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Misquoting Jesus

Updated 4 months ago

I found Misquoting Jesus, by Bart Ehrman, quite informative. It was enlightening to know how the original writings were twisted around to nicely fit a scribe’s doctrinal leanings, and how the twisted text was copied again and again by other scribes.

Also useful was to learn of a particular set of verses which are central to the Christian faith today, but which origin is difficult to date, and it is even more difficult to be sure that they were penned by the original writers.

My ...

favourite part was the chronology of manuscript findings, and how they were put together to create an official version of the New Testament. It is easy to see, by looking at their methods, how the NT we know today is made of bits and pieces of this and that manuscript of unknown origin.

I also learned other facts. For example, in the Greek manuscripts, there are no blanks to break down words. The break down was done via educated guesses of what the sentence possible meant. Errors could have been made while guessing.

All this is important if one considers how many denominations exist based on interpretations of single words, sentences, or verses, which is ridiculous, considering the impossibility of knowing what the original authors actually wrote. Like professor Herman says, we don’t have the originals. We don’t even have copies of copies of the originals. What we have is second and third century manuscripts that are the result of countless unreliable copying by scribes that were anything but highly skilled. In fact, some scribes didn’t even know how to read. They were basically drawing characters, ignoring what they were transcribing and, understandably, making many mistakes.

On the downside, the book can be quite repetitive, since topics heavily overlap, and the writer needs to constantly remind you of other factors, already discussed, that also make sense on other contexts.

Repetitions and all, however, the book is worth reading. I wish I’d read it when I was torn between having a difficult time believing and continuing to practice the religion I so didn’t want to leave.

The book left me hungry for more, but not more textual criticism. Now I want to read about the historical Jesus. For instance, the gospels say that Jesus walked on water, I don’t believe he did. Where did they get the idea? What did the historical Jesus really do or didn’t? Was there a historical Jesus at all?

I’ve been told there is a M. Shermer video I need to watch, but I like books better. Suggestions are welcome.

As it happens via a link from a friend from Atheist Nexus, Rosemary, I found a free e-book: The First Coming: How the Kingdom of God Became Christianity by Thomas Sheehan, of Standford University, that can be found here. I shall comment on the book when I finish reading.

For those interested in podcasts, Rosemary did recommend a webpage with interviews featuring professor Sheenan that can be found here.

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Showing 23 relevant reactions out of 25.

Grace,

Have read Borg. Didn’t like it. He’s going to great lengths to still believe even thought he knows the stuff is pure BS.

4 months ago by Lorena on Wordpress

Lorena,

You might like stuff written by Marcus Borg, a fellow of the Jesus Seminar. His wife is actually an Episcopal priest. Also, “Jesus for the Non-religious,” written by the retired Episcopal bishop, John Shelby Spong.

I’m personally not where these folks are at at all, being more orthodox, and evangelical in the faith, but I think you would find their books ... See all content Hide content

4 months ago by Grace on Wordpress

“At first, I thought you were saying told. I suppose it is a neat story. I was never a big fan of Jesus, even as a Christian.”

made me giggle a bit :p

4 months, 2 weeks ago by jam on Wordpress

“it truly is the greatest story ever sold……”

At first, I thought you were saying told. I suppose it is a neat story. I was never a big fan of Jesus, even as a Christian.

I liked God better, for some strange reason. I suppose that God resembles my dictatorial, abusive mother more. There must be some deep psychological reason why I could never completely fall in love with ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Lorena on Wordpress

Sabio… You must really have strong opinions about this…sorry I touched a nerve…I just recently watched the video and was impressed with some but not all of it. There is no end all absolute answer to the worlds problems….I do however believe that religion has played a major role in creating them…..I also believe that the political problems we face and the wars that have ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Michael Rowshan on Wordpress

@ Sabio: I bookmark my books with bookmarks that I make myself from the lightweight cardboard dividers in my green tea boxes. I doodle all over them and make my own unique bookmarks. It’s my way of pretending that I’m a great artist. I use to dog-ear my pages but, I have decided such behaviour towards a book is sinful.

I usually read 4 or 5 books at a time and sometimes more. ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Zoe on Wordpress

Chappie,

=======

My biggest issue with marking my books is that my handwriting is godawful atrocious, ugly, and terribly sloppy. It’s also hard to read. Did I mention that it looks really bad?

Welcome back! That’s hilarious.

