When I was a Christian, I did a ton of studying. I took my faith very seriously. During that time, I determined from the Bible that the Bible is actually anti-Jesus and that the concept of blood sacrifice was also anti-Jesus. This lead me to believe that the Christian faith as we know it today is actually anti-Christ itself. Which was quite the discovery that led me to believe I was truly on the right track given that “the path is narrow,” etc. I still kind of want to write a book in this regard because I do believe Jesus existed and started something that was much more humanist in nature. Since it’s no longer “doomed to fail” since the path is no longer guaranteed to be narrow, I feel like it might be worthwhile to give Christians a look at what I believe was the original message and what it meant to be a Christian as Jesus originally taught it. In this way, the faith itself could become more humanist and less legalistic if people would see the logic behind it. Of course, given a lack of desire for logic, and given that the whole “sacrifice for sins” was crap and that the Bible was a construction Jesus didn’t want, it’s a hard sell of a book to Christian publishers :-P. It seems like it would be a hard sell to non-Christian publishers also for obvious reasons. If I did write such a book, who the heck would publish it and who would even endorse it?
What do you guys think? Is it worth spending time and effort to write a book that uses scripture to convince Christians that modern-day Christianity is anti-Christ in hopes to making them more humanist in nature? I’m also considering just making it an autobiography of sorts that walks through my faith and demise thereof. Perhaps that’s more sellable and still has the info I wish to convey regarding the “original” humanist message.
When I was a Christian, I did a ton of studying. I took my faith very seriously. During that time, I determined from the Bible that the Bible is actually anti-Jesus and that the concept of blood sacrifice was also anti-Jesus. This lead me to believe that the Christian faith as we know it today is actually anti-Christ itself. Which was quite the discovery that led me to believe I was truly on the right track given that "the path is narrow," etc. I still kind of want to write a book in this regard because I do believe Jesus existed and started something that was much more humanist in nature. Since it's no longer "doomed to fail" since the path is no longer guaranteed to be narrow, I feel like it might be worthwhile to give Christians a look at what I believe was the original message and what it meant to be a Christian as Jesus originally taught it. In this way, the faith itself could become more humanist and less legalistic if people would see the logic behind it. Of course, given a lack of desire for logic, and given that the whole "sacrifice for sins" was crap and that the Bible was a construction Jesus didn't want, it's a hard sell of a book to Christian publishers :-P. It seems like it would be a hard sell to non-Christian publishers also for obvious reasons. If I did write such a book, who the heck would publish it and who would even endorse it? What do you guys think? Is it worth spending time and effort to write a book that uses scripture to convince Christians that modern-day Christianity is anti-Christ in hopes to making them more humanist in nature? I'm also considering just making it an autobiography of sorts that walks through my faith and demise thereof. Perhaps that's more sellable and still has the info I wish to convey regarding the "original" humanist message.They will want to know if you are Xtian, anything other than yes will get you ignored or vilified. Lee
You could probably start a new religion with that thesis.
If you’ve got the time and energy, go for it. Supposedly, it’s not too difficult to self - publish a book.
You could probably start a new religion with that thesis. If you've got the time and energy, go for it. Supposedly, it's not too difficult to self - publish a book.Yes, there are plenty of sites that walk you through the process. It would probably be your best bet, but you'll have to do most of the marketing yourself. I know a few people who have done this and succeeded. You might try Prometheus Press. They might be interested in such a book if it's presented right. Worth a try, anyway. http://www.prometheusbooks.com/?main_page=page&id=1 Lois
I feel like it might be worthwhile to give Christians a look at what I believe was the original message and what it meant to be a Christian as Jesus originally taught it.You might want to read up on the "Historical Jesus" attempts. I don't believe it is possible to find what the "original message" was. This is not my religious belief, it is based on a study of the quality of the historical record. OTOH, you can make a very good case that prior to Constantine and even during his time, most religions were much more open, more philosophical. Christianity was born in that post-Aristotle time, so it was influenced both by pagan rituals and the emerging ideas of democracy and reason. But to try to say that was what Jesus was teaching, I think that's a tough row to hoe.
