Jesus was a liar.

by nicolaou 123 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  nicolaou

  “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

  "I and the Father are one.”

  "I say to YOU, Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”

  "I am the resurrection and the life."

  Jesus, may or may not have existed; but it is certain that there is conscious-awarness within you. Could it be that the "I" that is being referred to in these scriptures is not restricted or special to one man, but rather the one reading these words right now? No, I don't think it could - Jesus was talking about himself, plain and simple. Are these scriptures pointing to a universal truth? No.

  Are we the separate and isolated shard of existence we believe ourselves to be? Seperate and isolated? Well that is each individuals choice isn't it? We are all unique. Or is there, just beneath these unquestioned beliefs, an Identity, an Actuality, an I, that has no beginning and no end? Nope.

  Perhaps it doesn't matter who was around or not around thousands of years ago or what they said. It does matter when legions of priests and elders dictate and control the behaviour of millions based upon what that person said.

  Perhaps what really matters is realizing what truly looks out these eyes - right now.

  Hmmmmm...
• 

  gumby

  Danny,

  You are a person who did what they thought with their whole heart was the right thing to do and your proud and passionate enough to let all know just how passionate you were. It is this passion that gives you a sense of comfort and makes you feel guilt free. If there IS a god or Jesus who exists.......you did your best for them and they know it.

  I feel the same.....if I read you right.

  James.......yes...I'm the one looking out of the eyes you see in the picture. .......and in about 20-40 years, I won't be lookin out of them anymore cuz I'll be starin at the underside of the lid on my coffin..........cept my eyes will be closed and the only one who will realise I'm doing just that are those who are alive and conscience and thinking about me in that way or care to dig me up and see for themselves that my eyes are toward the lid of my coffin. Am I right?

  Gumby
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  Leolaia

  Hasnt this proven to be an interpolation into Josephus?

  The evidence that the Testimonium Flavianum is an interpolation (in part or in toto) is very weighty (cf. Wells 1999:200-217, and the discussion last year on Hypotyposeis), not surprising since the text of Josephus survives only in Christian manuscripts. Bear in mind that this is not a matter of "proof" but rather the probability (i.e. very strong probability) that text is an interpolation. As for the shorter passage discussed here (Antiquities 20.200), the posited interpolation is limited only to the phrase "who is called Christ", or possibly "brother of Jesus who is called Christ". The evidence here is less strong than in the case of the Testimonium, and depends in part on how one interprets Origen (Contra Celsum 1.47) who appears to cite this text but in a strangely divergent way (this same text of Origen, btw, offers pretty compelling evidence that Antiquities lacked the Testimonium).
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  gumby

  Leolaia,

  Wasn't their two copies of Josephus writngs concerning this, and the earlier copy did not contain the mentioned passage?

  Gumby
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  Leolaia

  gumby....AFAIK the Testimonium is in every Greek and Latin copy of Josephus, tho the earliest manuscript dates to the 11th century. There is however an Arabic translation of the Testimonium by Bishop Agapius of Hierapolis (dating to the tenth century AD) which is considerably different in form than the one in extant manuscripts; this may simply be due to it being a paraphrase.
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  IP_SEC

  is not a matter of "proof" but rather the probability

  Thank you Leo
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  gumby

  Thank you Leo

  Quit callin her Leo dammit! It makes me picture her like a dude or sumthin.

  Gumby
• 

  JamesThomas

  Nicolaou, thank you for responding to my post.

  Well that is each individuals choice isn't it? We are all unique.

  Rather than hit on each of your comments, please allow me to focus on just this one, for it goes to root.

  Indeed on the surface all is beautifully and endlessly unique; but what is it in which we all share, what is it that no matter the age, no matter the circumstance, remains the same? In us there is that which has remaines pristine, changeless and consistent. Usually it goes unnoticed as attention is placed on the ever-changing drama of phenominal expression.

  There is a complex fluid matrix of thoughts, beliefs, judgments and sensations which are all perceived by That which is not moving nor complex. What is That? Until we sincerely and earnestly shift attention from complexity into the stillness of silent awarness and investigate, can we honestly and genuinely say, "No, Jesus' words were not pointing to a universal truth" ?

  j
• 

  Golf

  For strarters:
  
  Nic, how? My entire family and most of my community are high steel workers. We erect structural buildings, this entails many talents and abilities. One abilty you must have is, not being afraid of heights. This job entails walking across steel beams many stories above ground level with tools in your hands. Without doubt it requires balance and respect for heights. In order to accomplish this feat you must 'trust' and 'believe'in yourself. Do you think you can manage that?
  
  
  Golf
• 

  gumby

  This job entails walking across steel beams many stories above ground level with tools in your hands. Without doubt it requires balance and respect for heights. In order to accomplish this feat you must 'trust' and 'believe'in yourself. Do you think you can manage that?

  If I was standin on a beam many stories above the ground, my butt would be so tight you couldn't put a nail up it.

  Gumchicken