Would Jesus Have Converted?

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Mindship
Considering that Jesus was a devout Jew with no intention of starting a new faith (let alone one in his name): suppose he had been transported miraculously to modern times, say about twenty years ago, living in secret so that he could get used to the modern world, observe and try to understand it: what would he make of Christianity?

What would he make of either faith today?

(Please offer well-considered responses, not pontifications nor flaming.)

Shakyamunison
He would become a Buddhist.

Mindship
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
He would become a Buddhist.
laughing out loud clapping

Goddess Kali
I agree thumb up

muslimscholar
Buddhist depend on charities to provide them with food so basically if everyone became Buddhist who would provide them with food?

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by muslimscholar
Buddhist depend on charities to provide them with food so basically if everyone became Buddhist who would provide them with food?

I am a Buddhist and I work and feed myself. So, you must be wrong, or something. wink

Goddess Kali
Originally posted by muslimscholar
Buddhist depend on charities to provide them with food so basically if everyone became Buddhist who would provide them with food?


What the **** are you talking about ?

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by Goddess Kali
What the **** are you talking about ?

Can I get some food from you Goddess Kali? laughing out loud

Mindship
sadwalk
Oy, my poor thread...

Well, at least there's no flaming or pontificating. rolling on floor laughing

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by Mindship
sadwalk
Oy, my poor thread...

Well, at least there's no flaming or pontificating. rolling on floor laughing

Do you have any food? sad

debbiejo
Originally posted by Mindship
Considering that Jesus was a devout Jew with no intention of starting a new faith (let alone one in his name): suppose he had been transported miraculously to modern times, say about twenty years ago, living in secret so that he could get used to the modern world, observe and try to understand it: what would he make of Christianity?

What would he make of either faith today?

(Please offer well-considered responses, not pontifications nor flaming.) Thank you for your insightful thoughts.
I believe that the Jesus of the book is quite different from the Jesus of the here and now. Jesus wasn't about making a Cult or a religion. Nor was he about his proving about you believe this or not. He was so wonderful in his words of him. Since the beginnings here on this form I have always agreed with the wise words of Jesus.

Mindship
Originally posted by debbiejo
Thank you for your insightful thoughts.
I believe that the Jesus of the book is quite different from the Jesus of the here and now. Jesus wasn't about making a Cult or a religion. Nor was he about his proving about you believe this or not. He was so wonderful in his words of him. Since the beginnings here on this form I have always agreed with the wise words of Jesus.
I think it's safe to say that, today, he would not be a happy camper.

You're on a roll... (pun intended stick out tongue ).

Shakyamunison
Originally posted by Mindship
...You're on a roll... (pun intended stick out tongue ).

I starved to death. sad

Goddess Kali
Jesus would have seen that Buddhists are more loyal to his message than many Christians even are....

FeceMan
No, apparently the Bible says that God isn't such a nice guy and we have to assume that He sends babies to hell. So God would be high-fiving the WBC.

Willaume
Originally posted by Goddess Kali
Jesus would have seen that Buddhists are more loyal to his message than many Christians even are....

I agree. Christians (as a whole) violate the very words of the Christ every living day of their life, although it is no fault of their own. I believe that its human nature to be evil.

Originally posted by FeceMan
No, apparently the Bible says that God isn't such a nice guy and we have to assume that He sends babies to hell. So God would be high-fiving the WBC.

No, didn't you hear? The Catholic Church now claims that unbaptized babies don't go to Limbo, (which isn't exactly Gehenna, BTW).

Alliance
Originally posted by Goddess Kali
What the **** are you talking about ?

Anyone with half a brain could discern that he was referring to the fact that Buddhist MONKS survive off of charity.
Originally posted by Mindship
Considering that Jesus was a devout Jew with no intention of starting a new faith (let alone one in his name): suppose he had been transported miraculously to modern times, say about twenty years ago, living in secret so that he could get used to the modern world, observe and try to understand it: what would he make of Christianity?

What would he make of either faith today?

(Please offer well-considered responses, not pontifications nor flaming.)

And No, Jesus would not likely have convertyed to anything, even if a bunch of Buddhist wannabes think so. He would likely remain a wired combo of a heretic Jew and a pre-Christian.

Why would he convert? If he is the son of God and God himself, why the hell would he accept another religion?

Goddess Kali
Originally posted by Willaume
I agree. Christians (as a whole) violate the very words of the Christ every living day of their life, although it is no fault of their own. I believe that its human nature to be evil.



It's not human nature to be evil, we do harsh things because we live in a harsh world. We are conditioned to worry about our own survival, and being to care less and less for the happiness of others.


If Life were much easier, people would be far kinder to each other. Unfortunately, we all seem to generally live in the Fourth World: Anamality.

Alliance
According to your opinion. Maybe if we were all fat and lazy Eloi....we'd be happy.

It is not human nature to be good or evil. We are both.

debbiejo
Originally posted by FeceMan
No, apparently the Bible says that God isn't such a nice guy and we have to assume that He sends babies to hell. So God would be high-fiving the WBC. Ahh so you're Calvin then... roll eyes (sarcastic)

Nellinator
Originally posted by Mindship
Considering that Jesus was a devout Jew with no intention of starting a new faith (let alone one in his name): suppose he had been transported miraculously to modern times, say about twenty years ago, living in secret so that he could get used to the modern world, observe and try to understand it: what would he make of Christianity?

