Constantine

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by Sethomas

I've noticed a growth among Protestants in the sophomoric presumption that anything written immediately after the time of Christ should be treated as Scripture. It's absurd how many books are out there about New Testament apocrypha. Back to your statement, the it's extremely improbable that Constantine sought the destruction of dissident Christian literature because so much of it remains intact.

I wasn't alluding to Scripture AFTER Christ. I was simply saying that there may have been EXISTING gospels that did not agree with his agenda which were gathered and destroyed and some of which that he never found. As for the "shitty job" part: If there truly were miracle upon miracle in Biblical times, I would actually expect a whole lot more Scripture than is present today. If that's the case, what happened to it? In fact, what happened in Jesus' whole life between the ages of 12 and 30 or so? Aren't you even curious about why those years are absent in recorded history? Is it that he didn't do anything intereseting in the intervening years? I doubt it. BTW, I'm agnostic if anything. This is more or less an intellectual quest into an area in which some authors have made some valid empirical points and asked questions that piqued my interests. I don't mean to offend.

Originally Posted by El Blanco

Kelly, have you read Angels and Deamons? Same author as the divinci code. I think its the same hero, too.

I just discovered him thru a friend. Apparently, he has five or six novels out. I'll try that one next.

[mburbank]

I had a sophomoric Growth. The doctor gave me an ointment and it cleared up.

[Cosmo Electrolux]

I'm sorry..It's not often I get to converse with intellegent adults...about grown up topics like tits...I get carried away.

[Sethomas]

I wasn't alluding to Scripture AFTER Christ. I was simply saying that there may have been EXISTING gospels that did not agree with his agenda

Learn your vocabulary dude. In Christianity, a "gospel" is a narrative on the life of Christ. Therefore, THERE WERE NO EXISTING GOSPELS BEFORE CHRIST. There were indeed a great deal of apocryphal writings that were popular among the tribes of Israel that didn't make the cut into canon. Contrary to your assumption, there's no shortage of that stuff. Go to www.newadvent.org and look up "apocrypha" if you don't believe me.

If there truly were miracle upon miracle in Biblical times, I would actually expect a whole lot more Scripture than is present today.

You're neglecting the fact that there was roughly a 500 year period between the period when these miracles allegedyly took place, and to me it's actually remarkable how much scripture survived through the bottleneck of centuries of oral history. Keep in mind that the first people to actually write down the Old Testament were the Alexandrian Greeks in the middle of the third century BC.

In fact, what happened in Jesus' whole life between the ages of 12 and 30 or so?

Okay, it's nice how you jump from talking about the weather of the Gobi desert to the price of oranges in Florida. We've all seen the movie Dogma, dude, so don't think you're shocking anyone. If you ask me, it makes perfect sense to say that Jesus studied Torah and built furniture for all those years.

[AChimp]

If you ask me, I think Jesus was out drinking and whoring during those years.

[Baalzamon]

If you ask me, I think Jesus was out drinking and whoring during those years.

I couldnt agree more

[El Blanco]

Dude, your mom was in Galilee way back then?

[AChimp]

Damn straight. And you know what that makes me?

THE SON OF THE SON OF GOD. Bitch.

[Sethomas]

Does that mean you'd sit on God's knee while he told you stories and fed you Werthers Originals?

[BaronVonBoner]

Those commercials were great.

[ItalianStereotype]

I read your post. I want that second of my life back.

[AChimp]

Does that mean you'd sit on God's knee while he told you stories and fed you Werthers Originals?

Yep. And I also got to lick the creamiest Werthers in all Creation. So creamy is it, that it was deemed pure ambrosia and therefore too pure for the taste buds of Man.

[mburbank]

Are we not talking about Adrienne Barbeau anymore? 'Cause she had a balcony you could do Shakespeare from.

[AChimp]

My threadjack is better than your threadjack!

[mburbank]

Is that what you're calling it these days? A 'threadjack'? 'Cuase maybe it's just me, but thaat doesn't sound very hot.

[Cosmo Electrolux]

retrocrush.com has an awesome Adrienne gallery....I love that woman.....well, parts of her anyway....:/

[AChimp]

Very well, Max. You can have this thread...

[Cosmo Electrolux]

my name is Cosmo.....

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by Sethomas

I wasn't alluding to Scripture AFTER Christ. I was simply saying that there may have been EXISTING gospels that did not agree with his agenda

Learn your vocabulary dude. In Christianity, a "gospel" is a narrative on the life of Christ. Therefore, THERE WERE NO EXISTING GOSPELS BEFORE CHRIST.

My vocabulary is fine. I was talking about GOSPELS written about Christ during his life that survived up to the point of Constantine's reign.

Originally Posted by Sethomas

You're neglecting the fact that there was roughly a 500 year period between the period when these miracles allegedyly took place, and to me it's actually remarkable how much scripture survived through the bottleneck of centuries of oral history. Keep in mind that the first people to actually write down the Old Testament were the Alexandrian Greeks in the middle of the third century BC.

So why did THOSE particular parts survive? Is it truly miraculous or were they chosen for an intended purpose? Your point about the oral history is interesting, though. You accept everything everything that was told orally through the ages that was later written down in the Old Testament as fact but other things that were told down through the ages (some of which people had painstakingly coded into music, art and literature so they wouldn't be lost to posterity) as false. I truly don't see what makes one or the other more valid to you. Who confirmed that they WERE more valid. Constantine? The Holy Roman Church? Members of the "Council Of Nicea". THAT was my point.

Originally Posted by Sethomas

Okay, it's nice how you jump from talking about the weather of the Gobi desert to the price of oranges in Florida. We've all seen the movie Dogma, dude, so don't think you're shocking anyone. If you ask me, it makes perfect sense to say that Jesus studied Torah and built furniture for all those years.

I'm not trying to shock anyone and I've never seen "Dogma". It's always been a question that stuck out in my mind. Don't you find it curious that a large chunk of his life is missed in the telling? Aren't you curious? I'm not trying to detract from Jesus accomplishments. I'm merely asking why, especially since his religious philisophy is somewhat different than that of the Old Testament. What were his influences that made him lean that way.

P.S. Don't get angry with me because you've had the same questions. I'm only asking.