Would we believe?

[slyc_willie]

*yawn*

Look... summabitches will kill and die for BS right now... try to imagine the power someone that could actually raise the dead or fuck it... just HEAL. I'm talking really heal... someone in wheelchair and *poof* they're doing jumping jacks next minute.

I would find the deepest, darkest hole I could to hide in because that son-of-bitch will tear down governments with the words "I am the Son of God."

That would be some scary, old latin lady faith in play and I ain't getting in the way of that.

And then there would be those blind-faith types who simply follow Him around and do what he commands . . . with the rest of us in the middle, wondering, 'Is it real?'

In quite a few classic sci-fi stories (they would have to be sci-fi, natch), I've read how the Second Coming would affect the world. Everything from mass hysteria to mass harmony. Given the state of the age we live in, I doubt either would happen. Just like everything else, there would be no immediate effect, only a gradual one that most would catch in sound bites and on commercials during commercial breaks for Desperae Housewives.

And if the Son of God did appear (as either the First or Second Coming), would we even want him? At least here in the States, we seem to revel in our impulsivity, our libidos, our casual denouncement of authority and anything organized. The government is our enemy. Religion is our enemy. Hell, Kellog's is our enemy!

I have a feeling that, if the Son of God were to appear before us, the majority would simply say, 'Meh. Yesterday's news.'

 

[cumallday]

I once heard a controversial Bishop on the radio explain how he felt we have become too enamored of literacism and need to read the bible as a metaphore. All the grandiose miracles are simply decoration around a deeper truth. As a metaphore, Jesus is simply our idealized selves which reminds me of an old poem I had to memorize as a student (I prefer the second line):

"What my God's form may be, yourself you should perceive,
Who views himself in God gazes at God indeed."

If someone approaches you claiming to be the son of God all you need to respond is: "Well so am I, brother."

 

[slyc_willie]

I once heard a controversial Bishop on the radio explain how he felt we have become too enamored of literacism and need to read the bible as a metaphore. All the grandiose miracles are simply decoration around a deeper truth. As a metaphore, Jesus is simply our idealized selves which reminds me of an old poem I had to memorize as a student (I prefer the second line):

"What my God's form may be, yourself you should perceive,
Who views himself in God gazes at God indeed."

If someone approaches you claiming to be the son of God all you need to respond is: "Well so am I, brother."

Well put.

I remember a girl I worked with, a few years ago. She absolutely and completely believed in the Christian Bible as a document of fact. As far as she was concerned, the world was created from nothing 4,004 years before the birth of Christ. All scientific evidence to the contrary was either discredited outright or explained away as the work of Satan.

She was a friendly, intelligent girl. I offered to discuss her beliefs one evening over drinks, and she accepted.

We talked about myths and legends, the stories of the Bible, how they seemed so similar to those of other religious works. She was unfazed in her beliefs when I told her that ideas of fallen angels, demons, and global floods are prominent in other works. Some of which are older than the Christian Bible. She did not blink when I suggested that the Biblical stories may have been based on older myths.

After a good three hours, we had come to a mutual agreement; neither of us was right. It all came down to what we believed. I couldn't prove she was wrong, nor did I want to, and she was no more eager to prove me wrong as well.

At the very least, however, she and I traded ideologies as easily and comfortably as any two supposedly open-minded scientists. In the absence of absolute truth, we had nothing but our own beliefs to fall back on.

We parted as friends, and remained such since. Though I always considered her simple-minded and cloistered in her beliefs, I can't help but admire her simple faith.

Sometimes, I think, we may question too much. Knowledge is earned, not taken. We cannot demand that our intelligence and sovereignty as human beings means we need to know it all.

That will come in time . . . but not while we are still human.

 

[elsol]

Personally, I always hoped God would be more creative than the Bible makes him out to be... Come on, flood or tribbles?

But then again, I've always been disappointed by God's obvious lack of a dark sense of humor.

I mean seriously... not even ONE attack of the truthfullness?

 

[English Lady]

It is kind of hard to fake the raising the dead thing.

Water to wine... I would be like "Vegas time baby..."

Walk on water... TV magic special.

Raise the dead... "Hmm, you know, big man... I'm gonna have to play it safe and go with the odds here. Hallelujah!"

I love seeing you post, El sol.

I mean, we're not talking the second coming here, obviously 'cos I reckon everyone will know who he is when that happens

But how many people believed in him when he showed up back then? His disciples who were compelled to drop everything and follow him - Most of them "Hard" men, fishermen, not religious folks looking for a sign.
And some people turned up to listen to him, but I bet that'd happen now, if he came and performed some miracles -people love entertainment.

I think there would be people willing to believe, because he'd be so very compelling.

