been seriously considering going to church sometime soon.

[Trotskilicious]

i wrote jesus walks i'm never going to hell

[redbreegull]

@Scotty

Originally Posted by Mark 16.4-8

When [Mary Magdalene and Mary mother of James and Salome] looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

THE END *Mark ends several other ways depending on what you are reading, but this is how the original text almost certainly ended

again, Mark was written before Christianity broke away from Judaism

edit: broke away in a widespread fashion, as I keep reiterating, early Christian belief is very complicated, very convoluted, and uniformity or consistency are not to be found.

[pavementtune]

I thought Jesus was human until the Council of Nicaea voted that he should be regarded as divine. No?

[Trotskilicious]

you guys are arguing about the council of nicaea now i am just amazed

[pavementtune]

Amazed, why?
I've simply forgotten most things I ever learned about Christianity, and didn't pay much attention in the first place.

[redbreegull]

it was a point of contention amongst early Christians, there were a lot of different texts and theologies in circulation at the beginning (again, scotty is just wrong). Jesus as divine is an idea that way predates nicea though

[redbreegull]

to even further complicate matters, Mark was possibly written by Romans in Syria or Antioch, not Jews (even though it is the earliest canonical gospel)

[Bread Regal]

Originally Posted by redbreegull

you are incorrect about your "no bigger tent" point. First of all, Christianity began as many, many tiny little extremist cults, and the diversity of belief that existed in the first few decades after Jesus' death is striking.

so, honest question, is the concept of jesus being the savior, and not just a prophet, a common thread through all of these little factions?

[redbreegull]

Originally Posted by Bread Regal

so, honest question, is the concept of jesus being the savior, and not just a prophet, a common thread through all of these little factions?

No. No one knows how he marketed himself while he was actually alive, but within a few decades of his death, there were already a lot of competing traditions about his message and who he was. One of these was that he was the Jewish Messiah, the foretold King of the Jews who will reunite all the Jews under one banner in the promised land. Others may have viewed Jesus as a cultish, mystery figure. Others may have viewed him as a reform hero and social provocateur, but more in a philosophical way. Not all of these conceptions would necessarily negate others either. I had a professor who told me that Mark's audience was very likely a mix of Jews and gentiles hanging out together.

the idea of Jesus as "the savior" or a divine figure though definitely came a little later. But of course by like the 2nd century there were big churches in Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, etc. and they were already mostly what we know today as "Christian," i.e. believed Jesus was the literal Son of God, both human and deity, savior of humankind whatever. and then in the 4th century Rome consolidates power, organizes the canon, and culls other strains of Christianity

[redbreegull]

If anyone is interested, Gnosticism is one of the most well-known, best recorded, and most completely understood "alternative" faiths that came from the Christian tradition.

[redbreegull]

and now to blow your fucking minds, the JEWISH canon was not finalized until about 100 CE.

ok I'm done for tonight

[Trotskilicious]

what is CE? Is that some dumb way to pretend like the way we number years doesn't have anything to do with jesus?

[redbreegull]

Originally Posted by Trotskilicious

what is CE? Is that some dumb way to pretend like the way we number years doesn't have anything to do with jesus?

yes but it's been standard in academia for a long time now, I'm surprised you didn't learn that way

[Order 66]

Crimbus Everywhere

[slunken]

yea it was changed to BCE/CE

[slunken]

didn't learn that until college doe

[slunken]

but its still based on christ so i guess christ is common

[redbreegull]

the alternative designations are actually hundreds of years old, they've just gained popularity in the last few decades.

CE and BCE are common (or christian) era and before common (or christian) era

so not necessarily pretending jesus isn't the basis for our year numbers, just taking out the part where we have to say we're living in the year of our lord 2014

[vixnix]

Isn't there a newer custom where we say 1000 BP or something? Before Present time or something like that

[MyOneAndOnly]

CE

common era

[redbreegull]

Originally Posted by scottytheoneand

CE

common era

you really do not read threads do you

[Starla]

Originally Posted by slunken

You and 21 others like this

Hope I didn't come off as a snob. :/ For me, I've wanted a feeling of connectedness or acceptance. I just haven't really found it yet. I might go to ceremonies, and feel okay but the reality is, I don't always feel like I belong, and I have trouble adhering to one way. Maybe that will change later in life.

[toase]

I used to be a church member, I can't return to church now that I am aware of all the bullshit behind the façade (my father used to be a priest).
I would if I could, I mean, that guy from Korn, that's I all need now, but I've already been there... *cries inconsolably*

[toase]

Have you tried Hare Krishna?
They serve free dinner after the service, but they are vegetarians....

[Starla]

The most relaxed church I've ever been to was Unitarian, and that was in Kansas city. They basically kept to the teachings of Jesus, without fire, brimstone, and judgment ... which is nice if that's what you're looking for. I remember they meditated during service, which was okay too... but then they started talking about new agey stuff like healing with crystals and color therapy, which were things I'm not really into.

[Cool As Ice Cream]

this church seemed quite chill to me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_Faith

Three core principles establish a basis for Bahá'í teachings and doctrine: the unity of God, that there is only one God who is the source of all creation; the unity of religion, that all major religions have the same spiritual source and come from the same God; and the unity of humanity, that all humans have been created equal, and that diversity of race and culture are seen as worthy of appreciation and acceptance.

[Trotskilicious]

Originally Posted by redbreegull

yes but it's been standard in academia for a long time now, I'm surprised you didn't learn that way

I was being a smart ass because i ignored it

You cant pretend its not based on the theological traditions of one religion so why bother trying

[D.]

Originally Posted by Cool As Ice Cream

this church seemed quite chill to me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%27%C3%AD_Faith

I had a co worker who was dating a Jewish girl who was just getting into this. That fact and the drive through information building they have in my neighborhood are the only thing j know about this.

[D.]

I always think of Baja Blast Mt Dew when I see it though.

[Cool As Ice Cream]

i don't know much about it either. but since they kind of include most other religions, a lot of religious people could feel at home there. it's set-up quite cleverly.
i didn't feel attracted personally, but that's probably because i don't believe in god.