Yesterday the term myth was used about the Christian faith. I commented that I have problems with the word myth, and two commentators suggested that it was a true myth: Christianity has the emotional power of myth but it is also historically true.
I am still not sure. The readings today sound historical, not myth.
3For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
2When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
For Paul, it was of first importance that the death and resurrection of Jesus was true. For John, it was of first importance that Jesus was the messiah and he doubted.
The doubting was not important. Jesus tolerated the doubting. He gave a gracious answer. Paul did not see the death and resurrection of Jesus as a convenient explanation (such as psychoanalytic theory). He saw it as a fact.
The passion around this came from his experience of the risen Christ. That was Paul’s experience. I pray that it may be ours.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Christians who doubt their faith. I mean, if you ignore all the doubts you have than your faith won’t be genuine.
I’ve been questioning my faith a lot lately. Catholics are actively discouraged from questioning their faith; but I don’t have the strength to lie myself and just disregard the issues I’ve been struggling with. I don’t believe in Transubstantiation, I doubt believe the Vatican is infallible. I used to pretend to believe those things because I was afraid that if I didn’t, my unsaved soul would burn in hell. “So I won’t burn in hell” just isn’t a sufficient enough reason for me to continue practicing Catholicism. Now I go to church with my Anglican boyfriend and I finally believe the mass. I’m no longer lying to myself because I’m afraid of eternal damnation.
All the Christians out there who think Jesus is a myth or a pagan deity should be encouraged to investigate. They deserve a satisfying answer. [Answer they will find: Early Christianity was heavily influenced by the Orpheus mysteries. Since early Christians were persecuted, Orpheus was often used to represent Jesus. Although Orpheus went to the underworld and came back he never actually died in the first place so he doesn't qualify as a death-resurrection deity; it's unlikely Jesus' resurrection derived from said myths.]
…if I ever get around to continuing my ancient Semitic language/Biblical scholar education path I wouldn’t mind writing a dissertation debunking the Pauline epistles. I don’t think Jesus is a myth; I have my doubts about St. Paul. Well, I believe Paul was a real person, I just question the authorship of the writings attributed to him.
At least my unresolved doubt is fascinating from an intellectual standpoint.
BF, doubting is OK. At times we will doubt. At times we will doubt ourselves. At times we will be angry at God. But we should not pretend that we are told to do this rather than that.
And you don\t need Sanskrit for textual analysis, you need Hebrew, Chaldean and Egyptian.
And you don’t need Sanskrit for textual analysis, you need Hebrew, Chaldean and Egyptian.
Unless I’m mistaken, I believe Hebrew, Chaldean and Egyptian qualify as Semitic languages. Sanskrit is more of an Indo-European language. I already speak Hebrew & Lebanese [I said I was a polyglot...] which are the first steps to comprehending the ancient Semitic languages.
BF, doubting is OK. At times we will doubt. At times we will doubt ourselves. At times we will be angry at God. But we should not pretend that we are told to do this rather than that.
I hate the idea that only bad Christians doubt, or that it’s an activity that should be frowned upon. Good Christians are supposed to believe everything is 100% true and never ask questions. I had to deal with that attitude in Catholic school and all it did was make me practice my faith out of fear . I didn’t understand, nor did I agree with everything in my religion – but I pretended to believe because I wanted to be a good saved Catholic.
Telling Christians not to doubt will never end well. Jesus didn’t chastise the apostle Thomas; he encouraged him to investigate *thinks of that Caravaggio painting of Thomas poking Jesus*.
I know there’s a lot of Christians out there who look down on me for doubting. “Silly girl, how could you not recognize the absolute truth!?” [I've noticed for some reason this always leads to "I'm a better Christian than you because I never doubt"] Lately I’ve started to think that all the Christians who claim to completely and utterly accept Christianity and to have never had any doubts and look down on those who do – are liars. I think everyone has them; they’re just too ashamed to admit to them.