Religious scholars (like James Tabor, Bart Erhman, Tovia Singer) are now debunking much of historical Christianity as dogma/misinformation which is wrong (inaccurate) when serious study is applied to the text. Today's biblical scholars have concluded that much text (which was assumed to be inspired) is now filled with contradictions and inaccuracies. All the new translations of scriptural text makes the issue much more obvious to thinkers. What does this imply for today's believers?
I was brought up in a Swedish Lutheran Church which promoted the idea that sacred scripture was infallible and the direct words of Almighty God. This idea is now debunked as scholars recognize the the text in the New Testament is layered with ideas and words which can not be supported within real-time reality. The historical CHURCH (mostly Catholic at the start) promoted theological ideas which are now recognized as totally invalid and misleading. Scholars are revealing many contradictions which I assumed were not there.
The BIG issue within theology today is the nature of this Rabbi person whom we call Yeshua (Jesus to those who speak English). This Rabbi from Nazareth is viewed as a historical person (fully human) who advocated a new theology while preaching to his generation (29 - 31 A.D.). His theology was that the 'Kingdom of his God' was near (or here) and that God (the God of Israel) was bringing the world a NEW COVENANT. But all this ended soon after the DEATH of this historical Rabbi.
What happened (over some 300+ years) after Yeshua's death is that a CHURCH emerged in Rome which started to promote the idea that this historical Rabbi was equal with the God of Israel (called the FATHER). This idea started at Nicaea in 325 A.D. (some 300 years after Rabbi Yeshua had died). The CHURCH then built a new theology on this idea that Yeshua (now glorified) was fully DEITY (GOD) and reigning in the heavens. Later this Church started promoting the idea that God was a TRINITY.
Over time, millions of believers were added to this group-think church (then called the Roman Catholic Church) and millions of followers started to worship this prior historical Rabbi (who was assumed to be alive in the heavens next to God the FATHER). Millions of congregations formed churches around this idea that Yeshua (Jesus to many in the Western world) was God Almighty (or equivalent to the God of Israel/Yahweh). This idea grew over time and today some 2.6 billion believers think that Yeshua is fully DEITY (GOD). These believers worship this person (now called Messiah and God).
Our Western civilization has flourished and grown over time as this so-called Christian religion grew and prospered. I was part of this growth for most of my lifetime. After the Catholic theology was seriously debunked (on some issues) during the time of the Reformation period (after 1500), then a new theology emerged within the Protestants (those who protested the many deceptions within the Catholic theology). My Lutheran Church which I assumed was honest in their theology was my basis for belief during my youth.
Today, I agree with much of the current scholarship which is DEBUNKING much of the history and text within this book called the New Testament. I had assumed (during my youth) that the writers of the Gospel texts were eye witnesses of what happened during the lifetime of Yeshua (this Rabbi from Nazareth). But this assumption is totally invalid (today). In reality, the four Gospels were not written by eye witnesses. They were written by anonymous writers (Greek speaking theologians) who merely wrote down words that were assumed to be historical (words of the Rabbi from Nazareth). Words which could never be fully verified.
I was also instructed (in my confirmation within this Lutheran Church of my youth) that the New Testament contained the INSPIRED words of God Almighty and were, therefore, infallible words from God. This idea has now been shown to be invalid and inaccurate. Scholars view the words in the New Testament as human creations with many obvious contradictions and inaccuracies. The assumptions of these writers are now being challenged as being partly the imaginations within the mind...with no hard evidence of being accurate or representative of reality in the time of Yeshua (6 B.C. to 31 A.D.).
For example: did Yeshua believe that he was God Almighty during his lifetime? Did he claim to be God (and/or equal with the God of Israel/Yahweh)? Did he portray himself as DEITY (in the flesh) who 'spontaneously' originated his many special gifts and talents? Did he assume he was Jehovah/Yahweh/God of Israel? Did he PRAY to himself (or to his God self)? Did he have TWO natures (this 'hypostatic union' concept)? Did he assume that the God of Israel was a TRINITY? Did he say the SHEMA daily? Did he attend the TEMPLE in Jerusalem for his worship of the God of Israel?
