All
opinion, no facts |
. POCM's The End is about what Christianity's Pagan origin means. I've shucked off our just-facts-no-opinon Prime Directive and cranked the opinion hose wide open. If I were clever, I'd soak you with life-changing insight. I'm not clever; so get ready to be piddled with a few little thoughts. Or
you can click away right now and not miss much. No hard feelings. |
If you're like me, you grew up thinking the bible stories about Jesus were historical. He really did have magical powers. He really did come back from the dead. Jesus was a thunderbolt -- sudden, new, independent -- who brought a radical new concept of God, a radical new concept of people's personal relationship with God, a radical new assurance of eternal life. What we've discovered at POCM is that nothing about Jesus was new or different. The miracle stories were old Pagan stories. Monotheism was old Pagan philosophy. Baptism was old Pagan ritual. Resurrection was old Pagan myth. Salvation was an old Pagan promise. Jesus wasn't sudden
or new or independent. The Christ myth looks exactly like the old Pagan
myths popular at the time. Most folks see the believing scholars' stretch for what it is. Most folks see that Christianity looks like it is in continuity with ancient Paganism because it is in continuity with ancient Paganism. The first Christians built their new religion out of the ideas, rituals, and myths that defined the Pagan culture they grew up in. Christianity is an ancient Pagan religion. The salvation and
resurrection you'll hear about in Church this Sunday are four thousand
year old Pagan myths. Wow. |