What would he make of either faith today?

(Please offer well-considered responses, not pontifications nor flaming.) Well, first I would argue that Jesus was far more than a devout Jew and claimed to be something more. Ultimately, he would likely attend a synagogue or a church and would likely confront church leaders and idiots like Phelps and make a scene about hypocrisy. That was his way of things.

Regret
Originally posted by Mindship
Considering that Jesus was a devout Jew with no intention of starting a new faith (let alone one in his name): suppose he had been transported miraculously to modern times, say about twenty years ago, living in secret so that he could get used to the modern world, observe and try to understand it: what would he make of Christianity?

What would he make of either faith today?

(Please offer well-considered responses, not pontifications nor flaming.) I will respond from my perspective.

Would Jesus convert? No, whatever is the correct is what he'd be.

You must remember that according to Jesus the Jewish religious leaders were off base in their teachings and the traditions they followed. The term Christianity and Christian was the name given to those who followed Christ's teachings as to how the Hebrew faith should be practiced. The term Judaism is an incorrect term as well, the religion was the Hebrew one. Judaism is a term to used when referencing the religion of the Jewish people. The term Judaism is used due to the only known followers of the Hebrew faith were those in the Kingdom of Judah after Assyria conquered Israel, as well as the fact that the Temple was located in Judah. Thus, the only known Hebrews were the Jews, the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Judah. So, are Jews still truly Hebrew?

Now, early Hebrews are believed by many scholars to have been henotheistic. From an unbiased perspective, it is not absolutely evident what Christ himself believed. We know that, at least according to the Bible, Christ was disliked by the majority of Jews due to his beliefs and statements on the subject of the Torah and on the subject of God and the nature of God. We know that his interpretation of the Tanakh was not always in line with Jewish thought. So, the assumption that the modern beliefs among Jews would be closer to Christ's is without merit. One could ask, "Would Christ be considered Jewish by modern Jewish standards?"

Regret
edit

Mindship
Originally posted by Regret
One could ask, "Would Christ be considered Jewish by modern Jewish standards?" That's a good question. American Orthodox would probably say no, but then, they tend not to regard Conservative and especially Reform as Jewish, either. Conservative and Reform Jews: they're much more flexible in their thinking.

However Judaism/the Hebrew faith was practiced then, or what they called themselves, there are traditions and beliefs which bind the practitioneers then with today's adherents. One could also ask would Jesus be considered Christian by modern Christian standards. Though my sense is that Jesus would not feel particularly comfortable with how either of the faiths are practiced today, I think it's safe to say he would feel more at home in shul than at mass.

IMO, what Jesus rallied against was the "ossification" of his faith. He lived for the spirit of his religious beliefs, not necessarily the letter. Many centuries after his death, Rabbi Hillel said the essence of Judaism is, "What you don't like, don't do to anyone else. Everything else is commentary."

In other words, the essence of any genuine faith begins with compassion.

I'll tell ya, if he weren't Jesus, I think he'd pull his hair out by the roots in response to what goes on sometimes.

Willaume
Originally posted by Alliance
According to your opinion. Maybe if we were all fat and lazy Eloi....we'd be happy.

It is not human nature to be good or evil. We are both.

Perhaps. But I see more evil than good. It is the easier path.

Nellinator
Just like the Dark Side of the Force?

Alliance
Dark and light are the same.

Nellinator
I'll take your word for it.

mr.smiley
Jesus,I belive,would be a modern day rebel.He would live on the frindges of society causing a lot of trouble.I realy belive he would have a lot in common with Buddhist,but with more of an in your face attitude.He would question the establishment and probably speak some hard truths to so called Christians.Their's a saying that goes,'If Jesus was alive today he wouldn't be a christian'.I think that's the truth.

Nellinator
Well, it is actually true. Jesus never died to save himself, so he can't really accept his own sacrifice considering it wasn't for him, leaving him Jewish.

FeceMan
Originally posted by Alliance
Dark and light are the same.
I call bullshit. Like in that Penn and Teller thread about that Penn and Teller show.

Alliance
Originally posted by FeceMan
I call bullshit. Like in that Penn and Teller thread about that Penn and Teller show.

Its a fascinating philosophy. Aren't good and evil merely constructs that we create? I feel they can be useful, but that doesn't mean they are valid.

debbiejo
Originally posted by Mindship
Considering that Jesus was a devout Jew with no intention of starting a new faith (let alone one in his name): suppose he had been transported miraculously to modern times, say about twenty years ago, living in secret so that he could get used to the modern world, observe and try to understand it: what would he make of Christianity?

What would he make of either faith today?

(Please offer well-considered responses, not pontifications nor flaming.) I believe he would consider todays Christian, at least many of them, as hypocrites, Pharisees, and workers of Satan. I say this because people don't follow Jesus' teachings, but Pauls'. Also, Jesus said that you would know them by their fruits, which is an excellent teaching. Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? This was always in the forefront of his teachings. I believe he would be disappointed that the Christians of today stick in their clicks and not remove themselves from such people as to do harm to his teachings. He pointed this out that the Pharisees were intent upon cleansing the outside of the cup and dish whereas the inside remained dirty. It remains the same today with many christians and Christian groups.

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