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I've been reading some fascinating articles arguing against the physical existence of Jesus. The authors make what I think are excellent cases for the initial existence of Jesus as a mythical figure having his excellent adventures in a sphere somewhere above the earth but below heaven. The cosmos were apparently widely thought to be laid out in a series of levels or spheres starting with the earth and culminating at heaven at that time. There were also many cults/faiths which held belief in a supernatural intercessor doing battle with forces of evil in an other worldly sphere - all for the benefit of mere mortals, sacrifice for sin, yada, yada, yada. Most of the articles I read about the historicity of Jesus were written by Earl Doherty.
I understand the attraction of religion. It can be a bit tough to even think, much less accept that there is no life after death. No god to supervise things. No Jesus to die for your sins. No holy spirit to...........impregnate virgins and inspire gospel quartets, I guess. And that's just christianity. One of the things about theists that has always bugged me is how each religion, each sect, each subset, etc., can be sure without a doubt that it, and only it has got it right. The right god, the right method of worship, the right to kill, torture, rape, mutilate, denigrate, and insult anyone who doesn't agree, is a different color, has long hair, short hair, etc. I tend to pick on christianity because I'm surrounded by a culture that seems infatuated with the conspicuous display of jesus fish, crosses, weird yard signs, (I love my church and you will too! - there's one of these next door) public conversations of the goodness of jesus, promisekeepers, etc.
Speaking of promisekeepers, one of my southern baptist fundy buddies recently made a large purchase, the true cost of which his wife would certainly have gagged upon. This christian, who knows I'm an atheist and that I know he's a promisekeeper, lied to his wife about how much he spent on his item. Furthermore, he admitted as much in a room full of co-workers, all of whom know that he's a promisekeeper.
Now I'm no angel, (pun intended) but then I haven't traveled hundreds of miles to sleep overnight in a tent to attend something called "Standing in the Gap", which was apparently a kind of million zealot march. Two weeks ago, this promisekeeper attended another promisekeeper rally. I've seen some footage of these things. Lots of really earnest, emotional men holding bibles toward the sky and swaying like Jimmy Swaggart chasing a prostitute through a liquor store. The whole premise of promisekeepers is to take responsibility for running the household and being the christian/spiritual leader of the home. I guess the whole point of this diatribe is this: If this southern baptist promisekeeping fundy can lie to his wife about how much he spent on something, tell people that he did so, and seem to feel no remorse about having done it, how can he expect to "lead people to christ"?
Perhaps this slip is an isolated incident and isn't indicative of the depth of his belief. Perhaps he's just a human who made an error in judgment and will repent and therefore be spared the plague of locusts, boils, and matrimonial wrath coming his way. Perhaps, deep in his heart, he realizes that the bible is so much hogwash and has decided that since the whole christianity thing is crap, why bother? I don't envy my friend. It's tough to live by "god's will" (Whatever the hell that is.)
You don't have to be an atheist to lie to your wife. You don't have to be a christian to tell her the truth and take your lumps. I'm living proof that an atheist can be as lazy, hedonistic, and drawn to small shiny objects as the best christian. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement, but I'm not about to tell everyone how wonderful it feels to be free of the emotional entanglements and cognitive contradictions that comprise religious belief. I seriously doubt if most fundies could handle atheism - there's no crutch. Besides, it's kind of fun being the only atheist amongst all these bible thumpers. Gives 'em something to pray about.
Russell Buckalew/M/35/Alabama/US
Gadwalt@Mindspring.com
http://gadwalt.home.mindspring.com/