For those who think Jesus is a myth...

[BetheButterfly]

Hello,

 

For those who think Jesus is a myth, could you please provide references as to why you think so? Thanks

 

Also, what exactly about Jesus do you think is a myth?

 

His existence?

The miracles of healing?

The Messianic prophesies in the Tanakh that Christians associate with Jesus?

All of the above?

 

Could you please post links with solid references that support your claim?

 

Since we are for the most part all adults, the objective of any interfaith discussion or discussion concerning beliefs is best and most enjoyable when done without insults and with concrete references as to why one believes what one believes. Thanks.

 

Peace and God bless

[CarrieT]

 

Could you please post links with solid references that support your claim?

 

 

Why do you need solid references? I am not a Christian (but am dating one) and know that those who believe Jesus is the son of God do so because of their faith.

 

Their evidence? A book that was written by a handful of different people and re-edited a number of times. There are just as many books which have differing views - I just don't feel like citing them right now.

 

To me - a practicing NON-believer - there are so many cultures which have the virgin birth (Osiris/Horus/Isis myth) that it makes it hard for me to believe that Jesus' version is the one-and-only. And the whole dead-on-the-cross and coming back thing? Just don't believe it at all....

 

Yep, I believe that Jesus was a real person - just like I believe that Buddha and Mohammed were real and just as holy as there are many holy people.

[BetheButterfly]

Why do you need solid references?

 

Hello CarrieT,

 

I am curious. I like to understand why people believe what they do, and why people don't believe what I believe. (By the way, it is fine that people do not believe what I believe. I only ask for courtesy instead of insults, and strive not to insult what other people believe but rather be courteous as well.)

 

I am not a Christian (but am dating one)and know that those who believe Jesus is the son of God do so because of their faith.

 

Their evidence? A book that was written by a handful of different people and re-edited a number of times. There are just as many books which have differing views - I just don't feel like citing them right now.

Are they mainly just about views?

 

Thanks.

 

 

To me - a practicing NON-believer - there are so many cultures which have the virgin birth (Osiris/Horus/Isis myth) that it makes it hard for me to believe that Jesus' version is the one-and-only. And the whole dead-on-the-cross and coming back thing? Just don't believe it at all....

Do you believe there has never been any miracle (supernatural event)?

 

Yep, I believe that Jesus was a real person - just like I believe that Buddha and Mohammed were real and just as holy as there are many holy people.

When people say they believe Jesus is a myth, are they meaning mostly what Christians believe concerning what Jesus said and did, or his existence and that he had followers (and still does)?

 

Concerning Muhammad and Buddha, I believe they are real people too and they obviously had/have followers to this day as well. Now as to Muhammad's claims, I believe he is one of the false prophets that Jesus prophesied would come (Matthew 24:4-25) About Buddha, I haven't studied hardly anything about him to have any opinion as to what I believe concerning him.

Edited April 10, 2012 by BetheButterfly

[KR10N]

I'm an agnostic and I'm a bit skeptical when it comes to believing in Jesus. I can't give you references as to why I think he doesn't exist or ever existed. Everything about Jesus just seems made up. A man that can walk on water doesn't, at all, sound realistic. If there ever were a man named Jesus I feel that his good deeds were, most likely, exaggerated.

 

But really, how can anyone know for sure? The Bible has been translated so much. Translations are never exact. Dialect and grammar vary greatly for different languages.

 

People of faith are always certain about what they believe. Non-believers are always certain as to what they don't believe. Being an agnostic is basically a curse. Why? Because we have so many friggen questions which will probably never get answered. But then again the question is sometimes more important than the answer.

 

In short: I really don't know why or why not.

[Star Gazer]

Why do you need solid references? I am not a Christian (but am dating one) and know that those who believe Jesus is the son of God do so because of their faith.

 

Their evidence? A book that was written by a handful of different people and re-edited a number of times. There are just as many books which have differing views - I just don't feel like citing them right now.

