The Christian Chronicle has been on a journey. Long gone are the days of mean-spirited editorials, like the one from 15-20 years ago that asked rebellious young ministers (translation: those who don’t walk in lock step) to leave the movement. Long past is the editorial warning that churches who involve women in more public ways are guilty of bringing cleavage into the assembly.
You think I’m kidding. I’m not. I’ve still got a copy. You can’t make stuff up that funny.
The Chronicle has become such a blessing. The coverage of missions is superb. The way the lead articles on potentially explosive issues are nuanced and balanced — always hinting at the possibility of unity even in the midst of disagreements — is wonderful.
If you don’t get a hard copy, be sure to check out their website.
And by the way, Greg Taylor (and others!) continues to improve our online presence for Wineskins. It was a blessing to Rubel and me to edit the magazine all those years; but now I’m so grateful for this online source of good writing. Check it out if you haven’t been there for a while.
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You’ve seen that there is a special coming out claiming that the tomb of Jesus has been found — with the remains of his body inside.
And to think that unbelievers can poke ridicule at Christians for walking by faith without evidence! There is no way anyone can prove this is the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth.
Pardon my doubt, but I think I’ll go ahead and celebrate Easter.
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One of the many things I loved about the North Atlanta Church was the huge number of people who have come out of serious addictions to faith. What a testimony!
Remarkably, the Chronicle was much more balanced before it became the hardcore rag that you describe. I recently read through all of the Chronicles of the late sixties in search of coverage on the Campus Evangelism movement, which was the most progressive event to ever come out of Churches of Christ at the time. The coverage is thorough, balanced, and at times has a ring of great admiration for the huge strides that were taking place. Then I saw that the Chronicle seemed to be the beacon of many great new voices in the CofC and was somewhat of a leader in the effort to bring CofCs out of the racial mire they were in. They even published a eulogy of MLK, only to be barraged by hate mail for their tribute to a “card carrying communist.” The Chronicle of the late sixties and Mission magazine (no longer published, but a huge progressive voice in CofCs) seemed to be on the same page.
Can you quote the cleavage thing in context. I’m having a hard time imagining.
And talk about funny wording, I thought for a moment at the end that there were people who were addicted to faith.
I’m seriously addicted to faith, too!
Cleavage? Can you give me the title and date of the article so I can track it down? That’s too good!
Of course, some days I look around at church and see an awful lot of cleavage even though the women are sitting quietly in their seats.
I’ve got the cleavage editorial filed somewhere. I’ll try to find it tomorrow.
I’m surprised James Cameron didn’t find a Terminator buried in Jesus’ coffin. I can just see him unveil the coffin and Arnold Schwartenegger T-100 pops up and says, “I told you I’ll be baack.” Easter sermon is still good to go. The sad part to me is that this will be another brick in the wall for those skeptical of the resurrection, even though this is a complete farce!
Mike — look in your “CLEAVAGE” file.
Speaking of great work from the Christian Chronicle, Bobby Ross, Jr., the Managing Editor, and his wife, Tamie, the Online Editor, are both doing really good work, including this month’s outstanding issue with the stories by Bobby. They are also fellow bloggers with their own funny “Bobby & Tamie’s World Famous Blog”, which is always worth the read.
Also, I’ve been interviewing fellow bloggers for a while and running their interviews every Tuesday over at Finding Direction and my interview tomorrow is with Bobby, turning the tables on the journalist! It’s a good interview, if you want to learn the inside scoop.
Mike,
I share your opinion regarding the Christian Chronicle. I like the tone of each issue. There seems to be a genuine effort to represent a variety of views on “hot” topics.
In particular, I appreciate the way each issue highlights believers in a variety of vocations endevering to be faithful to Christ.
As you noted, the emphasis on missions is outstanding. I have also appreciated the various articles regarding urban ministry, ministry to the poor, etc. It is a paper which I have really grown to appreciate.
And you wonder how rumors get started.
Mike,
“And to think that unbelievers can poke ridicule at Christians for walking by faith without evidence! There is no way anyone can prove this is the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth.”
