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Tue 23 Mar, 2004 01:53 pm
This question is mainly for Christians, but others are welcome to join in.
If it were proved beyond a shadow of a doubt and to your satisfaction that Jesus never lived, would it affect your life as a Christian, or would the beauty of the Christian myths as metaphors sustain you?
Hmm, well, I am a Christian, because I believe that Jesus lived and because .... (not going deeper in why a Catholic believes that Jesus founded 'his' church).
Actually, since I'm just loosely connected to the church, it could (perhaps) affect the church, but not my life as a Christian.
Oh, I'm not a Christian in the American use of the word at all!
I think that this would be a change of view for Christians (officially I'm Roman Catholic, but I'm not religious), because Jesus is the founder of Christianity, and he leads the most important role in Christian lives after God. If proving he has never lived, than I think many Christians will be very confused, and I surely think this will have a big effect. It would mean he didn't die for our sins.
Yes, I've learnt such as well. :wink:
Well I did go to Church at a point in my life...long ago...I will never forget the words: "ook jij hoort erbij" - "now you are also part" (of it / of the religious community) at my...how do you call it in English..."communie"? You know, the Catholic thing when you are like ehm 6,7,8?
(First) Communion. (And I was 8.)
truth
Coluber, a wonderful question. It was once said that Jesus pointed the way, but instead we suck his finger for comfort. Jesus was not the founder of Christianity; he is its icon. Saul of Tarsus (St. Paul) was its founder--according to many scholars.
I would ask the same question another way. If Einstein never lived would we reject the truth of E=MC2?
JL - would you arrive at E=MC2 without Einstein?
hindsight 20/20
Somebody likely would have, actually. It was merely a synthesis of existing work. Doesn't make him any less remarkable for figuring it out.
For that matter, Jesus was hardly original in most of his messages. His status was mainly secured through nepotism.
truth
Husker, my point is simply that it is the teaching, not the teacher, that counts. A population of Jesus worshipers who care little for embodying his teachings in their lives is a population of unethical idolaters.
Re: truth
JLNobody wrote:Husker, my point is simply that it is the teaching, not the teacher, that counts. A population of Jesus worshipers who care little for embodying his teachings in their lives is a population of unethical idolaters.
Most Christians that I personally know are trying to follow the teachings of Christ from the Bible. Or little else really matters.
I think many many times it's easy to sterotype Christians as the folk you see on the 700 Club or TBN.
If Jesus hadn't lived....would that mean there was another embodiment of God on earth that died for our sins?
If I found out that my religion was not true, then I would worry about the next life.
On the same note, if I found out that gravity was not true, then I would fly around instead of walking.
Better still, what would Christians do if
THIS happened?
I liked this line.
"I was wrong, and I know that now," He added. "I deeply regret any problems or confusion I may have caused."
Last night I witnessed about 20 Marshall Island people answer an alter-call and receive Christ as their Savior!
Walter Hinteler wrote:What is an "alter call"?
yes
it was pretty cool seeing a revival and seeing Marshallese\ Polynesian
culture mixed in. there were around 100 people there altogether and just 3 caucasian - there was also a heavy steeping of pentecostal activity
That's "altar call." It's the end part of a sermon where people are asked to come forward and talk with the leaders about making the decision to dedicate their lives to Christ. Very common in Protestant churches.
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