 

To me - a practicing NON-believer - there are so many cultures which have the virgin birth (Osiris/Horus/Isis myth) that it makes it hard for me to believe that Jesus' version is the one-and-only. And the whole dead-on-the-cross and coming back thing? Just don't believe it at all....

 

Yep, I believe that Jesus was a real person - just like I believe that Buddha and Mohammed were real and just as holy as there are many holy people.

 

Love this post.

[CarrieT]

Are they mainly just about views?

Not at all - they cite and reference the contradictions in bible giving people like me reason to disbelieve.

 

Do you believe there has never been any miracle (supernatural event)?

Correct. I don't believe in any miracles and actually believe the "miracles" were manifested hoaxes.

 

When people say they believe Jesus is a myth, are they meaning mostly what Christians believe concerning what Jesus said and did, or his existence and that he had followers (and still does)?

I know he existed and I know he had followers. I just believe he was a man like everyone else and - probably - was married to the magdalene chick. I don't believe he was the son of god; or, I should say that he was just as much a son of A god as much as I am... But I don't believe in a single, divine being.

 

I just think that his followers THEN helped perpetrate a hoax and subsequent followers are blind by following such a hoax.

 

Concerning Muhammad and Buddha, I believe they are real people too. Now as to Muhammad's claims, I believe he is one of the false prophets that Jesus prophesied would come (Matthew 24:4-25) About Buddha, I haven't studied hardly anything about him to have any opinion as to what I believe concerning him.

Citing the bible means nothing to me. It is just another book and is not divine whatsoever as to believed...

[xxoo]

I was raised Christian, but started doubting as a teen.

 

When I began studying world religions as an adult, learning about Paganism (which was a bad word in my upbringing) ended all my belief in the Christian stories about Jesus. The stories already existed before his birth. They just put a new character in the role.

[quankanne]

those who believe Jesus is the son of God do so because of their faith

 

yep, it's pretty much what it boils down to. I can't explain my faith, I just know it works for me, and I try to live out the positive aspects of it by being as good and loving person as I can. And I can tell you my strong belief in Christ as God will and does vary from another person's because that relationship is such a personal one with God. So even though I may not agree with what someone else may say or believe, I totally get how someone believes otherwise, because it's their journey.

 

as for the miracles, I don't think what Jesus did was smoke and mirror, pull a bunny out of a hat kind of thing, but more of a gentle influence that brought people together who were otherwise at cross-purposes with each other. One of the priests in a sermon talked about the story of the fishes and loaves, where Jesus blessed the scarce amounts of food and almost magically, there was so much food that there were enough for leftovers.

 

the priest talked about how people came from all over to hear Jesus talk that day, and so they were strangers. But because they were excited to be there with him, they tapped into their generous nature and shared (like going to the beach and offering someone use of your sunscreen or having your husband help a little kid get the fish he caught off his fishing hook). The miracle was that a normally otherwise cloistered, suspicious crowd opened their hearts and shared what they had. And when you think about it, that is a true miracle.

[CarrieT]

I was raised Christian, but started doubting as a teen.

 

When I began studying world religions as an adult, learning about Paganism (which was a bad word in my upbringing) ended all my belief in the Christian stories about Jesus. The stories already existed before his birth. They just put a new character in the role.

 

That was sort of me. I taught Paganism (and had a radio show as a Media Witch in the 80s).

 

I have also studied Hindu, Kabbalah (did my Master's thesis on that), Zen, Shinto, Thelema, Golden Dawn, Judaism, Jain, etc...

 

Once one learns about many faiths, it is easier to see the myriad of connections that many have and believe those correspondences than it is for me to believe those aspects in Christianity which disdain other religions.

[BetheButterfly]

I'm an agnostic and I'm a bit skeptical when it comes to believing in Jesus. I can't give you references as to why I think he doesn't exist or ever existed. Everything about Jesus just seems made up. A man that can walk on water doesn't, at all, sound realistic. If there ever were a man named Jesus I feel that his good deeds were, most likely, exaggerated.

 

Hello KR10N,

 

So basically, what makes you question the existence of Jesus are the miracles his followers say he did?

