Originally Posted by BIG JIM MERRILEES
There is no proof that anything mentioned in the Bible actually happened......in fact there is some proof that much of the stories are just that..... only stories...... twisted, exaggerated and mistranslated over the centuries.


Yes, but it's the Greatest Story Ever Told.

Jim, you said you read the bible several times. How could you have read the Gospels and not have gotten the sense that you were reading an eye witness to something extrodinary. I came to the conclusion that the "story" of Christ was huge as a historical phenomenon from studying art history at the University of Oregon. Clearly something very big happened. Stories don't have that kind of sweeping impact on history. You have the opinion of the life of Christ like I have of Joseph Smith and Mormonism. Millions of people believe in the Mormon creed yet it is pretty easy to trace the mythology of it's orgins. Now if you "just know" that the Christ story is myth like I "just know" that Momon beliefs are myths, then I am not going to convince you that the life of Christ is not myth. But keep in mind that the impact on history of the life of Christ has been more significant than, the Founding of America, WW1, WW2, the French revolution, the renaissance, the industrial revolution etc. We ever measure time from the day of his birth. It doesn't matter that the exact year is off. What is significant is that the historical life had, and still has, such influence on our lives 2000 plus years later.

No, I can't buy that Jesus is a myth. Myths give us greek gods and Harry Potter, but they don't change the calendar.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein