I concur with your research findings on Mary Magdalene and the Gospel that was dropped from the final text as published. As for your historical fiction account of young child Jesus, I started visualizing something here along the same lines, but with a different modern twist - I see this small child Jesus as an early version of a smarta$$, but better well spoken biblical B*rt S!mpson [legal staff told me to be careful of copyright infringement and big lawsuit] with M*rv@l Comic superpowers [again that damn legal staff]. But maybe I just missed that Christmas episode.
Slightly off topic, but regarding Jesus and Joseph, the artistic depiction of both men vary widely amongst the great painters of the 15th through 17th centuries, whose paintings adorn the walls of Catholic churches throughout Europe and American museums. Joseph, as depicted in scenes with the infant Jesus varies from a teenager (as likely the Virgin Mary was) to an older middle age man with a long brown beard and in some cases balding with a grey beard. Jesus as an adult is shown as any where from thin to muscle man Jesus, totally ripped hitting the gym daily. I suspect the former based on the nutrition of the day.
Thanks, Ellen. I added a bit to the Notes in the article. My spiritual gut does say, "No way." I am very much not Christ-like, but I can't imagine killing someone. So if it's not in me, it wasn't in him.
But I didn't write that gospel, someone else did. Perhaps someone with an agenda, but often bits and pieces of truth exist in even the most extravagant of lies. The Bible is pretty full of references to Jesus as occasionally being an impatient teacher -- we aren't the brightest bulbs in the sky, after all, so I don't blame him.
To me, even if we dislike the story, it fortifies the overarching theme of the Bible on forgiveness.
But Charles, he didn't kill them to death. He knew he could bring them back to life just as easily with just a thought. He was a kid who was checking out his phenomenal powers. I can understand this - I was once a child. Testing out my powers had the other kids branding me as a witch. They were scared, They definitely did not think I was a child of God. Eventually, I learned to keep schtum and do my power testing in private. lol
That's the way I see it. He was too big for his britches at first because he was unfamiliar with being a human. It's like when you get a new pair of shoes - at first they may pinch but sooner or later, they feel just right because you've worn them in. Human bodies are the same way. It's like when Adam said to Eve, "Stand back, I don't know how big this thing gets."
There is no biblical mention of it. The myth was created by Pope Gregory .
Wikipedia is not authoritative, but it still has valuable info. From an article about her:
Because Mary is listed as one of the women who supported Jesus' ministry financially, she must have been relatively wealthy.[9][30] The places where she and the other women are mentioned throughout the gospels indicate strongly that they were vital to Jesus' ministry[31][32][33][34] and that Mary Magdalene always appears first, whenever she is listed in the Synoptic Gospels as a member of a group of women, indicates that she was seen as the most important out of all of them.[35][36][37] Carla Ricci notes that, in lists of the disciples, Mary Magdalene occupies a similar position among Jesus' female followers as Simon Peter does among the male apostles.[37]
Atheist here. I quite enjoyed this. And the humour. I’m still on the fence about Jesus’ miraculous portrayed adult existence. He must have been a child at some point. Of course, Virgin Mary is another story altogether.
Many years ago, I saw a documentary about Mary Magdalene. It was actually very well done, and quite telling about how women were treated then. Makes sense, since things haven’t changed much imo. It portrayed her as someone very important to Jesus, likely a lover. But how could that be 🙄 because Jesus was supposedly pure, and clean, and women were not. Because of her role in Jesus’ life, the patriarchy made all kinds of efforts to soil her reputation and cast her as a prostitute, the most unclean of women.
I have never read the Bible, or gospels, etc. I was raised catholic and it took years to let go of the conditioning. I did get a little white bible when I was 6 years old, for my first communion. Oh sure, a 6 year old will read that in two days. Mind boggling.
I appreciate you reading this, despite your atheism. Atheists are among the most moral people I know -- which explains their frequent rages against formal religion. A lot of the stuff I believe in flies in the face of Christianity, which results in a minor culling of readership whenever I post something about it.
For example, I can't imagine a god who doesn't welcome people in his world (however that looks like) if they don't believe in him.
But, you know, whatever. I have a small, quiet voice within. I think most of us do (some of us don't, and, sadly, they walk around with very big footprints).
My inner voice is a calming one. I don't think it's a natural part of me. I had to cultivate it. I tried a lot of New Age modalities for that. So it's suprising that I finally fell back on Christianity, albeit in a form many would object to.
The interesting thing about a lot of atheists I've known is that they seem to just *have it.* They have that voice. It screams about all the nonsense organized religion peddles. But that's another post. :-)
Thank you for those kind and thoughtful words. I was actually quite surprised to read the comment ‘I’m out of here.’ Why? I think people need to be able to defend their positions without flouncing, if their belief is that strong. I will discuss religion at times, but choose the people carefully. Believe whatever feels right to you, but don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk too. And don’t throw it in my face.
I like your analogy of the small quiet voice within. That’s lovely.
I concur with your research findings on Mary Magdalene and the Gospel that was dropped from the final text as published. As for your historical fiction account of young child Jesus, I started visualizing something here along the same lines, but with a different modern twist - I see this small child Jesus as an early version of a smarta$$, but better well spoken biblical B*rt S!mpson [legal staff told me to be careful of copyright infringement and big lawsuit] with M*rv@l Comic superpowers [again that damn legal staff]. But maybe I just missed that Christmas episode.
