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I see the birth of Christianity as this...
1. Jesus. He is a guy that seeks to teach the Jews a new way of living. One that says all of us are holy and can reach the "kingdom of heaven" not just the pious and the priests. He also taught that we must love and forgive all (including many of the outcasts of society: tax collectors, prostitutes, etc).
These teachings were quite radical at the time and viewed as sacreligious. He was killed for his beliefs.
2. In the following years his disciples struggled to keep his message alive. They wrote a number of "Gospels" telling his story. Each of these stories had an audience and a purpose behind them. The main purpose was to convince people that Jesus was the jewish messiah. Not all of the stories were concerned with him raising from the dead but that has become the main message. That he died for our sins and rose up to heaven to be with God.
Again, a radical message but in my opinion something that was added later. How better to drive home his message that we can all reach "the Kingdom" than by spreading the word that he actually did rise again... Powerful words.
If you live life like he did you too can achieve this. Powerful indeed.
3. Paul. To this point Christianity is a Jewish sect only. Paul represents a break in that. He says he is visited by God and told that Jesus' message is for everyone and that followers who believe in Jesus and his message can also achieve "the Kingdom" without keeping the Jewish laws (eating Kosher, etc.).
This opens the door to the Gentiles and Paul goes forth to spead the Good News. This is happening somewhere around 30 to 50 years after Jesus has died.
The purpose isn't to decieve people it is that they feel their message is a good one. That if you live like Jesus you can be redeemed and will rise up to heaven.
4. Paul's letters are all written to specific cities that he has visited address issues that have arisen in his absence (false priests, differing points of view, etc). He writes his letter to give confidence and set down rules for people that are confused.
At this point Paul is like a door to door salesman spreading the story of Jesus. He gets a few people to buy his message but sometime that get it wrong or have questions about the message. So he sets them straight. There are also a number of other salesmen out there selling different messages. He has to struggle against these "false prophets" and make sure his message wins out... it does.
The nastiness of Christianity came much later as people in power used the message for their own gains. I believe that in the early days the message was relatively a good one.
Did Jesus rise from the dead? I don't know. I don't think it matters. What matters is that people believe it is a great reward for living a good life.
Personally I don't need a reward in some after life for living a good life... I get my rewards here and now.
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
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