And you can’t prove it’s not. Christians poke ridicule at Atheists and even other Christians for having different beliefs. I don’t think atheist’s or agnostics have the market cornered on ridicule poking.
As a matter of fact you the documentary doesn’t air until Sunday and you have already critiqued/judged it . If you saw it early then I’m sorry; but there are plenty theologians lining up to throw rocks at a documentary they haven’t seen.
But you along with a host of other well regarded (mean it fully) people have discounted this yet seen film and denied the people who hold your opinion in high regard (me) the advantage of viewing it in an unbiased open manner. If its a turd people will figure it out for themselves.
CF,
How close to the turd do you need to get before you know its a turd? Your first line in your post was exactly what I was referring to earlier. I enjoy your posts, but I think you are really reaching on this one. If a sect of religious wackos were running around Jerusalem claiming that their leader had experienced a physical resurrection (and any “scholar” who opts for the spiritual resurrection simply hasn’t read their bible) do you think they would leave said leader’s remains in a well-marked tomb conveniently labeled with his name on it so someone could come by and produce the body? How stupid do you think early Jews and Romans were? If I were the 1st Century Romans, I would have taken Jesus’ body out of the tomb once a year and paraded it around the streets so everyone would know he was dead.
This from an ABC news from a real anthropologist who has seen the evidence:
“Joe Zias goes a step further to discredit Cameron’s documentary. “What they’ve done here,” Zias said, “is they’ve simply tried in a very, very dishonest way to try to con the public into believing that this is the tomb of Jesus or Jesus’ family. It has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus.”
This is nothing really new. I John 2: 22-26 makes the point well:
“Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he has promised us, eternal life. 26 I write this to you about those who would deceive you;”
It is time to be reasonable: of course there is a possiblity that the body of Jesus of Nazareth can be found because he was never physically raised from the dead. No one has ever been raised from the dead b/c this is a complete impossibility, but for some reason, we suspend everything we know about death and accept Jesus’ physical resurrection. Why do you accept science when you go to the doctor but disregard it in this matter? And it is not even about science, that which is dead physically can not live again physically: brain activity, blood flow, etc. does not stop for 3 days and then begin again–it’s impossible! Accept the symbolism of the resurrection and enjoy Easter, but be realistic about a physical resurrection.
He is alive! I’m not worried about that tomb.
According to the web site, it claims that the “discovered tomb” belongs to Jesus’ family. It claims that it does not challenge the idea of a literal physical resurrection. It may challenge the idea of being resurrected from the “guarded tomb.” However, it does seem to suggest that the physical ascension may not have occurred. (I hope I’m reading that right.)
Has anybody called Geraldo???
Country Fred, why would Mike have to see the film first? This tomb was discovered more than 30 years ago. 30 YEARS! It’s already been debunked for over 30 years.
Just like Cameron’s film Titanic, it will show nothing new. Nothing that we don’t already know.
Great point Mike.
CSI - Jerusalem - starring James Cameron as himself - the self-proclaimed archaelogical expert. Now that’s a leap of faith! I smell a movie deal.
I receive the Christian Chronicle (CC) every month and enjoy much of what I read but…
The one problem I have with the CC is that they feel the need to tell the CoC at large everytime a congregation like Richland Hills or Farmer’s Branch decides to add instruments to some or all of their worship assembly. I serve as a minister in Ithaca, NY. What goes on in Texas would have no effect on us (for good or bad) whatsoever if it were not for the CC. And that is the problem. There reporting on events like this, as if what happens at Richland Hills and Farmer’s Branch is our business too, only serves to further polarize other CoC’s. Ironically, this polarization is fueled then by a news journal that is also reporting on whether their is an identity crisis within the fellowship.
Why do I have such a problem with this? For many members of the CoC who are a long way from Texas and the Bible Belt, there is a diversity when it comes to understanding scripture as well. Some have concluded that a capella worship is merely a tradition but not necessitated by scripture. Others believe a cappella worship is expressly a teaching of scripture. But we generally coexist in one congregation. There is not the progressive congregation on one side of the town and the more traditional on the other side. So, news reports such as the one I am discussing, only help to further polarize many small congregations that are trying to remain united admist a growing diversity of views.