 

But really, how can anyone know for sure? The Bible has been translated so much. Translations are never exact. Dialect and grammar vary greatly for different languages.

 

The Dead Sea Scrolls are pretty old and are considered valid. Have you ever heard of them?

 

People of faith are always certain about what they believe. Non-believers are always certain as to what they don't believe. Being an agnostic is basically a curse. Why? Because we have so many friggen questions which will probably never get answered. But then again the question is sometimes more important than the answer.

 

Good points.

 

In short: I really don't know why or why not.

 

It would be lovely if people could truly invent a time machine and go back in the past to visit such people as Abraham, Moses, King David, Jesus, and others that are important to people! Wouldn't that be awesome? And then bring back video feed and other evidence, hmm?

[BetheButterfly]

Not at all - they cite and reference the contradictions in bible giving people like me reason to disbelieve.

 

Contradictions in the Bible are basically mere human errors made by scribes, and are generally minor errors, not huge ones. Just because scribes make errors, however, doesn't mean that they write about is false. It just means the scribes are human. As the saying goes: "To err is human, to forgive define."

 

 

Correct. I don't believe in any miracles and actually believe the "miracles" were manifested hoaxes.

Oh. Have you ever talked with doctors who were surprised by a person's quick recovery and don't know exactly how it happened? In today's day and time, those are considered miracles, as well as other supernatural events which different people experience.

 

 

I know he existed and I know he had followers. I just believe he was a man like everyone else and - probably - was married to the magdalene chick. I don't believe he was the son of god; or, I should say that he was just as much a son of A god as much as I am... But I don't believe in a single, divine being.

The belief that Jesus is the Son of God is based on Messianic prophesies in the Tanakh.

I just think that his followers THEN helped perpetrate a hoax and subsequent followers are blind by following such a hoax.

That is what many Jewish people who don't believe Jesus is the Messiah think.

 

 

Citing the bible means nothing to me. It is just another book and is not divine whatsoever as to believed...

I cite it to explain what I believe, not what you believe.

[BetheButterfly]

I was raised Christian, but started doubting as a teen.

 

When I began studying world religions as an adult, learning about Paganism (which was a bad word in my upbringing) ended all my belief in the Christian stories about Jesus. The stories already existed before his birth. They just put a new character in the role.

 

Do you think there is a reason why there are similar stories? For example, there were different accounts of a huge flood in many nations. To me, this means that there was a world-wide flood, like Noah experienced, and the different versions of the event, though definitely different, hold a common truth.

[CarrieT]

Oh. Have you ever talked with doctors who were surprised by a person's quick recovery and don't know exactly how it happened? In today's day and time, those are considered miracles, as well as other supernatural events which different people experience.

I'm dating one (a Lutheran). I didn't say I didn't believe in supernatural events. I just don't call them miracles and don't believe they are the work of a divine being. As a person who has practiced witchcraft and ceremonial magick, I have manifested many supernatural situations myself - but I don't believe those to be miracles by your definition.

 

The belief that Jesus is the Son of God is based on Messianic prophesies in the Tanakh.

That is what many Jewish people who don't believe Jesus is the Messiah think.

I know this. It just doesn't mean anything to me as I don't believe in this "god" thing that you do to believe he had a son.

 

 

I cite it to explain what I believe, not what you believe.

But you cite it to back up your argument so your words have little import when you try ti back them up with yet more dogma. You asked why non-believers think the way we do but to try to substantiate your explanations with bible quotes only makes your argument less impressive.

[BetheButterfly]

those who believe Jesus is the son of God do so because of their faith

 

yep, it's pretty much what it boils down to. I can't explain my faith, I just know it works for me, and I try to live out the positive aspects of it by being as good and loving person as I can. And I can tell you my strong belief in Christ as God will and does vary from another person's because that relationship is such a personal one with God. So even though I may not agree with what someone else may say or believe, I totally get how someone believes otherwise, because it's their journey.

 

It is really cool to study about the Messianic prophesies in the Tanakh.

 

I don't know Hebrew, but when I studied some of the Messianic prophesies, it blew me away that God said that he would call the offspring of David His Son, and that He would be his father!