 

[WarLordwrites]

obvious lack of a dark sense of humor.

Greetings

Clearly you quit reading the headlines if you are not seeing that dark irony...

Enjoy the journey

WarLord

 

[elsol]

Greetings

Clearly you quit reading the headlines if you are not seeing that dark irony...

Enjoy the journey

WarLord

Irony is not humor.

I want some serious fucked-up shit that will make me fall off my chair laughing...

Okay... the whole evangelist right leader playing hide the salami with the massage boy was up there... but video tape would have sealed the deal.

 

[WarLordwrites]

Irony is not humor.

I want some serious fucked-up shit that will make me fall off my chair laughing...

Okay... the whole evangelist right leader playing hide the salami with the massage boy was up there... but video tape would have sealed the deal.

Greetings

Buying the meth...

Well that and the cure thing

a friggin laugh riot

Enjoy the journey

WarLord

 

[3113]

It is kind of hard to fake the raising the dead thing.

Not hard to fake at all. Doctors bring back the dead all the time--clinically dead, a little CPR, boom. Bring back the dead.

You know, there are only three requirements for the Messiah:
1) bring back the dead (and CPR would certainly count)
2) Be a descendent of King David (has to be via the father's line...I don't know if God counts)
3) Restore Jerusalem to the Jews (done!)

That's all the Old Testament says makes for the Messiah. The whole reason for the "second coming" assertion is because Jesus DIDN'T restore Jerusalem to the Jews while he lived. So he's going to come back and do it.

This is why the Jews rejected assertions that he was the Messiah, because he didn't restore Jerusalem. The Messiah, however, doesn't have to be divine, doesn't have to be more than human--just Moses caliber. And he has to do those three things.

Now if we're going by New Testament assertion of an actual son-of-God, then he can probably do a lot more to prove that. Check out "The Last Temptation" sometime. There's a scene where Jesus says, "Here is my heart...." and literally reaches into his chest and brings out his beating heart and shows it to everyone.

I think that would convince me.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

*yawn*

Look... summabitches will kill and die for BS right now...

Are you saying, JC was a suicide crucifier?

 

[Tom Collins]

Y'all seem to be over looking one very pertanent piece of information. The Second Comming isn't supposed to be anything like the first. I can't recall the exact wording, but Jesus made that plain when he spoke of his eventual return. He said something along the lines of have come as the Lamb, but that he would return as the Lion.

Basically, what we'd be dealing with is someone who'd come out of nowhere, have absolutly no history of existing that anyone could find no matter how deeply they dug, and he wouldn't be preaching this time. He wouldn't be trying to bring us into the fold. He'd be breaking the Seals, y'all. The Second Comming will not be a party, or a cake walk, it'll be the Book of Revilations.

I don't think it would much matter if we believed he was really the Son of God returned to Earth. We'd all be too fucking busy dealing with the war between Heaven and Hell being conducted on the earthly plane, eh?



BUT...having said that...let us assume that it was like the last time. I can tell you right now that the Pope would put a contract out on him as soon as his following grew too large, because he'd be contradicting nearly everything that the Vatican has been spouting all these years, and condemning them and everyone else for every horrid thing that's ever been done in his name. They simply would not put up with that sort of competition because the people who really do believe in God, and a Hell of a lot of those who don't, would be flocking to Him and away from the church.

 

[3113]

So the question is; Do you think if he showed up in this day and age anyone would believe? Or would he just be dismissed as a crackpot? I bet right now there are dozens of people in every major city claiming to be the Son of God and we call them carzies. What if one of them really is Jesus? Are we as a socity to cynical in this modern age to still believe on faith? By 'believe on faith' I mean a faith is something we see with our own eyes not a faith we are tought to believe in, ie; in Church.

It all depends on how he presents himself. If he presents himself quietly and meekly, telling people to get rid of their money, stop judging others, forgiving enemies and all that--he'll have followers, anyone can--BUT there are a lot of religous folk who are going to take this message as...well, anything from unpatriotic to unreligious to crazy. I mean, why isn't he talking about converting people into believing in the one-true-God? Damning non-beleivers?

If he presents himself as some believe he will, however, ready to wage this great battle between good and evil, between those who believe and those who don't...a warrior Jesus ready to enact that rapture...you bet your ass the faithful would flock to him. Someone announcing they were here to wage the final battle against non-believers?

He'd have an army in no time.

I think you seriously underestimate the willingness of people to belive and follow a religious leader. It's that common irony to say that if J.C. appeared no one would believe it was him...but honestly, it's not that hard to set your self up as a religious leader and get followers...no matter how crazy you are, no matter what you demand. People will break from their families and sell their homes. They'll shave their heads, kill and die for religious leaders. They'll live in conditions and under restrictions that most of us would identify as torture.

