In Search of the Real Jesus

[Richard Aberdeen]

There is no historical or other evidence that Jesus is the founder of either Christianity or any other religion. Rather, from a fair historical perspective, Jesus offers free salvation for sinners and is the founder of free quality education for the common masses. Much of what Jesus teaches agrees with modern human and civil rights theory (which is exactly what one might expect from the true Messiah). Due to the extreme bias of both orthodox religious people and secular historians and scholars, Jesus is rarely if ever viewed within the same context as public education, a very grave error on their part.

Virtually the entire focus of the words and deeds of Jesus are on human behavior, how we should treat each other and how we need God's help in order to succeed at this. There is very little theology in the teaching of Jesus, other than simple concepts like father and friend. He uses both nature and human situations to illustrate what he refers to as the "kingdom of heavens" (Greek ouranon means heavens plural) and "kingdom of God" (Greek Theou).

These may be the same thing. While many of his stories are assumed to be mere inventions for illustrative purposes, it could well be true that the stories Jesus tells are true stories about real people caught in various kinds of morally challenging and life defining situations. It appears obvious based on the four narratives, that Jesus knew a lot more about people and their real experiences than typically given credit for.

Much of the rest of what Jesus has to say is directed with much sarcasm and highly caustic remarks aimed at conservative orthodox religious leaders. Openly, directly and in their face, he is constantly publicly chastising them for their hypocrisy and burdening of the poor and average people with temple fees and forced adherence to useless vain traditions. That is, when he isn't otherwise openly condemning them for their greed, vanity and laziness and, for gravely misleading the common masses ("if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch"). If this sounds a lot like how modern-day Christian leaders act, that's because it is.

Other than the religious leaders noted above, Jesus condemns no one and though promoting extreme pacifism, he goes out of his way to befriend soldiers. Historians estimate that at least 40% of the people who Jesus befriended were LGBTQ folks. And yet, Jesus not only doesn't condemn them, he never mentions sexual orientation. He has nothing to say about helping the unborn, but a whole lot to say about helping the already born.

The entire message of Jesus focuses on loving and caring and being helpful and kind to the already born among us. And in particular, Jesus is concerned with helping the sick, the poor, immigrants, the deformed and disabled, foreign and otherwise unwanted people and anyone and everyone else who is marginalized by the wealthy, powerful, self-righteous and elite of human societies.

[Richard Aberdeen]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #9]

So, you don't believe that Jesus educated people for free? Or, is it you don't believe Jesus saves people? Both such beliefs are lies.

[Ray the atheist]

[Replying to Richard Aberdeen in post #11]

" So, you don't believe that Jesus educated people for free? Or, is it you don't believe Jesus saves people? Both such beliefs are lies."

In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, itinerant teachers—including Jesus and his disciples—relied on a combination of community hospitality, the patronage of wealthy supporters, and a lifestyle of radical simplicity. Because they operated outside of established religious institutions like the Temple or formal rabbinical schools, their survival was a precarious mix of social networking and trust in communal generosity.

There is no historical or biblical record of Jesus preaching about "free education" as a policy or a social program. The concept of "free public education" as we understand it today—a state-funded or institutionalized system—did not exist in the 1st-century Mediterranean world.

As for "saving people", I'm an agnostic atheist and I don't believe in the supernatural, and I don't happen to believe that Jesus saves anyone from his punishment.

[Richard Aberdeen]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #12]

There was no concept of "free education" or public education for common average people in the time and place of Jesus. Jesus provides by far, the best quality education in history. Greek philosophers didn't provide free public education for the masses and, neither did anyone else prior to Jesus.

If one were to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica but fail to read the four narratives of Jesus in the New Testament, they would remain poorly educated at best.

[Ray the atheist]

[Replying to Richard Aberdeen in post #13]

Jesus provides by far, the best quality education in history.

What was Jesus teaching?

[Richard Aberdeen]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #14]

How to live, how to be an effective human being for the positive good, proper morality, respect for nature and living things. Jesus taught us everything that really matters in life, to live in love, peace, understanding and freedom, rather than how humans live today.

What is more important, for example. Eliminating mass pollution, poverty lies, murder, rape, theft and corruption, or earmarking 1.5 trillion for the U.S. military and landing on mars? Obviously, our modern priorities are entirely askew from what matters.

[lastdaysbeliever]

[Replying to Ray the atheist in post #14]

How to live, how to be an effective human being for the positive good, proper morality, respect for nature and living things. Jesus taught us everything that really matters in life, to live in love, peace, understanding and freedom, rather than how humans live today.

What is more important, for example. Eliminating mass pollution, poverty lies, murder, rape, theft and corruption, or earmarking 1.5 trillion for the U.S. military and landing on mars? Obviously, our modern priorities are entirely askew from what matters.

Jesus was not some social justice warrior, as you continue to are caricaturize the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, the I AM, Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us as. He died for the sins of the world, for those who repent and receive. All your claims, as nice as they sound to you, all amount to is you, and those like minded, who try to create God Almighty in their image. Sad.

[Ray the atheist]

[Replying to Richard Aberdeen in post #15]

How to live, how to be an effective human being for the positive good, proper morality, respect for nature and living things. Jesus taught us everything that really matters in life, to live in love, peace, understanding and freedom, rather than how humans live today.

In the time of Jesus, itinerant teachers who relied on voluntary community hospitality or their own manual labour to survive. This lifestyle, adopted by Jesus and his disciples, functioned within established social frameworks where wisdom was considered a gift rather than a commercial commodity. Jesus wasn't the first or the last who gave teachings for free.

[Richard Aberdeen]

[Replying to lastdaysbeliever in post #16]

According to the prophets, God is very much a social justice warrior. The Psalms say this about Messiah:

“For he is coming to judge the world
With righteousness and
The peoples with equity” --Psalm 98:9

“Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!” Deuteronomy 19:10

God wants everyone to be treated fairly, justly and equally; God "is no respecter of persons." Righteousness and justice go hand in glove and cannot be separated.

[lastdaysbeliever]

[Replying to lastdaysbeliever in post #16]

According to the prophets, God is very much a social justice warrior. The Psalms say this about Messiah:

“For he is coming to judge the world
With righteousness and
The peoples with equity” --Psalm 98:9

“Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!” Deuteronomy 19:10

God wants everyone to be treated fairly, justly and equally; God "is no respecter of persons." Righteousness and justice go hand in glove and cannot be separated.

Psalm 98:9 carries over to Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. That Psalm has zero to do with these "social justice" ideologies you're peddling including your going so far off what we know of Jesus to claim He was totally secular. All you've accomplished is making a god in your own image.

[Richard Aberdeen]

[Replying to lastdaysbeliever in post #19]

The goal of social justice is for human societies to treat all people justly, fairly and equitably. If you are against that, you are against God Almighty, whose prophets consistently agree with that goal and, who "is no respecter of persons". Jesus teaches us to give our excess away, not horde it and glory in our wealth like modern capitalism very wrongly teaches.