My handwriting is really bad, too. But my biggest issue is that once I’ve messed up the pages, they look so messy that my self-diagnosed ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Lorena on Wordpress

The Zeitgeist “movement” makes me feel really bad. It isn’t inspiring or relevant. Contrarily, it is full of factual inconsistencies (i.e., lies). It reminds me of creationist propaganda, at least in that they say things the same way: sounding authoritative yet using unsourced claims (no scholarly sources at any rate) and falsifiable conspiracy theory claims with minimal amounts of ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by ethinethin on Wordpress

@ Zoe & Chappy

Sniffle ! I feel the support. I feel the love. Thanks folks.

Geee, I keep daydreaming about Kindle but I guess I wait until everything is digital. I am to scared. Smile. Sounds fun, I am jealous.

Now, how do you guys bookmark the pages you are on?

How many books do you read simultaneously on average?

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Sabio Lantz on Wordpress

@ Michael — trust me, not nearly as heavy a burden as holding paranoid conspiracy theories in my forehead all day long ! But thank you for your concern.

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Sabio Lantz on Wordpress

@ Sabio:

I’m a book scribbler. My biggest issue with marking my books is that my handwriting is godawful atrocious, ugly, and terribly sloppy. It’s also hard to read. Did I mention that it looks really bad? I also have quite a few highlighted and clipped portions in my Kindle reader (which is supposed to be electronic equivalent of writing in the margins – I’ll save ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by the chaplain on Wordpress

Typical response Sabio…..You seem to know it all….must be a heavy burden.

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Michael Rowshan on Wordpress

@ Michael

Beliefs have both a) functions and b) truth values. I think false beliefs can have good functions and visa versa. But let’s say that Venus Project is, as you say, “trying to break down all the separation, hate, bias, economic disparities and war that permeates our world culture”, if it does it with false ideas, I am not fond of it because they are simply trying ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Sabio Lantz on Wordpress

Mark

===

What I find to be unusual about the New Testament is how it’s supposed to be about Jesus, but there is nothing about his life from the age of 12 to around 30 years old.

What happened in that span of time that they did not want others to know?

I know. There is so little information about Jesus in the Bible. That must be why people feel free to make him into ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Lorena on Wordpress

Michael Rowshan

============

You’re right. Most Christians are casual worshipers and haven’t bothered to research and study their religion. I know in my homeland, Catholics only go to church to be baptized and married and when they die.

As for the Zeitgeist, I have to agree with Sabio. Conspiracy theories always make me suspicious. The movie makes it look all ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Lorena on Wordpress

Misquoting Jesus « On Leaving Fundamentalist Christianity http://bit.ly/2Jrs5U

4 months, 2 weeks ago by LifelineFromGod on Twitter

“five bucks including shipping and handling”

That’s cheaper than me travelling to C. to get it. ha ha.

Please read it and make a review. I loved the book and Fernando Vallejo is great.

I have recently discovered excellent atheist non-English authors. Like, Pepe Rodriguez from Spain, Jose Saramago from Portugal, Piergiorgio Odifreddi from Italy and Michel ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Brian on Wordpress

Sabio….The Venus Project associated with Zeitgeist is trying to break down all the separation, hate, bias, economic disparities and war that permeates our world culture. I think it is worth a serious look since no one else seems to have any answers……As with any new ideas many will put it down and stick with the status quo…..(just like with religion)…..problem is the status ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Michael Rowshan on Wordpress

What I find to be unusual about the New Testament is how it’s supposed to be about Jesus, but there is nothing about his life from the age of 12 to around 30 years old.

What happened in that span of time that they did not want others to know?

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Mark on Wordpress

You are not alone Sabio. I underline, I bracket, I put arrows, faces, question marks, little flower doodles and my own notes in my books. Every book I read it’s like I’m studying for an exam. I want to come back and reference my books often, so if I don’t mark them up I’ll waste valuable time having to search through them again and I’m too lazy for that.

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Zoe on Wordpress

@ Michael

“ZeitGeist” appears to be hype ! Confirmation bias makes atheist love this movie the same way Theists clamor to supportive movies about their faith.

I could be wrong — but I doubt it !

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Sabio Lantz on Wordpress

I did some research on this book and it is interesting to see how angry Christians get when they are faced with the possibility the Jesus was not a historical figure. Some actually have meltdowns when having discussions about it. A lot of critics claim that it offers only half truths and that he takes too many liberties when it comes to this book….The truth is that Christians just cannot mentally ... See all content Hide content

4 months, 2 weeks ago by Michael Rowshan on Wordpress

Misquoting Jesus « On Leaving Fundamentalist Christianity: Also useful was to learn of a particular set of vers.. http://bit.ly/1Sk0PQ

4 months, 2 weeks ago by RobertHartzell on Twitter

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