When Yeshua said that the FATHER was 'greater than himself' what did he mean? When Yeshua said that he could do nothing on his own, only that which he derived from the FATHER, what did he mean? When he told his disciple, Mary, that he was ascending to the FATHER, my God and your God, what did he mean? When he was presented with the idea that he was KING OF THE JEWS did he accept this title as valid? Did Yeshua desire to be GOD or a servant of the God of Israel? Was he messenger or PRINCIPLE?
Many biblical scholars (like James Tabor, Bart Erhman, and Tovia Singer) are DEBUNKING much of prior CHURCH theology. Most of our Islamic scholars are also doing similar. Islam does not believe that Yeshua was GOD or that he proclaimed himself to be GOD. Millions of deceived Christian believers are now zombies within their churches as they continue to accept all these deceptions. The MIS-information within this religion called Catholic/Protestant Christianity are many. Few are thinking, however.
Our world is now living after some 2,000 years since this historical Rabbi lived. Yeshua lived from around 6 B.C. to 31 A.D. He wrote NO books. He did not start this religion we call Christianity (even as he is viewed as its founder). He did not KNOW this apostle who we call Paul of Tarsus during his lifetime. Did Yeshua really 'appear' to this prior Pharisee on the road to Damascus? What was revealed? Was this a vision from heaven or from a dark source which deceived this writer? Biblical scholars are questioning this apostle's writings today.
The current view among biblical scholars is that ONLY 7 of the 13 letters (in the New Testament) are actually the writings of Paul of Tarsus. Did Paul write 2 Thessalonians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus? The consensus is that these writings did not come from the pen or the thinking of Paul. Many also doubt that Paul wrote Hebrews (some think he did, however). The entire RAPTURE debate is mostly derived from the book of 2 Thessalonians. Could this be a HUGE deception within scripture?
Millions of Christians are HANGING on the words in 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-10 as reality. These believers think that they will be RAPTURED into the clouds above PRIOR to the 2nd Coming. Is any of this valid theology or MERELY myth and deception? My sense is that this is DECEPTION and MYTH. The God of Israel does NOT allow select believers to ESCAPE tribulation (just because of their views on theology). This mindset is PURE deception IMO (yet based on historical text in the New Testament).
So what does all this MEAN going forward? My sense is that believers need to do some soul searching (on their own) to discern what is valid text and what is 'interpolation'. Interpolation means text which has been inserted which is spurious and misleading. The TRINITY concept is based upon 'interpolation'. Scholars are discovering many other 'interpolations' which are spurious. I think it is time to RETHINK our set of beliefs which we derived from our CHURCH pastors (during our youth). Do they KNOW what they are teaching?
Personally, I am a strong believer in the God of Israel. For me, this God is Yahweh. This God is also called Jehovah. Some use the title FATHER. Within Islam this Source is called Allah. In the book of Daniel this Source is called the Ancient of Days. Moses, at Mount Sinai, called this God the 'I AM that I AM''. Many Jews over in Jerusalem today, use the word HaShem. I also like the titles MOST HIGH GOD and CREATOR GOD. Our historical Yeshua (being Aramaic) probably used the word ELI or Alaha or Abba. In the New Testament we use the title 'Father' (Abba in Aramaic).
My reference point for valid text on this issue of who is God is Revelation chapter 4. Take the time to read this chapter and then read Chapter 5 to get the idea of the Lamb of God and/or the Lion of Judah. There is ONE GOD on the throne in Chapter 4. My theology says that this God should be viewed as Yahweh God. The God of Israel is Yahweh. Think on this as you do your own research. Have a great day! I am: Donald B. Swenson, Economist/Philospher, donaldswenson.blogspot.com. Also, http://kingdomecon.wordpress.com.
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