Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for May 08, 2014

Let’s hope, the Rev isn’t planning to direct “The Passion Play” for Lent.

working with amateurs

Hipster version of the Nativity? What are they putting on-Jesus Christ Superstar?

Only popping in occasionally, so just want to pick up a pedantic point from yesterday: no-one claims that Jesus was immaculately conceived. Traditional Christian belief is that he was VIRGINALLY conceived. Catholic tradition is that his mother, Mary, was IMMACULATELY conceived: in other words the normal biological way, but theologically without the transmission of original sin. It is the theological answer to why Jesus didn’t get tainted by sin through Mary.

Over on the liberal/secular end, the idea that Jesus was entirely fictional is now very out of date. Work on the historical Jesus concentrates on what the gospels inadvertently tell us about the Jesus of history, despite them being written as apologetic propaganda for the Christ of faith. Secular and liberal scholar will take it as read that there was nothing supernatural about Jesus; will discount the nativity stories (as history) completely; will argue about the extent to which the resurrection narratives reflect visions and dreams or are just later theological constructs; but won’t dispute the history of the crucifixion, because it is such a shameful way for a religious leader to end that you wouldn’t have recorded it unless it had actually happened.

She: Do you believe in original sin?He: Depends; how original did you want to get?

Yep 25 December is a busy day in mythical history, especially for virgin births.Chrishna, of India, born on December 25, 3228 BC, his mother was a virgin, mother’s name was Maia. Kamsa, the ruler at the time of his birth sought to kill him (Chrishna) because he had heard a Prophecy that Chrishna would overthrow him. Chrishna escaped death by being smuggled out of the area to safety (Holy King Herod Batman) Mithra, of Persia, born on December 25, before 1500 BC, his birth was witnessed by Shepherds that brought gifts to honor him. Buddha, of India, born on December 25, 563 BC, his mother’s name was Maya (similar to Mary) she was a virgin. He was immaculately conceived, and at birth, he announced that he was a savior to the world. His birth was announced by a star. At his birth, he was visited by Wise Men who declared that they had seen Signs of his birth

Lot’s more as well but you get the idea. I will give Christians great credit for basing their myths on well proven and popular existing myths. The story was 3,000 years old and just about perfected by the time they stole it for their own uses.

He sure is grumpy for a clergy type guy.

I loved this strip when it ran originally, great to see it again.

Since in Jewish tradition, sex isn’t a sin, and there is no such thing as original sin, it appears to us that all of that was what Astolat refers to as theological constructs. Which, as I have said elsewhere, follow one from the other as necessary to maintain the structure. Which is one of many reasons we never accepted it..I’m reminded of this because today is the anniversary of the beginning of the First Crusade massacres of German Jews in 1096.

Any word on when Doonesbury will get back to the business of contemporary political satire?

@Calvin; He’ll be back to the business of satire around 2017, I’m sure. Meantimes, there’s a hunka elections to be sewn up.

Who is this “Rev”, looks a lot like Rick Redfern to me.

“Council of Nicaea” – possibly one of the worst things to happen to the world. I feel it cast Christianity in Constantine’s likeness, even more than it had been cast in Paul’s.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

“Constantine was not, really, much of a Theologian.”.The main thing was that he wasn’t a Christian and organized a religion based on other religions. The people who complied didn’t care what Christ said.

No, he wasn’t a theologian, and he was a warrior-emperor..I recommend “Constantine’s Sword” by former RCC priest James Carroll. He postulates that Constantine shifted Christianity from a religion of resurrection to one of death by crucifixion and details the slaughter that followed.

Glad to see there are so many ancient history fans around here.

Is it death we really fear? Or is it oblivion? Some day we will all be gone, no matter who we are or what we accomplished. Many of us fear oblivion, perhaps. But people will always know about the ancient historical figures of a certain stature, no matter how much time passes.