 AM
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You may have answered a question that has bugged me for some time (why do men think they know the mind of god?) Could be because , the way you put it, "man created god in his image."
posted by
callista22001
on March 24, 2009 at 9:21 AM
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Xeno-x - Re: good thoughs -- good questions
I don't know if the death was fake, I'm more inclined to believe that the death was real but the resurrection was faked. It is all admittedly speculation however, we cannot disprove or prove anything concerning these matters but we can apply a bit of common sense to our guesses of what took place.
I simply ask myself a couple of pertinent questions. What would a resurrected deity need to take his body along with him for? . . . and why is it that such a preposterous story as the messiah mythology with all of its common cross cultural themes took place at such a time in mankind's history where it was virtually ineffective? The answer to the last question is easy; all of it, every last part of it, was born from ancient ignorance and superstition.
posted by
gomedome
on March 24, 2009 at 9:03 AM
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good thoughs -- good questions
I would put forth that several had followings at that time who claimed to be Messiah. Jesus probably had a good speaking manner and such so that he could have gained a following, probably from those disassociated with mainstream Judaism, a lot having to do with a belief in Messiah.
His advantage was that he ducked under the radar with what many consider a "fake" death, and the new portrait of a new kind of Messiah could be painted.
posted by
Xeno-x
on March 24, 2009 at 7:39 AM
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