I was a Christian previously as well and I began questioning (and still question the logic) of a “loving god” requiring such a brutal, macabre sacrifice before being willing to accept and forgive people (and does requiring such a payment even constitute forgiveness?). Does the Christian god not have the ability to forgive on his own accord? He requires a brutal payment? And after all this the same god who created “evil” in the first place and then decides to punish all humankind for the evil he planted just as a temptation/a game? Makes my head hurt
The thing that really stumped me was this: Jesus supposedly took all our sins onto himself and died in order to redeem our sins. So far so good. But then he was brought back to life! In what way is that a real “sacrifice”? It would be as if you were taken to court and had to pay a fine. Then they gave the money back to you. ?
I don’t have the time nor the energy, but that never seems to stop me from trying anyway! I suppose it could be marketed as a “religion” but making it entirely humanist-based. The deity, then, is simply responsible for rewarding the humanist life. Thus, humanist atheists can work with them and half the people can recognize that humanism reaps its own rewards from a natural standpoint while others can think the humanist God rewards the humanist whether believing in the God or not. Thus no contention, same end-goal, and simply a different perspective by which to seek it and interface with it.
I wonder, is there anyone willing to do any proof-reading for me? I’ve tried writing a book maybe 10 times already but without anyone uplifting (or even caring about for that matter) my writing I quickly get discouraged. Hard to find people willing to read my heresy and tell me it’s worth my time :-P. I’m constantly on edge about how I go about it too. I’ve got like 20 different ideas on how to approach it but never feel satisfied that I know the right answer and I get analysis paralysis. Anyone know Pilgrim’s Progress? What if I do an Infidel’s Progress? 
Not sure it could be as appreciated in this day and age though (it’s a novel all done in old-english poetry). Perhaps it’s better to spell things out more directly.
To answer the questions about sacrifice, one just has to say, “It’s because of free will!” and then close your ears to responses and shake your head “knowingly” that any further questions are just a rejection of God himself making the questioner worthy of eternal torment. It’s not you. It’s them.
I don't have the time nor the energy, but that never seems to stop me from trying anyway! I suppose it could be marketed as a "religion" but making it entirely humanist-based.I think liberal theologians are already doing this and I'd let them. You are not going to have any street cred' if you haven't gone to seminary and been on a few missionary trips. I'd be glad to proof-read for you, but you'd probably have to put up with my comments on the content as well. You might want to look around for writing groups, that is, other authors who are meeting for mutual support.
I think liberal theologians are already doing this and I'd let them. You are not going to have any street cred' if you haven't gone to seminary and been on a few missionary trips. I'd be glad to proof-read for you, but you'd probably have to put up with my comments on the content as well. You might want to look around for writing groups, that is, other authors who are meeting for mutual support.Yeah, credibility is often a difficult thing. I tend to give credibility to logic and reason when it comes to religion especially since my whole proclamation is that what currently counts as credibility goes against Jesus' teachings anyway! He said to call no one master and that we're all equal and to get our directives from God directly. God, being "Love", then ultimately means we do what we individually determine to be the most loving thing at any given point. I don't have a problem with content comments unless it's destructive rather than constructive. For the most part, that's exactly what I'm looking for. That, and maybe if I'm just not clear enough on something. If you're up for it, I can send you a link to what I've most recently started working on. Depending on your comments I may or may not continue in that direction. As I mentioned, I tend to second-guess my direction and think maybe there's a better way. This leads me to never finish anything :-P. Oh yeah, and thanks for the offer! :-)
You might want to test the waters a little by first writing a paper and putting it on Academia.edu and see how many followers you get.
A key lookup word is ‘hi-jacked’. I believe in the none-religious backed academy world it is understood that Jesus of Nazareth’s religion was hi-jacked by the Latin Christians.
If you also think that Jesus of Nazareth was Gnostic, you might find more interest in the Gnostic mixed with the anti-Christ. I have notice the Gnostic shelves in the book store keep expanding.
Now with that said, there are people like me that believe that Christianity in the form of Jesus’s church actually must of started decades before Jesus started preaching or was even born. The changes in burial rites at the temple mount is the biggest clue.
Second, if you write your book, I would release it when the timing was right. I would follow Avaris and the Middle or Third Kingdom of Egypt, maybe the Kingdom of Goshen. Everyone is still trying to piece together the Hyksos from Asia. And with the latest find of new pharaohs that have never been heard of before, and located in what is believed to be the Middle Kingdom. The results of those findings cannot be far off. If the Port of Perunefer is found then look for major changes in what people think religion was from the time of Mosses to the time of Jesus.
