Thomas Harpur is not a scholar of religion or philosophy. Most of his presuppositions are incorrect. In short, he based his understanding on the Greco-Romanized version of 'Jesus' which DOES incorporate many ideas from various mythological messiahs BUT those do not line up with the historically accurate Jewish 'Yeshua'. Early Rome incorporated many of those ancient pagan deity's characteristics into their portrayal of 'Jesus' to ease their assimilation of other cultures and their religions.
Culture does affect our lifeview, but Jesus was not a real person. The story is a myth. These people are approaching this from the wrong place. The interpretations are very interesting though.
Please explain how you've come to believe that Jesus was not a real historical person. Every historian will attest to the fact that Jesus was a real person in ancient Palestine, the contention comes in whether he was, as he said, God or not.
There is no historical evidence for a person called Jesus or Yeshua. I'm not sure where you get that. The story of the virgin birth and resurrection has been repeated throughout the millenia in myth. Osiris is one example.
I have no problem with the concept of the Christ consciousness and no problem with the story as a myth.
Few if any serious historians agree with Ellen Johnsons and Bertrand Russells assertions that Jesus didnt exist. The extensive documentation of Jesus life by contemporary writers, his profound historical impact, and the confirming tangible evidence of history have persuaded scholars that Jesus really did exist. Could a myth have done all that? All but a few extremely skeptical scholars say no.
Dr. Michael Grant of Cambridge has written, To sum up, modern critical methods fail to support the Christ-myth theory. It has again and again been answered and annihilated by first rank scholars. In recent years no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non-historicity of Jesus.
Yale historian Jaroslav Pelikan declared, Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries. It is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by his name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray."
@FynFlyte I have read the book by Thomas harper...I feel you misundersstood the author. Sorry for this, the author's theme was Jesus is real but people have taken half baked stories from sunday school and ran with them in the wrong direction.
nice I just received the book understanding Jesus good read so far, but anything written about Jesus gives me great interest.
silentsteve63 2 weeks ago
Thomas Harpur is not a scholar of religion or philosophy. Most of his presuppositions are incorrect. In short, he based his understanding on the Greco-Romanized version of 'Jesus' which DOES incorporate many ideas from various mythological messiahs BUT those do not line up with the historically accurate Jewish 'Yeshua'. Early Rome incorporated many of those ancient pagan deity's characteristics into their portrayal of 'Jesus' to ease their assimilation of other cultures and their religions.
evsabby 2 weeks ago
Dead sea scrolls prove the word was and is the same as it was 2,000 years ago. Scripture is a legal document and historical document.
Our opinions and life experience does not change facts.
Media4Good911 1 year ago
Culture does affect our lifeview, but Jesus was not a real person. The story is a myth. These people are approaching this from the wrong place. The interpretations are very interesting though.
FynFlyte 2 years ago
Please explain how you've come to believe that Jesus was not a real historical person. Every historian will attest to the fact that Jesus was a real person in ancient Palestine, the contention comes in whether he was, as he said, God or not.
100huntley 2 years ago
There is no historical evidence for a person called Jesus or Yeshua. I'm not sure where you get that. The story of the virgin birth and resurrection has been repeated throughout the millenia in myth. Osiris is one example.
I have no problem with the concept of the Christ consciousness and no problem with the story as a myth.
FynFlyte 2 years ago
Few if any serious historians agree with Ellen Johnsons and Bertrand Russells assertions that Jesus didnt exist. The extensive documentation of Jesus life by contemporary writers, his profound historical impact, and the confirming tangible evidence of history have persuaded scholars that Jesus really did exist. Could a myth have done all that? All but a few extremely skeptical scholars say no.
WhatisMedia 2 years ago
Dr. Michael Grant of Cambridge has written, To sum up, modern critical methods fail to support the Christ-myth theory. It has again and again been answered and annihilated by first rank scholars. In recent years no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non-historicity of Jesus.
WhatisMedia 2 years ago
Yale historian Jaroslav Pelikan declared, Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries. It is from his birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by his name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray."
WhatisMedia 2 years ago
Tom Harpur is a serious scholar, but I knew the story was myth long before I read his book.
A couple of thousand years on an earth that is billions of years old is a blip in time.
I have no trouble with people believing this if they choose. But I do not believe Jesus was a real person, nor Buddha nor Mohamed.
I still enjoyed the video and find religion to be a fascinating subject.
You could pray to a coke bottle and if you believe enough it will be done unto you.
FynFlyte 2 years ago
@FynFlyte I have read the book by Thomas harper...I feel you misundersstood the author. Sorry for this, the author's theme was Jesus is real but people have taken half baked stories from sunday school and ran with them in the wrong direction.
lilacck 1 year ago
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@FynFlyte you have no problem with the concept of the Christ consciousness and no problem with the story as a myth ? You will.
chosen1atWork 6 months ago
great vid, thanks for posting
agnostaxian 2 years ago