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Old 01-05-2006, 03:50 AM   #48 (permalink)
nezmot
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Quote:
Specifically what aspects of 'the traditional interpretation of the bible' are you unhappy with?
Hmm. Well, the most specific thing that I can think of is this so called 'good news' that Jesus was our saviour and that he 'died for our sins'. I just don't see it being a rational transaction. I can see how Jesus was a great teacher, and can see how his message of love thy neighbour can bring both practical and spiritual benefits.

I can see how a strong faith can give someone strength through adversity and provide cohesion to a society. And perhaps I could describe him as a saviour in terms of inspiring a socially cohesive society that spread through much of Europe, holding it together and helping to preserve the technology and learning of the ancient times (Israel, Greece, Egyptian, and Babylonian knowledge) through the dark times (in monestaries and the like) that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire. Though without the Roman Empire (and Constantine in particular) in the first place, and the expansionist kingdoms of Europe from the 1500s onwards in the second, I wonder whether Christianity would be anywhere near as widespread as it is today.

But my belief does not extend to offerings and sacrifices (which really belies the mumbo jumbo of our prehistory) and in Jesus' case, it wasn't even a sacrifice since the people doing the crucifying didn't believe in God, nor did they particularly care about the person on the cross. To sacrifice means to gladly give up something of value - the Romans did not hold Jesus in any great esteem at that time.

Perhaps Jesus could be said to have sacrificed himself - but to what purpose? and to whom?

I want to know the rationale behind this event, in order to try and determine what processes might be at work beyond our normal day-to-day existence. If God really does accept sacrifices, then how come we don't ritually slaughter beasts or even people anymore? Does the sacrifice have to be pure? Given of its own free will? Does it have to be a man, or does it have to be a supernatural sacrifice? And that leads us back to this question of Jesus' divinity.

If he was divine, and of God - then to whom did he sacrifice himself?
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