On his "Criticism of the Gospel History of the Synoptics" he argued that Jesus was just a literary figure. In "Christ and the Caesars" he argued that christianity was a synthesis of the stoicism of Seneca the Younger and of the jewish theology of Philo as developed by pro-Roman jews such as Josephus. — Gus Lamarch
Are you saying that because the Bible's historicity has come into question so have all the principles we have derived from it for the production of our society? While I would agree that is essentially what has been happening, any principles worth keeping could be kept simply because they're worth keeping. If they get us where we want to go, then that pragmatism is arguably justification enough. — TimefulJoe
The reason I say the beneficial parts are not unique is that those parts are mostly, "Don't murder," "Don't steal," which are almost universally agreed on throughout the history of civilization. Not murdering each other is a requisite to successfully living together, after all, and people were living together and had laws about not murdering each other long before any Abrahamic laws came around. — TimefulJoe
Too much credit is given to the Bible for shaping Western thought and especially Western progress. — TimefulJoe
If other religions started majorly questioning their historicity, the societies heavily influenced by a belief in the historicity of those religions would probably have a similar development, such as if that were to happen en mass in Saudi Arabia; — TimefulJoe
Its success was, as well, assured through its assimilation of popular pagan beliefs and practices, and its very un-pagan intolerance and exclusivity, which became more apparent as the Christian emperors ruthlessly suppressed paganism. — Ciceronianus the White
How to sow much confusion in few words. — tim wood
I also wanted to point out that Christians have no way of knowing if Luke, Mark, and even Paul were real Apostles and could write Scripture. So there is a hole in the Bible — Gregory
So we have every right to look at it as a whole and criticize it for being wrong — Gregory
Thank the secular contemporary world that has all its basis and foundations in Christianity. — Gus Lamarch
The roots of Gnosticism reach far into antiquity and, during much of its history, Gnosticism has faced such persecution as to destroy most records about it.
Gnosticism transcends the boundaries of secular religion. Elements of it can be found among Quakers and Old Catholics, the Hebrew Kabbalah, Zen Buddhism, Taoism, Sufism, Baha’i’, in Greek philosophy, and even Polynesian Huna. Kabbalistic Gnosticism (or a predecessor thereof) was probably brought to Palestine from Ur of the Chaldees by Abraham.
Gnosticism even transcends the long-standing war between science and religion. In fact, it was Gnostic philosophers like Pythagoras who were primarily responsible for developing the scientific method. At the other extreme, we can see Hebrew messianic movements (a constant process in Judaism) growing consistently out of Kabbalistic Gnosticism. There is no clear evidence indicating Christianity to be an exception to this rule.
In fact, the earliest recorded schism in Christianity was between the Gnostics and Pistics. Several of the Gospels are clearly Gnostic in orientation, including the Gospels of John, Thomas, Philip, and Mary. Then, it was the Pistics who were the heretics, and they were often hated at that, because it was (and still is) Pistics who would burn Gnostic writings wherever they could find them.
My point is that you can only question and point out the errors of Christianity thanks to Christianity. — Gus Lamarch
Christianity does't exist. That is, it was not an entity in the past. PEOPLE are who existed — Gregory
They held various views and often condemned each other. — Gregory
But we can criticize the crap that was mingled with it — Gregory
We all are here right now, writing on the internet, on a philosophy forum, talking about christianity, just because christianity build this secular world where every opinion is respected and we can argue about it. — Gus Lamarch
Completely agree. Far different story in the PRC. — Wayfarer
Oh, I don't know. The secular inteliigentsia have been wishing religion dead since the 17th Century but it shows no sign of happening. Sure it's dead in some places but in the 'emerging world' religion show no signs of dying out. — Wayfarer
"Deus vult"? "Inshallah"? Amor fati ... :sweat:No, don't get me wrong. What I meant is that our way of life - secular - will not survive this century - while Christianity is slowly dying, Islam grows more and more -. I'm really pessimistic about the future of the West - we are going towards the second fall of Rome - or third of Thebes if you consider the "Fall of the Bronze Age" - -. — Gus Lamarch
Only a singularity can save us. — 180 Proof
This is true not only of Christianity, Woo-Woo, etc but of every human, all too human decadence and endeavor. — 180 Proof
Freedom of religion was late in Christianity. — Gregory
It's almost as if, when you give freedom to people, they normally will throw it at the garbage.
Enjoy it while you can. — Gus Lamarch
I'm not saying you should or shouldn't criticize. — Gus Lamarch
Did you read my previous answer? — Gus Lamarch
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