Was Jesus a plagarist?

Shai Gar said:
Oh goody. A plaything.

Tomorrow morning when I wake up (tonight I'm going to a party, and then straight to sleep), I'll argue with you.

I shall enjoy this.
Click to expand...

What exactly are we arguing the nature of Paul's teachings, whether or not he did what he did for power and respect. Both maybe?

Or just the bible in general.
I dislike general debate.
 
NeverAmI said:
Buddhism's first language it was transcribed to was Pali (The Tipitaka) which is VERY similar, but not related, to Sanskrit. I am absolutely fascinated with Sanskrit, and the Khmer Empire too!
Click to expand...
Pali and sanskrit are very related. They're both Indic. This generally they're about as similar as Spanish and Italian.
 
00chris00 said:
What exactly are we arguing the nature of Paul's teachings, whether or not he did what he did for power and respect. Both maybe?

Or just the bible in general.
I dislike general debate.
Click to expand...

The nature of his teachings, and why he went to Christianity.
 
solongotgon said:
I would love to learn about the Mughal empire as they seem to have descended from Genghis Khan....my peeps:m076:
Click to expand...


I just watch a documentary on the Mongolian empire not too long ago, it was really good!

I hadn't heard about the Mughal Empire, the Islamic influence looks VERY interesting!!!
 
Shai Gar said:
The nature of his teachings, and why he went to Christianity.
Click to expand...

According to Edgar Cayce - one of the greatest christian psychics of the 20th century claimed:


  • Unknown Life of Jesus: Cayce presented narratives of Jesus' previous incarnations, including a mysterious Atlantean figure called "Amilius" as well as the more familiar biblical figures of Adam, Enoch, Melchizedek, Joshua, Asaph, and Jeshua. Cayce describes Jesus as an Essene who traveled to India in his youth in order to study Eastern religions, more specifically astrology.
    • Jesus and Christ: Following New Thought precedent, Cayce distinguishes between Jesus and Christhood. Briefly, Jesus was a soul like us who reincarnated through many lifetimes. "Christhood" is something he was the first to allow to be "manifest" through his material life, and it is something which we also ought to aspire towards. Cayce accordingly calls Jesus our "elder brother" and frequently makes reference to the way of the "lowly Nazarene."
    :m057:
 
NeverAmI said:
I just watch a documentary on the Mongolian empire not too long ago, it was really good!

I hadn't heard about the Mughal Empire, the Islamic influence looks VERY interesting!!!
Click to expand...

Which documentary? i think i've seen all but i am never really impressed with History channel's documentaries. Let me know:m165:
 
solongotgon said:
Which documentary? i think i've seen all but i am never really impressed with History channel's documentaries. Let me know:m165:
Click to expand...

It was on Veoh, I had to install the player, but I haven't noticed any problems from installing it.

http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/educational/watch/v6263355rgSNNCJx
Not sure who made it, but it is absolutely fascinating.
When I listen to them speak, I can hear both incredible Chinese and Arabic influence in their language. Or maybe I am just hearing things??? I don't know!

Do you know of any good documentaries on the Mughal Empire???
 
Last edited:
I just realized it is a History Channel documentary. But I am enjoying it quite a bit!
 
wasn't there supposed to be some kind of mild debate on this thread. Or have I made some kind of misunderstanding. (this is not sarcastic)
 
debates happen as they happen. if you're rearing for a debate, go through the thread, find something you disagree with, counter it (with proof), and see what happens. If you feel you already countered it, and no one responded, bump that specific argument with more refined info.
 
meanlittlechimp said:
Do you think there was any chance Jesus or writers of the new testament copied buddhist ideas that pre-dated Christ by 500 years? Because of the silk road, there actually were buddhist missions in both Rome and Ancient Greece.

Here are some of the similarities; they seem far to exact to be a coincidence.

Saint Jerome (4th century CE) mentions the birth of the Buddha, who he says "was born from the side of a virgin" the Buddha was, according to Buddhist tradition, born from the hip of his virgin mother.

[] Both Jesus and Siddartha deserted their families to seek their truths.

[]The palm-tree bends down to Mary as the Asoka tree to Yashodara.

[] The story of Simeon, the accounts of the bright light being almost word for word the same as in the earlier buddhist text

[] The idol bending down to the infant Jesus.

[] The miracle of the sparrows restored to life.

[] Both stayed in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights and were tempted by evil, Jesus by Satan and Buddha by the demon Mara and his daughters.


Buddha: "The faults of others are easier to see than one's own."
Jesus: "Why do you see the splinter in someone else's eye and never notice the log in your own?"

Buddha: "The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish to not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond." (Dhammapada 13.11)
Jesus: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matthew 19.21)

Buddha: "Consider others as yourself." (Dhammapada 10.1)
Jesus: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6.31)

Buddha: "Let us live most happily, possessing nothing; let us feed on joy, like radiant gods." (Dhammapada 15.4)
Jesus: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke 6.20)

Buddha: "If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words." (Majjhima Nikaya 21.6)
Jesus: "If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also." (Luke 6.29)

Buddha: "During the six years that the Bodhisattva practiced austerities, the demon followed behind him step by step, seeking an opportunity to harm him. But he found no opportunity whatsoever and went away discouraged and discontent." (Lalitavistara Sutra 18)
Jesus: "When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time." (Luke 4.13)
Click to expand...


Do you really believe that if two different people has similar morality, means that one of them has stolen it from other?
 
In spite of the fascinating similarities, it seems there are enough uniquenesses in the Jesus story to rule out plagarism. Some scripture scholars indicate that, from the perspective of critical literature analysis, that we really only have six or so saying that actually came from the mouth of Jesus, however, this does not mean that other sayings in the Gospels are innacurate...it's just that the precise wordings may have changed a bit or certain emphasis was added to help guide and teach the early Christian communities. Remember, it was the authority of the eyewitnesses who knew Jesus that was paramount in the early Church....the writings and their place in the community came later. If some other influences did enter into the picture, they would have been probably been somewhat consistent with what Christ was saying and/or doing in his life/ministry/teaching.

Personally, there are enough odd historically valid inclusions in the Gospels to make the story hard to dismiss as a work. Because of this I have come to believe the Jesus story and the testimony of those early communities. Add to this the ongoing experience of centuries past...yes, to me it is something very real and present even now. That said, I find elements of this truth articulated in many different places, too...this does not bother me in the least.
 
Last edited:
Agnus said:
Do you really believe that if two different people has similar morality, means that one of them has stolen it from other?
Click to expand...

You think the devil tempting them both for 40 days and 40 nights.

Obviously morality like, don't kill or steal has been around far before Jesus.

So if Jesus didn't invent morality; then what do Christians cling to but his divinity. If the stories of his divinity are plagarized from other older religions, it would make most rational people question the idea of the bible as God's direct communication to man, don't you think?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top