Do you think this book marks the end or christianity?

Use this forum to discuss the May 2019 Book of the month, "Misreading Judas" by Robert Wahler
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shaz1994
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Re: Do you think this book marks the end or christianity?

Post by shaz1994 »

This is just a single opinion, many people have read the Bible, some have heard about Christianity and still not everyone is a Christian. This is almost impossible to conclude that it would affect Christianity.
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Quickstudy
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Post by Quickstudy »

Today, with the tide of religious beliefs being grafted into America and other Christan countries, this book is a peek into the future. The book sheds light on the some say, attacks on Christanty and the shift away from the Christan faith . It is possible that this book could end Christanty, after all the Bible a book is what started it. The difference is the vaule we as a society place on the ideas within this book.
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Post by aolayide »

klballard wrote: 02 May 2019, 06:40 It’d be impossible for a single book to end Christianity. The Bible has been the most published book of all time while being the most persecuted book of all time. Christianity has survived Emperor Nero, Gnosticism, book burning, criminalization, Richard Dawkins, etc. One book might change a few minds, but it’ll do nothing to Christianity as a whole because Christianity isn’t about facts, rules, or a book, it’s about a changed life from a Person who rose from the grave. No book can counter someone’s experience.
Well said! :tiphat: I completely agree with you! It is impossible to end Christianity. Though the author believes that he is adding to the body of knowledge, he is actually dispensing what the bible says and contradicting the story portrayed in the bible.
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Post by Bluebird03 »

I do feel like he attacked Christianity, especially when he called out specific Biblical scholars. While this book may certainly spark a lively debate, I do not think that it will shake most Christians or alter their belief system at all.
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Post by Manali_DC »

I think the author was just trying to put forward an alternative view to a well-known event. It is impossible for one book to end a religion millions believe in.
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Post by brown09 »

Nope. People are pretty stubborn on the veracity of Christianity as a religion and part of their everyday lives. Even with this book being published across the globe and outselling the bible, the only thing that I can foresee changing about Christianity is that Christians (particularly the fundamentalists) will double-down on their beliefs.
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Post by A G Darr »

This book would not mark the end of Christianity. Many people are strongly ensconced in their beliefs. Strongly devout Christians might not even be willing to read this book, as they might perceive it as blasphemy. Especially the parts that accuse Paul of creating a false narrative.

I personally found the book very interesting, and I'm not certain I 100% believe his claims on Judas and James. I would need to research the topics more thoroughly with additional resources. This also does not mean I completely disbelieve what he is saying. But it is hard to determine how much it actually truth, and what is Gnostic bias. It seemed clear to me he had a bias against Christianity, which makes it harder to believe some of his statements without facts.
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Post by Sahansdal »

Quickstudy wrote: 05 May 2019, 09:14 Today, with the tide of religious beliefs being grafted into America and other Christan countries, this book is a peek into the future. The book sheds light on the some say, attacks on Christanty and the shift away from the Christan faith . It is possible that this book could end Christanty, after all the Bible a book is what started it. The difference is the vaule we as a society place on the ideas within this book.
Thanks, Quickstudy. You are a quick study! (But please put a second 'i' in Christian.) the idea is that a better educated society is a better society. You can read and enjoy the Bible, just understand that the New Testament isn't what people think. it is an attack on a competing ideology, one that has a heart in the reality of mysticism. I just want people to know the proof is right there in front of us now that we have these discoveries from Jordan (the Essene Dead Sea Scrolls) and Egypt (the gnostic Nag Hammadi gnostic texts, and the Gospel of Judas).
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Post by Sahansdal »

Bluebird03 wrote: 05 May 2019, 10:47 I do feel like he attacked Christianity, especially when he called out specific Biblical scholars. While this book may certainly spark a lively debate, I do not think that it will shake most Christians or alter their belief system at all.
Some scholars deserve attack. I applaud April DeConick when she contributes to understanding the Gospel of Judas, such as "your star has ascended [not 'passed by' on page 56 of the text]", but call her out for her poor logic about the nature of Judas. Judas is not irredeemably evil, but a dutiful successor. He is the protagonist from start to finish, and she is delaying the resolution of the debate between consensus (good Judas) and revisionist (bad Judas) religious studies scholars.
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Post by Sahansdal »

melel_jo wrote: 04 May 2019, 14:06
Lhisa wrote: 02 May 2019, 17:30 Christianity is a faith that is based on faith. One book will never be able to shake the foundation of the true believers. The Bible itself tells you that there will be many that will question the faith and God so Christians are brought up in the faith to expect others to question their beliefs. Philosophers and atheists have been doing so for many years and yet Christianity has not died.
This is a great point; I don't believe theologists can trump faith for many religious practitioners. Even Greek theology is still practiced today, and that religion has been treated as mythology for centuries.
The Mandaeans of Southern Iraq have a continuous gnostic tradition dating back to John the Baptist. There will be Christians long after the religion has become defunct as a viable teaching. At least we can protect those who have not yet been misled.
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Post by Sahansdal »

Lhisa wrote: 02 May 2019, 17:30 Christianity is a faith that is based on faith. One book will never be able to shake the foundation of the true believers. The Bible itself tells you that there will be many that will question the faith and God so Christians are brought up in the faith to expect others to question their beliefs. Philosophers and atheists have been doing so for many years and yet Christianity has not died.
It also says there is "nothing new under the sun" - Ecclesiastes 1:9. And God desires mercy, not sacrifice - Hosea 6:6. So, you tell me, how can a NEW Testament that says God sacrificed his own SON be the Way?
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Post by Sahansdal »

Cecilia_L wrote: 03 May 2019, 21:28 I don't believe it's possible that one book could end Christianity...ever.
Give mine about two or three generations. Remember, it took hundreds of years to get Christian doctrine established.
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Post by maritzaalston »

No, I do not believe that this book marks the end of Christianity. This book challenges the reader and provokes conversation and encourages a person to look further into what they are reading. I do not believe that they can sway a person with a strong religious background and faith one way or another unless they already were doubting their personal beliefs.
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Post by Sonya Nicolaidis »

I don’t expect that Christianity will feel the effects of this book, any more than it has been altered by any controversial assertions in the past. I do believe that reading books like this is important, in order that believers can refine and test their faith, and make sure it still satisfies them. I’m a great believer in keeping an open mind, especially since we cannot know such things for sure.
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Post by DogoMulla »

The end of Christianity is far-fetched if not impossible. Someone said religion is the opium of humanity. Even atheists and pagans have a religion - they are just in denial. If you have a soul, you have a religion. Spirituality is part and parcel of humanity, just like psychology, it is here to stay. No one man or nation - not even research and study - can stop any religion.
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