And they've been doing this forever. So why is it so hard to believe that JUST because we live in a modern world J.C. would be taken as a crackpot rather than having a following? I can't believe, given how EASY it is for any religous leader to get a following that you'd be skeptical of that. I think just the opposite. He'll have a following, big or small. The only hard part would be convincing the vast majority of Christians that he was J.C.--because a lot of Christian leaders wouldn't want to surrender THEIR power and flock by accepting him and his assertion.

 

[eiffull]

Here he is

Or is he?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/16/miami.preacher/index.html

 

[rgraham666]

I understand, from talking with people I used to know in the Christian theology field, that some claim Jesus was black.

I wonder, if He came back that way, would this affect how it would affect people accepting Him this time around.

 

[Tom Collins]

I understand, from talking with people I used to know in the Christian theology field, that some claim Jesus was black.

I wonder, if He came back that way, would this affect how it would affect people accepting Him this time around.

That's as big a pile of horse shit as those people who say he was a WASP. The man had to've been a Hebrew-as in an Arab-because that's what Mary was.

 

[English Lady]

...*snipped*

Now if we're going by New Testament assertion of an actual son-of-God, then he can probably do a lot more to prove that. Check out "The Last Temptation" sometime. There's a scene where Jesus says, "Here is my heart...." and literally reaches into his chest and brings out his beating heart and shows it to everyone.

I think that would convince me.

I must see that film, I've wanted to for a long time.


3113 -I think you're right, I think there'd be many people ready to follow him and Jesus didn't sit back and stay out of the limelight -he ent to the people and he caused contreversy (I should look up that spelling, sorry I'm too lazy!) and I be he'd do the same now -but maybe it'd go further with their being TV etc.


TC- I think alot of the religious organisations would be pissed off if Jesus were to come back like the first time because we'd find out what really mattered and what bits of crap were added in over time by the church.

 

[Tom Collins]

I must see that film, I've wanted to for a long time. .

You should see that movie. It's really good. Wilem Defoe as Christ.

3113 -I think you're right, I think there'd be many people ready to follow him and Jesus didn't sit back and stay out of the limelight -he ent to the people and he caused contreversy (I should look up that spelling, sorry I'm too lazy!) and I be he'd do the same now -but maybe it'd go further with their being TV etc. .

Would Jesus Wear A Rolex by Ray Stevens

Woke up this mornin', turned on the t.v. set.
there in livin' color, was somethin' I can't forget.
This man was preachin' at me, yeah, layin' on the charm
askin' me for twenty, with ten-thousand on his arm.
He wore designer clothes, and a big smile on his face
tellin' me salvation while they sang Amazin' Grace.
Askin' me for money, when he had all the signs of wealth.
I almost wrote a check out, yeah, then I asked myself

(chorus)

Would He wear a pinky ring, would He drive a brand new car?
Would His wife wear furs and diamonds, would His dressin' room have a star?
If He came back tomorrow, well there's somethin' I'd like to know
Could ya tell me, Would Jesus wear a Rolex on His television show.

Would Jesus be political if He came back to earth?
Have His second home in Palm Springs, yeah, and try to hide His worth?
Take money, from those poor folks, when He comes back again,
and admit He's talked to all them preachers who say they been a talkin' to Him?

(chorus)

Just ask ya' self, Would He wear a pinky ring,
Would He drive a brand new car?
Would His wife wear furs and diamonds, would His dressing room have a star?
If He came back tomorrow, well there's somethin' I'd like to know:
Could ya tell me, would Jesus wear a Rolex,
Would jesus wear a Rolex
Would Jesus wear a Rolex
On His television show-ooh-ooh?

TC- I think alot of the religious organisations would be pissed off if Jesus were to come back like the first time because we'd find out what really mattered and what bits of crap were added in over time by the church.

I'm of the opinion that very little of His original intent has survived, but I also believe that you can still see the spirit if you know how to look.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Why do I have this image of K-Fed as Christ with a pantyless Brittney as Mary Magdeline? This is way too 21st century.

 

[3113]

I must see that film, I've wanted to for a long time.

It's an interesting film and a pretty good one...with the exception (IMHO) that all the apostles sounds like they're at a New York Deli:

"He says he's the son of God..." Shrug.
"So, maybe he is."
"Yeah, but what if he isn't?"
"What does that matter? He's a good boy and a good leader, leave him alone. Excuse me, waitress, this Matzo ball soup is cold...."

 

[WarLordwrites]

pantyless Brittney as Mary Magdeline?

Greeting

Gotta be Paris....

Enjoy the journey

WarLord

 

[mismused]

delete