I really like the Christian Chronicle — especially in recent years. And I’ve always appreciated Wineskins.
But my favorite publication (from our fellowship) was Image Magazine. It was always fresh, relevant, balanced, Biblical and thought-proovoking. I wish it was still around.
Martin F. — What is impossible for us (or for science) is really no big deal for God.
Ben Witherington offers a great response to this “documentary” on his Blog.
Martin,
Why can God create the world, split a sea, cause food to fall from the sky, stop a river, heal a leper, turn 5 loaves and 2 fish into a smorgasbord, calm a storm, reattach an ear, give sight to the blind and yet He can’t resurrect a body?
What was true 2,000 years ago is true today Mr. Cameron…
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
What time of the year is Jame Cameron doing this? Lent. Easter. How is he going to prove it Jesus? What DNA is he going to compair it to? I totally agree with you JH!
Brad:
Of course none of those things you mentioned ever really happened; they are the stuff of legend. Jesus isn’t the only person in the ancient world to have been credited with miracles. And the Hebrew God isn’t the only ancient deity to have done transcendent things. Do you believe that Apollo actually created 2 giant soldiers to beat-back a Persian army? Herodotus said that he did. But of course we realize today that that can not be true. We realize it is myth. Why can’t we see that about the transcendent claims in the Bible? Accept Biblical miracles as symbolic of higher truths but don’t accept them as literal events.
Any other Spiritual Sword readers out there? Living Oracles?
I like them because they keep me updated on how all my favorite preachers — Rubel, Mike, Randy, Rick, etc — are doing. Speaking of Geraldo, those investigative publications always seem to know exactly what those ministers are up to! It’s like a GPS system for Church of Christ heretics. Amazing.
So the maker of “Titanic” and “The Terminator” wants to try and challenge the resurrection of Christ. It’s just too good not to say it. Jesus is the one who will be back, (not The Terminator) and not even the maker of “Titanic” can sink my faith in that.
The editorial change back in the 90’s has proven to be a huge blessing for the “The Chronicle”. The change in focus is not hard to observe.
I love reading my copy every month. I do agree with Rex. I don’t think we have to know what every congregation is doing across the nation, let alone the DFW area.
“Wineskins” has always been my favorite publication, and still is. Keith Brenton, Greg Taylor, and all the other folks do a TREMENDOUS job with that on-line magazine.
The truth can withstand the light Cameron is shining, so let him shine it. God turns negative things into blessings, and I wouldn’t be surprised if in some crazy round-about way, some souls were introduced to Christ this way. Stranger things have happened, right?
DU
I appreciate your ministry and perspective Rex, and, I too, from time to time have wondered if some “events” should be front page news in the CC. However, here in east Texas, I daresay there are very few of us that read the CC - let alone disccuss it’s articles openly. But, on the other hand, taking an attitude of “I hope none of our members find out that the largest cofC in America has added an instrumental worship service” just seems a little myopic.
New members (hopefully) are moving to your community, high school kids are (hopefully) going away to cofC universities - and a host of other things happening that would produce a more global perspective to your community. My finding is an increase in knowledge and understanding that our churches vary substantially is a good thing. Here in deep East Texas many church trees have very few branches - and intolerance in even the smallest issues abounds.
I had no idea that the lady who found those children in Ghana was your sisster-in-law until I read it in the Chronicle. I was at the Village of Hope a couple of weeks ago on my way to teach at the Ghana Bible College in Kumassi. Those children are growing and being nutured and loved (as are all the children there). Your sister-in-law is truly a blessing! More Ghana photos can be seen on my blog tammieh.blogspot.com
For whatever it’s worth, you might notice from time to time that there are reports in the international news section from Belem, Brazil. Missionary David Bayless, a man who has been in Brazil working for the Lord for over 40 years, sends updates on the work there. The thing is, he and the churches he works with are “instrumental.” Not every service, mind you, only when someone is there with a guitar or something. He’s always worked to keep the lines of communication open with acappella missionaries there, and some brethren from the instrumental churches in the north of Brazil are now getting their ministry training at acappella preaching schools in the south-central portion of Brazil. It’s like I keep saying…real unity is unity in action.
