Newsweek Letters to Editor: The Passion - What the life of Christ means .

[patrice]

Out of dozens of letters to the editor about the meaning of the life of Christ, not one observed the historical FACT that Jesus died because he refused to make war on the Romans for the Jews.

Judas turned him in because he wasn't going to lead the Jews in armed insurrection, and the high-PRIESTS got rid of him because he interfered with religious "authority".

Both points that Bushies don't focus on at all.

[Maat]

1. Thanks for the insight ... truly ... I appreciate it.

I'm not a Christian ... although Church of Religious Science regards Christ as a divine master teacher ... and the rest of us as divine as well. Interesting to note though .. especially with those guys (religious righties) being such control freaks.

[patrice]

3. Yes! And like all good teachers, he taught by modelling.

I think the lesson he was trying to demonstrate by his suffering was how we scapegoat people for our own motives, and excuse ourselves through various kinds of obfuscation, political, personal, material, abstractions.

Another thing I keep thinking; someone said to me years ago, "The tomb was empty." That's indeterminate. God does not engage in quid pro quo, "You do this and I'll resurect you."

When the 'Higher Father' tells you what to do, He means YOU = another message from Christ's life, you follow God's path for you All Of The Way, without promise of reward, and because it is God's path for you . . .

(and, BTW, NOT! for you to tell others to do, George).

[BurtWorm]

2. (Not a historic fact.)

The Jesus story is a myth. But your point is otherwise well-taken.

[patrice]

4. I am speaking from the perspective of Joseph Campbell.

Myths are facts of another order (i.e. not what we refer to as "rational").

[BurtWorm]

5. (ok)

:hi:

[MasonJar]

6. A myth...hardly...documentations by many contemporaries

substantiates that Jesus lived. At least 3 religions recognize his contributions to the hope for peace, love and equality in the world: Christian, Muslin, and Jewish.

[patrice]

7. Whatever facts are . . .

the ones that we do know from the life of Christ have he same kind of truth that poetry has.

[BurtWorm]

8. The jury is out.

There's plenty of evidence for the mythological interpretation. But I don't want to highjack the thread. Just wanted to say that even if you take it as myth, Patrice's point is well taken. The story supports her point of view, not the Bushists'.