You are not logged in.
Story of Jesus Christ was fabricated to pacify the poor, claims controversial Biblical scholar
Christianity was a sophisticated government propaganda exercise used to pacify the subjects of a the Roman Empire, claims scholar
240 books currently added on Goodreads
Offline
Hm, discussing religion can often get nasty. I just let people beleive what they think is the truth.
Here lies the reader who will never open this book. He is forever dead.
Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most. ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
The knowledge of some things as a function of age is a delta function.
Offline
Hmmm, Joe Atwill sounds like one them lunatics that see conspiracies everywhere. I always thought that the Romans were a fabrication invented by the CIA.
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.
Offline
I have not read the article, but this is what I reckon: [Sorry about the contraversial comments here but....]
It was probably motivatated by a left wing minded thinker who has an atheistically based criticism of both the
belief in god, belief in Bible stories and of course divine rights to rule used as an excuse for, in effect, a dictatorship
through a very long period of history, finally stopped of course in the modern age thankfully by democratic voting,
fair systems for things, good government, much better communication (internet very recently, newspapers, magazines,
TV, radio, books, schools, other education) making us wiser and less likely to believe in tall stories about things.
I do as a personal view agree that such stories are probably rather 'fantastic' stories reflecting the triumph of good
against evil rather like a film does nowadays, but we are all human and all entitled to out beliefs. The only trouble
is that most of our laws are based on the teachings of scriptures in a way: modern versions of the same philosophy,
and it so happens that I believe in the philosophy but not the god.
Another point: If the metaphor Jesus gave about rich people not being able to go to heaven was right, then
the scholar cannot be very wise to the Bible. If the rich are encouraged not to get rich, or to give it to charity,
then this would have helped the poor as would numerous other things that it taught. Once again I agree with
the philosophy, but not the justification. It should be done because it is right, not in a dream of going to heaven.
Last edited by SteveB (2013-10-12 07:35:01)
Offline
Here is the link to the actual Independent article
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho … rnalSearch
Now let's think about this. He is publishing a book on this. I wonder if he hopes to sell more copies by being controversial?
If that was what the Romans intended; it rather backfired didn't it. Christianity went on to overwhelm the Roman empire . God moves in mysterious ways?
Bob
Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you! …………….Bob
Offline