All the quotes below are from Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre

 

2 Samuel 7

 

"

 

יב כִּי יִמְלְאוּ יָמֶיךָ, וְשָׁכַבְתָּ אֶת-אֲבֹתֶיךָ, וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת-זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִמֵּעֶיךָ; וַהֲכִינֹתִי, אֶת-מַמְלַכְתּוֹ. 12 When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy body, and I will establish his kingdom. יג הוּא יִבְנֶה-בַּיִת, לִשְׁמִי; וְכֹנַנְתִּי אֶת-כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ, עַד-עוֹלָם. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. יד אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה-לּוֹ לְאָב, וְהוּא יִהְיֶה-לִּי לְבֵן--אֲשֶׁר, בְּהַעֲו*ֹתוֹ, וְהֹכַחְתִּיו בְּשֵׁבֶט אֲנָשִׁים, וּבְנִגְעֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם. 14 I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son; if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; טו וְחַסְדִּי, לֹא-יָסוּר מִמֶּנּוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הֲסִרֹתִי מֵעִם שָׁאוּל, אֲשֶׁר הֲסִרֹתִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. 15 but My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. טז וְנֶאְמַן בֵּיתְךָ וּמַמְלַכְתְּךָ עַד-עוֹלָם, לְפָנֶיךָ: כִּסְאֲךָ, יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן עַד-עוֹלָם. 16 And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee; thy throne shall be established for ever.' יז כְּכֹל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וּכְכֹל הַחִזָּיוֹן הַזֶּה--כֵּן דִּבֶּר נָתָן, אֶל-דָּוִד. {פ} 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. {P}

[COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][FONT=verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucida grande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif]

 

[/FONT][/COLOR]As far as I know, King Solomon didn't get chastised with a rod and stripes, but Jesus did.

 

1 Chronicles 17 - I boldened some.

 

"

 

יא וְהָיָה, כִּי-מָלְאוּ יָמֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת עִם-אֲבֹתֶיךָ, וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת-זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה מִבָּנֶיךָ; וַהֲכִינוֹתִי, אֶת-מַלְכוּתוֹ. 11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days are fulfilled that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. יב הוּא יִבְנֶה-לִּי, בָּיִת; וְכֹנַנְתִּי אֶת-כִּסְאוֹ, עַד-עוֹלָם. 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever. יג אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה-לּוֹ לְאָב, וְהוּא יִהְיֶה-לִּי לְבֵן; וְחַסְדִּי, לֹא-אָסִיר מֵעִמּוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הֲסִירוֹתִי, מֵאֲשֶׁר הָיָה לְפָנֶיךָ. 13 I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee; יד וְהַעֲמַדְתִּיהוּ בְּבֵיתִי וּבְמַלְכוּתִי, עַד-הָעוֹלָם; וְכִסְאוֹ, יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן עַד-עוֹלָם. 14 but I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be established for ever.' טו כְּכֹל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וּכְכֹל הֶחָזוֹן הַזֶּה--כֵּן דִּבֶּר נָתָן, אֶל-דָּוִיד. {פ} 15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. {P}

Psalm 2 - I boldened some.

 

 

ד יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק: אֲדֹנָי, יִלְעַג-לָמוֹ. 4 He that sitteth in heaven laugheth, the Lord hath them in derision.

ה אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ בְאַפּוֹ; וּבַחֲרוֹנוֹ יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ. 5 Then will He speak unto them in His wrath, and affright them in His sore displeasure:

ו וַאֲנִי, נָסַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי: עַל-צִיּוֹן, הַר-קָדְשִׁי. 6 'Truly it is I that have established My king upon Zion, My holy mountain.'

ז אֲסַפְּרָה, אֶל-חֹק: יְהוָה, אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה--אֲנִי, הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ. 7 I will tell of the decree: the LORD said unto me: 'Thou art My son, this day have I begotten thee.

ח שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי--וְאֶתְּנָה גוֹיִם, נַחֲלָתֶךָ; וַאֲחֻזָּתְךָ, אַפְסֵי-אָרֶץ. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession.