Martin,
Watch the documentary or choose to not watch the documentary. Does not make any difference. Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead , has ascended back to heaven , is at the right hand of God interceding for the Fathers’s children and Jesus will return again to take all of God’s children home to live in the glory of heaven forever.
Martin F
To answer your question of why, is because those things done by Christ were witnessed by many. Those who witnessed it were not just his followers but were aslo those who sought to kill him. While it is true that we can not raise the dead, we (that is science) can replace lost chemicals or nutrients in the body. What science does is not “creative” but is instead repair. Do you realy think that those 5000 men plus women and children ate “symbolic” fish and bread?
Do you think that Mary and Martha embraced a “symbolic” Lazarus after their brother was “symbolicaly” raise from the dead after three days? Not me. I think the man they hugged was realy there.
Rinn:
According to Herodotus, many people saw Apollo’s miracle, too, but we still know that the god Apollo did not really create 2 giant soldiers to defeat a large Persian army. The people who wrote the stories of Jesus’ exploits were his followers. They spoke very favorably of him, as one would expect a follower too. But there is no non-Jewish source for Jesus until after 100 AD. The first of the 4 gospels was written about 65 AD; that’s about 30 years after Jesus died. That is plenty of time for larger-than-life stories to begin circulating orally. This is very typical in ancient history (and modern history).
Martin F.,
If the resurrection of Jesus wasn’t real, then it means Jesus was a fraud, and His teachings, lies.
If that were the case, then there would be no “higher truths” to look for, and any devotion, reverence, or even respect we had for His teachings would be sorely misplaced.
C.S. Lewis said it much better than I ever could:
“You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
Martin, do you know of any instance of anyone dying on the veracity of the claim that Apollo’s purported exploits actually happened? (only trying to compare apples to apples - or, actually to point out that you’re comparing apples to oranges…)
Seems like the Hollywood left has just given up on trying to distort Christians to believing in them. Next they will line up with the other side and withdraw from us and Jerusalem completely.
Will catch up on the comments later.
Here’s the quote from a 1993 Chronicle editorial:
“To insist that women have leading roles in worship requires those who cannot conscientiously worship in this way to either go against their conscience . . . or leave that congregation, causing a cleavage in the body of Christ, also sin.”
Luke:
No, it doesn’t mean that Jesus was a fraud; it just means that those who came after him created legends about him; this is a phenomenon that happens to all people who have been influential (think of Plato’s Socrates). C.S. Lewis and Josh McDowell were wrong about the if-Jesus-wasn’t-who-he-claimed-he-was-he-must-be-a-liar bit. Those claims were made by his followers about him long after he had died.
And there would be no “higher truths” if those stories about Jesus are not true? What makes you think that Christianity has a corner on higher truths?
Michael Polutta:
Plenty of people in the past have given their lives for their religious beliefs. Christians don’t have a corner on that market either. Suicidal terrorists give their lives for Allah almost daily now.
The greatest and the highest truth of all is found in Jesus Christ. The one who declared that he is the resurrection and the life was raised from the dead. His resurrection is a historical truth. Four documents , known as the gospels declare it to be the truth. The apostles preached it as did the early church. They preached his being raised as prophesied and then fulfilled. No hesitation, no doubt.
Martin F.,
I find it interesting (read: amazing) that you can, with certainty, dismiss great minds like C.S. Lewis, and also the unparalleled Biblical textual evidence, just by saying “they’re wrong; though 2000 years removed, I can tell you that what actually happened is…”. What hubris.
Also, to clarify, in my post, I was saying that if Jesus was a fraud and a liar, “higher truths” wouldn’t be gleaned from His teachings.