Slightly off topic, but regarding Jesus and Joseph, the artistic depiction of both men vary widely amongst the great painters of the 15th through 17th centuries, whose paintings adorn the walls of Catholic churches throughout Europe and American museums. Joseph, as depicted in scenes with the infant Jesus varies from a teenager (as likely the Virgin Mary was) to an older middle age man with a long brown beard and in some cases balding with a grey beard. Jesus as an adult is shown as any where from thin to muscle man Jesus, totally ripped hitting the gym daily. I suspect the former based on the nutrition of the day.
And dark skin! They both would have had dark skin! At least Mediterranean dark.
Anyway, RE: the whole thing -- I doubt he actually killed anybody. That part seems a stretch, but I bet he had himself a little fun.
Thank you for this. It all makes perfect senses.
Of course, being in a child's body would having him behaving like a child and relishing - with abandon - the powers he came in with.
Of course, he'd need to learn humility and empathy as part of being in a human body.
I read that he eventually studied with Masters in India. That would explain the years he went missing and his philosophical growth.
“This boy is not of this earth; he can even tame fire. Perhaps he was born before the creation of the world."
That's it in a nutshell.
An intriguing read, Charles.
Thanks, Ellen. I added a bit to the Notes in the article. My spiritual gut does say, "No way." I am very much not Christ-like, but I can't imagine killing someone. So if it's not in me, it wasn't in him.
But I didn't write that gospel, someone else did. Perhaps someone with an agenda, but often bits and pieces of truth exist in even the most extravagant of lies. The Bible is pretty full of references to Jesus as occasionally being an impatient teacher -- we aren't the brightest bulbs in the sky, after all, so I don't blame him.
To me, even if we dislike the story, it fortifies the overarching theme of the Bible on forgiveness.
But Charles, he didn't kill them to death. He knew he could bring them back to life just as easily with just a thought. He was a kid who was checking out his phenomenal powers. I can understand this - I was once a child. Testing out my powers had the other kids branding me as a witch. They were scared, They definitely did not think I was a child of God. Eventually, I learned to keep schtum and do my power testing in private. lol
Good point. I think for someone like me, who is a believer, it's comforting to know that the God I believe in would humble himself to this extent.
It would be like me trying to better understand dogs by becoming one.
That's the way I see it. He was too big for his britches at first because he was unfamiliar with being a human. It's like when you get a new pair of shoes - at first they may pinch but sooner or later, they feel just right because you've worn them in. Human bodies are the same way. It's like when Adam said to Eve, "Stand back, I don't know how big this thing gets."
Lol. :-)
Well, that about does it for me. See ya.
Did you even read it? No, I didn't think so.
How do you know Mary Maga-daline wasn't a prostitute?
There is no biblical mention of it. The myth was created by Pope Gregory .
Wikipedia is not authoritative, but it still has valuable info. From an article about her:
Because Mary is listed as one of the women who supported Jesus' ministry financially, she must have been relatively wealthy.[9][30] The places where she and the other women are mentioned throughout the gospels indicate strongly that they were vital to Jesus' ministry[31][32][33][34] and that Mary Magdalene always appears first, whenever she is listed in the Synoptic Gospels as a member of a group of women, indicates that she was seen as the most important out of all of them.[35][36][37] Carla Ricci notes that, in lists of the disciples, Mary Magdalene occupies a similar position among Jesus' female followers as Simon Peter does among the male apostles.[37]
Atheist here. I quite enjoyed this. And the humour. I’m still on the fence about Jesus’ miraculous portrayed adult existence. He must have been a child at some point. Of course, Virgin Mary is another story altogether.
Many years ago, I saw a documentary about Mary Magdalene. It was actually very well done, and quite telling about how women were treated then. Makes sense, since things haven’t changed much imo. It portrayed her as someone very important to Jesus, likely a lover. But how could that be 🙄 because Jesus was supposedly pure, and clean, and women were not. Because of her role in Jesus’ life, the patriarchy made all kinds of efforts to soil her reputation and cast her as a prostitute, the most unclean of women.
I have never read the Bible, or gospels, etc. I was raised catholic and it took years to let go of the conditioning. I did get a little white bible when I was 6 years old, for my first communion. Oh sure, a 6 year old will read that in two days. Mind boggling.
I appreciate you reading this, despite your atheism. Atheists are among the most moral people I know -- which explains their frequent rages against formal religion. A lot of the stuff I believe in flies in the face of Christianity, which results in a minor culling of readership whenever I post something about it.
For example, I can't imagine a god who doesn't welcome people in his world (however that looks like) if they don't believe in him.
But, you know, whatever. I have a small, quiet voice within. I think most of us do (some of us don't, and, sadly, they walk around with very big footprints).
My inner voice is a calming one. I don't think it's a natural part of me. I had to cultivate it. I tried a lot of New Age modalities for that. So it's suprising that I finally fell back on Christianity, albeit in a form many would object to.
The interesting thing about a lot of atheists I've known is that they seem to just *have it.* They have that voice. It screams about all the nonsense organized religion peddles. But that's another post. :-)
Thanks again.
Thank you for those kind and thoughtful words. I was actually quite surprised to read the comment ‘I’m out of here.’ Why? I think people need to be able to defend their positions without flouncing, if their belief is that strong. I will discuss religion at times, but choose the people carefully. Believe whatever feels right to you, but don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk too. And don’t throw it in my face.
I like your analogy of the small quiet voice within. That’s lovely.
Have a good day.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Best wishes for this coming new year. :-)
Same to you.
Plenty of rich prostitutes.
That’s your evidence? Why exactly are you so interested in dying on this hill?
Charlie. Because, patriarchy. Let me know if that is too difficult for you to understand.
I need an editor for brevity! :-)
☺️