I believe the Tanakh is true, and that Jesus fulfills and will fulfill Messianic prophesies as well as all the prophesies/promises concerning him.

 

However, I understand why many Jewish people do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. The first believers were all Jewish (the apostles, Jesus' Mom, and Jesus' followers. Acts 10 and Acts 15 give the accounts of the first Gentiles to 'officially' follow Jesus.)

 

for the miracles, I don't think what Jesus did was smoke and mirror, pull a bunny out of a hat kind of thing, but more of a gentle influence that brought people together who were otherwise at cross-purposes with each other. One of the priests in a sermon talked about the story of the fishes and loaves, where Jesus blessed the scarce amounts of food and almost magically, there was so much food that there were enough for leftovers.

 

the priest talked about how people came from all over to hear Jesus talk that day, and so they were strangers. But because they were excited to be there with him, they tapped into their generous nature and shared (like going to the beach and offering someone use of your sunscreen or having your husband help a little kid get the fish he caught off his fishing hook). The miracle was that a normally otherwise cloistered, suspicious crowd opened their hearts and shared what they had. And when you think about it, that is a true miracle.

It is cool how Jesus brings people together, no matter what ethnicity and economic status! Cool point!

[BetheButterfly]

I'm dating one (a Lutheran). I didn't say I didn't believe in supernatural events. I just don't call them miracles and don't believe they are the work of a divine being. As a person who has practiced witchcraft and ceremonial magick, I have manifested many supernatural situations myself - but I don't believe those to be miracles by your definition.

 

What is your definition of a miracle?

 

 

I know this. It just doesn't mean anything to me as I don't believe in this "god" thing that you do to believe he had a son.

Ok.

 

 

But you cite it to back up your argument so your words have little import when you try ti back them up with yet more dogma. You asked why non-believers think the way we do but to try to substantiate your explanations with bible quotes only makes your argument less impressive.

Please go back and read what you wrote and what I wrote again, yeah?

 

You mentioned Muhammad and Buddha. I said I believe they existed too, and then I explained what I believe concerning Muhammad's claims and that I have not studied Buddha enough to have a belief concerning him, but I do indeed believe both are real, with real followers (and not myths.)

 

Remember, this thread is a discussion thread between people who believe and people who don't. I asked people what they believe and why, and it is perfectly fine for me to explain what I believe and why, as well as it is perfectly fine for you to explain what you believe and why.

Edited April 10, 2012 by BetheButterfly

[Star Gazer]

That was sort of me. I taught Paganism (and had a radio show as a Media Witch in the 80s).

 

I have also studied Hindu, Kabbalah (did my Master's thesis on that), Zen, Shinto, Thelema, Golden Dawn, Judaism, Jain, etc...

 

Once one learns about many faiths, it is easier to see the myriad of connections that many have and believe those correspondences than it is for me to believe those aspects in Christianity which disdain other religions.

 

I totally agree.

[SincereOnlineGuy]

 

 

Citing the bible means nothing to me. It is just another book

 

 

 

LOL - yeah, "just another book"... centered on a point fully one-hundred years before paper was even invented, and one-thousand years before paper was widely used in the western world.

 

Wuthering Heights it ain't...

[quankanne]

However, I understand why many Jewish people do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. From what I understand, the Jewish people awaited a Messiah who took care of earthly business (maybe like a superstar politician we're familiar with in our own experiences 2000 years later?) and were disappointed that this dude who was revealed as the Son of God was talking about existence on a whole 'nother plane. While he addressed certain needs, his eye was on the afterlife, not this earthly life, and they were hoping for someone who would deliver them from the situation they were in.

 

if you ever had a chance to read Ann Rice's "Christ the Lord" books, the second book addresses this very thing. Even Jesus' followers were expecting him to shake up the world in a very real, socio-political sense ... it wasn't until they came to accept that he was about "his Father's business," i.e., paving the way to heaven for believer and non-believer alike, that they understood his true mission.