The spotlight will move back to Mosses being a pharaoh. At that point is when you should release your thoughts on the teachings of Jesus because it will be the next step in items in the history books that will have to be revalued and rewritten. The masses know very little about these times in our history, but Avaris, Mosses and Port of Perunefer along with the discovery pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom will generate more interest in the subject of your book.
I think liberal theologians are already doing this and I'd let them. You are not going to have any street cred' if you haven't gone to seminary and been on a few missionary trips. I'd be glad to proof-read for you, but you'd probably have to put up with my comments on the content as well. You might want to look around for writing groups, that is, other authors who are meeting for mutual support.Yeah, credibility is often a difficult thing. I tend to give credibility to logic and reason when it comes to religion especially since my whole proclamation is that what currently counts as credibility goes against Jesus' teachings anyway! He said to call no one master and that we're all equal and to get our directives from God directly. God, being "Love", then ultimately means we do what we individually determine to be the most loving thing at any given point. I don't have a problem with content comments unless it's destructive rather than constructive. For the most part, that's exactly what I'm looking for. That, and maybe if I'm just not clear enough on something. If you're up for it, I can send you a link to what I've most recently started working on. Depending on your comments I may or may not continue in that direction. As I mentioned, I tend to second-guess my direction and think maybe there's a better way. This leads me to never finish anything :-P. Oh yeah, and thanks for the offer! :-) I actually wanted to do something like that at one point, even started my blog with that in mind, then I quickly realized that lots of people were doing similar things. I prefer to stay on the sidelines and just keep the statistics on who is "hitting the homeruns" and who is "committing fouls". Kind of a theological fantasy league. I can't promise much time for the next couple weeks, but once the snow starts flying (yes that's coming), I plan to be sitting by the fire doing lots of nothing.
I actually wanted to do something like that at one point, even started my blog with that in mind, then I quickly realized that lots of people were doing similar things. I prefer to stay on the sidelines and just keep the statistics on who is "hitting the homeruns" and who is "committing fouls". Kind of a theological fantasy league. I can't promise much time for the next couple weeks, but once the snow starts flying (yes that's coming), I plan to be sitting by the fire doing lots of nothing.Wow, snow already? You in northern Canada or something? We've had a pretty cool Summer but I sure hope not to get snow soon! :-) I, too, started realize that I wasn't as "needed" as I'd always like to think. After all, I was unique and special for so long with a special "calling" that it was hard to believe that I might just be some regular guy. And maybe that's what it comes down to. I tend to share a lot of things from the people hitting the home runs as you say and trying to speak as logically and rationally as possible against those committing fouls. It's a difficult task to be sure when so many people just spout random junk that someone else shared. No amount of data is useful at all. I just don't get it. There's a meme about how the Bible says "don't be afraid" 365 times. Absolutely not true. I point this out with real data and yet people still claim that their religious meme is right anyway. Ridiculous. Link all 365 THEN believe it's true. Ugh. Why can't some people be reasoned with? They're just like animals. Or wasps. Nothing you can say or do to stop them attacking.
Of course, given a lack of desire for logic, and given that the whole "sacrifice for sins" was crap and that the Bible was a construction Jesus didn't want, it's a hard sell of a book to Christian publishers :-P.If Jesus was... he was a simple man. Your "construct" is a key. As we learn to appreciate our Universe and then this planet and all the happenings on this Earth over the past 4 some billions of years worth of one day at a time (folds within folds of accumulating complexity) it starts to dawn on the mind that if this "God" were to exist, it would be something so beyond our personal awareness ability, that it's quite plan why even the Bible warns 'God is beyond our comprehension'. Oh course making myths to help us and our communities get through life is a great and necessary human activity. It's the taking one's self/belief/myths too seriously - where the troubles begin. You know actually believing that your personal beliefs represent the reality of a God eons beyond our understanding… down that road lies a living hell worth of confusion and self-destructive problems. It would be much more interesting were more people to write books about dealing with the real world, rather than just keeping on embellishing on our god fantasies. FYI. my two cents. (jezz, looking at that date, I'm amazed how fast the seasons have sped by.) http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2008/08/god-flowing-into-word.html http://citizenschallenge.blogspot.com/2008/08/there-they-go-again.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh and to answer your question. It seems that Christians are so trained to reject anything that challenges their brains - that the better you write your arguments, the easier it will be for them to be blind to your words and thoughts. After all resistance to thinking outside their 'box' is what they are most proud of… and it's their only defense so they cling to it with ever greater tenacity.