That being said, I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and that we can access God the Father only through Him. So while other religions may be true in some aspects, the Christ we worship is truth.
You may disagree, but hopefully I clarified what I was trying to say.
Kent,
I do have a global perspective, really I do. I have worshiped with congregtations from Vermont to California and have even worship with Christians in Brazil. I have spent the last eight years of my life in the Biblebelt. Frankly, I don’t care one iota whether or not any particular church (including the one I serve at) adopts instrumental worship or continues in the tradition of a capella worship because I don’t believe that issue in and of itself has or will have anything to do our salvation. I am concerned with polarizaton because such polarization keeps us from being about the Father’s business as a unified people. And when people make every other congregation’s business/issues their own issues (to which the news journals help foster), it only serves to polarize.
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Any ways, there are many things I like about the Chronicle and I am thankful for it and for the small staff that does such great work.
Equally, I like the direction New Wineskins have gone with publishing articles that deal with real, day to day, issues that every Christian faces.
Any other Spiritual Sword readers out there? Living Oracles?
I like them because they keep me updated on how all my favorite preachers — Rubel, Mike, Randy, Rick, etc — are doing. Speaking of Geraldo, those investigative publications always seem to know exactly what those ministers are up to! It’s like a GPS system for Church of Christ heretics. Amazing.
I lived three years in Memphis and served at a church for almost two years where the Spiritual Sword was read and nearly regarded as the fifth gospel. It was nausiating!
Not near as nausiating as those churches who live by “Contention for the Faith”. A lot of those churches are in Tennessee as well.
By looking at the comments my earlier statement:
“..Christians poke ridicule at Atheists and even other Christians for having different beliefs. I don’t think atheist’s or agnostics have the market cornered on ridicule poking.”
I heard one of the other producers say on Larry King live he wasn’t a theologian and did not mean to draw an outcome, but to just report the facts as he found them.
But might as well him any way.
Has thus been validated. Thanks
Mike, quote or no quote…your blog will now be assosciated with women in public roles introducing cleavage into the congregation. HA! This is cracking me up.
Thank you, Mike, for your kind words about the Christian Chronicle of today. I can’t speak for the Chronicle of past years, although I have much respect for the folks over the years who have devoted themselves to this ministry. I can say that I have NOT used the word “cleavage” in my nearly two years at the Chronicle, but for some reason, I am now tempted to do so.
Re: the comment about the story on Richland Hills deciding to add an instrumental service. If I recall, Preacher Mike and other bloggers broke that news before the Chronicle, so I suppose they deserve some of the blame for any “polarizing” effect. Seriously, some folks accused us of singling out Richland Hills for ridicule by doing that story. Others accused us of promoting Richland Hills’ decision by reporting on it. From our perspective, when the largest congregation in an “a cappella fellowship” adds instruments, it’s “news.” And we are a “news”paper.
Chris Seidman from the Farmers Branch church and one of that congregation’s elders, Ed Bonneau (father of the ACU baseball coach), stopped by the Chronicle office to visit this morning while at Oklahoma Christian University. I did not realize that Farmers Branch, which now has a mix of instrumental and non-instrumental services, was a one-cup, fermented wine church 50 years ago. It made me think about how much can change in a relatively short time — for good and bad.
My own minister, Don Vinzant of the Edmond, Okla., church, stopped by a little later to share a book by a Baptist pastor named John Price called “Old Light on New Worship: Musical Instruments and The Worship of God, A Theological, Historical and Psychological Study.” This Baptist pastor, who apparently knows little or nothing about Churches of Christ, comes to the conclusion through his own study that worship without instruments is best.
These are certainly interesting (for lack of a better word) times for the church.
Hilarious satirical interview with “Lost Tomb” producer James Cameron in Christianity Today
Steve JR,
Thanks. That was great! Go check out this article, folks.