 

IMO, *this* is why people have such a hard time accepting the whole idea of Jesus even now. They expect someone to address real-time needs of hunger and injustice and etc., etc., without realizing the solution lies in their own hands (if they work together, they can answer those needs); they don't want to put their faith in someone who addresses the question of eternal life, because it's not a "real" thing to them. They're focused on the temporal realm, not the supernatural one that involves heaven and hell ...

[zengirl]

I believe Jesus is a myth and that the Bible is full of myths because it is structured very much like the ancient myths that we consider to make up mythology in a literature sense.

 

Know that I am using the 1st and original definition of myth: "a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature."

 

To me, the Christian stories are no different from the Greek myths because I am not Christian and they are no less fantastical (they're perhaps a little less fun to read, and the religion differs in many ways from the ancient Greek religion, but they all fit the bill of mythology). The fact that some people currently believe in it does not make it factual. No religions are based in fact.

 

I don't need a source to cite to prove it is not a fact. The truth is that very little of it is factually proven, and there is no factual source that Jesus existed (the Bible is not an accepted work of nonfiction). Many scholars do believe that Jesus was likely a composite of many men who lived, and -- aside from the miracles -- I think perhaps he was in terms of the philosophical statements. I certainly think some version of Jesus lived, but not as the son of god (which is the myth in question -- several interrelated myths and stories really).

 

The Jefferson Bible is an interesting read that reads more like historical fiction, without the supernatural parts, but with the supernatural parts, the literary genre closest is myth. Certainly we could discuss historical Jesus, but few people do. Most people who pretend to discuss historical Jesus still claim he is the son of God. That is not historical. It can be your belief, but we have to separate that away from the notion of "Jesus in history" to attempt any kind of accuracy. The same is true of many Greek heroes, many of whom did live in some form but were likely (IMO at least) not helped or hindered by mythical gods or creatures and certainly we would never claim that the claims they were could be considered non-fiction.

Edited April 10, 2012 by zengirl

[xxoo]

Do you think there is a reason why there are similar stories? For example, there were different accounts of a huge flood in many nations. To me, this means that there was a world-wide flood, like Noah experienced, and the different versions of the event, though definitely different, hold a common truth.

 

Yes, people came up with all sorts of stories to explain events they did not understand.

 

It is possible, even likely, that each nation experienced a "great flood" in their history, but not simultaneously a world-wide flood.

[Professor X]

10 Christ-like Figures Who Pre-Date Jesus

 

 

 

and were disappointed that this dude who was revealed as the Son of God was talking about existence on a whole 'nother plane. While he addressed certain needs, his eye was on the afterlife, not this earthly life, and they were hoping for someone who would deliver them from the situation they were in.

Errrr, no.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Professor X

[Eve]

10 Christ-like Figures Who Pre-Date Jesus

 

 

 

 

Errrr, no.

 

I looked at the link. Didn't know that Buddah was tempted by the Devil.. Huh? WT..

 

Take care,

Eve x

[Professor X]

I looked at the link. Didn't know that Buddah was tempted by the Devil.. Huh? WT..

 

Take care,

Eve x

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)

History of the Devil: Buddhism

Mara, Lord of Death -- About the Buddhist Demon Mara

The Buddha's Encounters with Mara the Tempter: Their Representation in Literature and Art

[Professor X]

I don't know Hebrew, but when I studied some of the Messianic prophesies, it blew me away that God said that he would call the offspring of David His Son, and that He would be his father!

 

Why does it blow your mind? You think it's coincidence that the Christian bible says Jesus was of King Davids bloodline ?

[Eve]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)

History of the Devil: Buddhism

Mara, Lord of Death -- About the Buddhist Demon Mara

The Buddha's Encounters with Mara the Tempter: Their Representation in Literature and Art

 

Ok cool. Will read this info.

 

I knew that there can be a supernatural element to their faith but was not really sure what it was.

 

I was only aware really of The Wheel Of Life.

 

Interesting.

 

Cheers,

 

*Eve skips off with a new reading interest to unleash on Amazon*

 

Take care,

Eve x