Sort-of memes that are cracking you up at the moment

Christ

I have been geeking out on theology lately so ....

Perhaps I should just fuck off to a religion thread.

ftfy

Nicely summed up DFP.

ah

religion...

bouncyboobs.JIF

Nicely summed up WjPrince.

..fixed.

I would suggest that it is very much possible to be a Christian but not believe that Jesus was an incarnation of God.

From what you say that sounds possible, but you'd be some kind of new denomination - you couldn't be a Christian in any one of the churches that do exist from Protestantism to the Copts...

I have been geeking out on theology lately so ....

I would suggest that it is very much possible to be a Christian but not believe that Jesus was an incarnation of God. There is so much (highly variable) scripture sources for the bible. The selection that became the new testament canon is highly arbitrary. Mentioned as a collection first by Irenaeus in the year 200, Christians were following doctrine from various sources until the late 4th century, in 381 when Emperor Theodosius made it heresy to read other texts . The sources of the information in this "new testament" are pretty hazy. Luke even admits he is jumping on the bandwagon re-writing things in a manner he believes is superior right in his first chapter. Luke and Mathew are believed to have copied from Mark and a hypothetical mystery Q source. Some scholars think the Q source itself is not a single source.

There where about 200 original documents attributed to Jesus, like gospels and lists of sayings and teachings. Most were lost in their original form and re-written so many times in so many forms, that became contradictory and hard to tell what the original content was.

The oldest part of the 4 gospel bible, is Mark. Which is believed to be from about the year 60. There was however a Gospel of Thomas discovered in 1945 that is believed to be slightly earlier, around the year 50. And believed by leading scholars (christian and secular academics) to be original and separate from the synoptic bible (or the mystery Q Source), not inspired by its contents. And therefore before it.

The actual document they found with the Gospel of Thomas written down, is dated 340. So pretty early, which again boosts its credibility.

And to my actual point. The Gospel of Thomas contains no mention of Crucifixion, atonement, nothing about the trinity and clearly contradicts the idea of Jesus's divinity.

So going by one of the most (seemingly) historically accurate accounts. A Christian should not believe in the divinity of Jesus and the whole getting crucified for the worlds sins malarkey.

There is a huge amount of scripture to pick and choose from, really no reason why one should emphasise belief of the official new testament over other sources. The selection was put together because it best fitted the culture of the state & church at the time.

Faith > Facts

Next!

#notscreaming #oryawning #justeatingpizza