The article was interesting, although a little new-agey way-out for my taste. Thanks anyway.
It seems that you're getting the impression again that I'm trying to convert you. I already addressed that issue, and shouldn't have to do it repeatedly.
Actually, I do not get the impression that you are trying to convert me, maybe I am trying to convert you....I don't know. I just think that there is value in all religious teachings, including those that predate Jesus. I just can't accept that Jesus was 'the' most enlightened teacher in history. If one takes the good from all religious teachers through the ages, one finds a central, universal message. I suppose that makes me religiously non-religious, who knows?
Of course there is value in religious teachings that predate Jesus. That's the tradition Jesus emerged from. In terms of the evolution of our spiritual expression, Jesus does embody one of the key "eureka" moments. That's why I'm focusing on him and his teachings, and the amazing way that they transformed the world.
To answer an earlier point... the Jews are responsible for Jesus in the same way that the US was responsible for Martin Luther King. They were both products of their environments.
Jesus' teachings are arguably the source of the modern Liberal tradition in philosophy. He empowered the individual with a message that resonates today, and will continue to do so for all time.
That's a pretty badass accomplishment in my eyes.
Okay, that puts your position in perspective. I'll give you that one. I'm only pokin' at ya because your vision seems a bit narrow, which could be interpereted as idolatry. However, as you have stated, it is not, and as I have stated, if it works you, more power to you. For me, the means justify the ends. If one comes to 'get' the universal message, the source is only important in terms of how it got you there.
I'm no fan of Christianity as I stated before, but I am very interested in this abused and misunderstood little guy who ended up becoming the "lord" of so many...
It is an interesting pontification....I find that looking for the reality behind all religious figures is always intriguing. Muddling through the truth and fiction is the hard part though.
cav, if anything I just wanted to share a little "eureka" moment I had... not claiming it's earth shaking or anything, just new to me.
Too bad there's so much fiction to muddle through with this one...
'Twas a good moment to share, VL, IMO.
thanks
by the way, if I ever find out you're converting to Christianity, I'll slit my wrists
in college I had an argument with a brilliant science-type about the existence of God... we were in a car, tripping on acid on the way to a greatful dead concert
anyway, we argued the whole way to the concert, while we were there, and the whole way back. I never talked to him again after that. Years later I found out he had converted to Hare Krishna and was working in one of the airports in NYC...
I don't believe that my argument caused him to go over the edge, but I can't help but feel a little guilt anyway.
That's your Christian side coming out VL
No hope of me being anything more than what I am, so no worries.
hey... Jews do guilt just as well as Catholics
Yep, my mother knows that all too well
my mom is a one woman torture chamber... really... but enough about her
V.L. wrote:The Jews should take their son back and rightfully claim his unequaled achievement as their own.
The Jews should take Christians back too... we've been wandering aimlessly for 2000 years.
Well, there is such a Jewish group, the so-called Messianic Jews. They accept Jesus Christ as a Savior and the Messiah, and combine His teaching with Judaism.
steissd, I didn't mean it that way. Having Jews fall into the same traps as Christians won't help make sense of the issues surrounding Jesus.
Hold on here. First of all, why did the Jews have to listen to Jesus? Second, the Jews didn't sacrifice Jesus, they just finished the job that your people started because he was suffering on the Sabbath.
I would ask what did the church do to heretics?
first of all, let us check some statements, what is judaism and christianism.
two religions, that believe in the same god, jesus is a prophet like many others that the jewishs believe in them, like elie, jakob, benyamin and many others...
so why they rejected jesus, because he comes to reform judaism, he is a prophet, with his miracles he showed that he is a prophet, if we trust in the ancient texts, so rejecting him means that we don't believe in god and then we are wrong. But we have a brain and we can think, so we can refind the lost way, freedom gives the right to choose, off course, but choosing the wrong way does'nt give the right to escape to the punishment if we believe in life after death, paradise and hell. right?
