[extropy-chat] the (scary) future of pro-death bioethics and legislation

[BillK]

On Mon Jun 14 01:28:22 MDT 2004 The Avantguardian wrote:
> That Jesus fellow they love to name drop only ever spoke of love.

Tut, tut. You don't have to repeat their propaganda. ;)

The Gospels originated as lots of stories about Jesus and sayings
attributed to him. Centuries after his death, after substantial editing
by the Greco-Roman xians, they agreed on only four gospels and said all
the others were 'unapproved'.

Trying to find out what the original stories actually were, occupies 
many scholars. One school thinks that Jesus and his followers were 
violent revolutionaries against the Roman occupation (much like 
al-Qaeda). As were the majority of Jews at that time, of course. Before 
the 70AD rebellion destroyed the temple, wiped out most of the fighters 
and dispersed the population.

You can trace the hints still remaining in the gospels. They admit that
at least some disciples were officially zealots (guerrilla fighters).
The disciples were armed. Jesus told them to buy swords. They invaded
and took over the outer temple court, (despite the temple guards) when
Jesus used a whip on the traders there. He was killed by the Romans for
being a rebel leader. (Not unusual - the Romans killed thousands of
so-called rebels). And so on.

The 'love' sayings mostly come from Cynic philosophy and are suited to
non-jewish xians of the post-70AD period who were trying to show the
Romans that they were harmless.

And, of course, all the 'love' sayings haven't stopped Christianity
being one of the most warlike religions around.

BillK