Steve - That is hilarious. Here are Scot McKnight’s words I just saw:
The news story coming out today that they have found the tomb of Jesus, that Jesus was married to a woman named Mary (presumed then to be Mary Magdalene), and that they had a son named Judah, will surely raise all kinds of questions and problems. I haven’t seen the evidence, but I will be studying what I can find. Here are my first two questions:
First, how can they say this is Jesus’ DNA? Well, what they may have is the DNA of the person whose bones remained in this ossuary, and that person may have been named “Jesus” (if the names are not forgeries), but there is no way to know if this DNA matches the DNA of Jesus of Nazareth until they’ve got some DNA from the latter to match it with the DNA of the former.
Second, how likely is it that the early Christians built and sustained a tomb of Jesus if they — at the same time — were declaring his resurrection and ascension, and were undergoing persecution for the following him? What this tomb requires is a long-term preservation of the remains of the members of Jesus’ so-called family. Unlikely to the extreme.
I’ll be editing this post as I learn more.
Bobby, thanks so much for the great job you’re doing at the Chronicle!
Note to the public: although Deana was, indeed, my trusted assistant, she has no idea what she’s talking about.
Bobby,
You are right the Chronicle is not the only one to report the Richland Hills adoption of instruments.
Any ways, I do want you to know that I enjoy the Chronicle a lot and appreciate the work as I know that there is a lot of work that goes into it without a lot of manpower.
Rex,
I appreciate your note and thank you for reading the Chronicle. And please feel free to voice your concerns at any time; we are far from perfect in what we do!
Thanks for your follow-up Rex and thoughts on this issue - God bless your ministry in upstate NY.
Yes, Martin F., millions of people throughout history have given their lives in defense of a belief system, be it religious or secular in nature. But that’s very different from scores of presumably sane people choosing to die over the veracity of a very specific historical event that they would have known first-hand to be a complete falsehood.
Mike,
via Scot McKnight: They never said it was Jesus’s DNA they said that Mary Madgeline and Jesus did not have the same DNA therefore were not related therefore possibly married if in same tomb.
You said : “The Christian Chronicle has been on a journey. Long gone are the days of mean-spirited editorials”
You praise Christian Chronicle for not being mean spirited and in the same post write a somewhat mean spirited reaction to a documentary you haven’t seen. Seems very hypocritical too me.
I guess if people agree with you they are not mean spirited.
I thought you would be open to someone examining their faith and drawing their own conclusions, but the conclusion better not stray too far from the fold.
I guess us stupid people can’t be trusted to examine the really easy stuff like instrumental music, but we shouldn’t go any deeper than that because were not equipped. So go ahead chalk up my comments to stupidity, laugh at people who want to examine this subject and wonder why un believers have very little use for Christianity.
Countdown to Nazi comment is on…
Wow. Fred, I’ve read my few sentences above several times now. Is it really mean-spirited? Does it offend you that I disagree with the perspective (which, by the way, is well known and isn’t being hidden until the release date)? I’m a believer.
I have said before that I appreciate your questions. I’ve also posted some of my struggles with faith.
But is it mean-spirited to say that there is no way to prove the body of Jesus is in this tomb? (I wouldn’t claim that I can absolutely prove it isn’t. I receive this by faith. Faith with reason, I think, but faith nevertheless. My main reason is my experience of the Risen Christ.)
I’m puzzled by what you found to be so mean. Perhaps I’m just blind here.
Thanks for the quote Mike. Now we have proof that cleavage is a sin.
The Christian Chronicle, and specifically Bobby Ross, has been a great partner in the Katrina Recovery Effort. I remember just a few weeks after the storm standing on the front porch of my flooded house talking to Bobby Ross on my cell phone. I do not remember any of that conversation … my mind was mush … but I do remember thinking how blessed I felt that the Chronicle would be carrying stories about our struggle … and that Bobby was personally concerned. Since then he has made some personal trips to the Coast and there have been updates published regularly. For that, I am thankful.
At our Sunday night house meeting last week, the most recent issue of the Chronicle was under discussion. We had a vigorous and enjoyable discussion about the churches of Christ and our diversity. I thank the Chronicle for keeping us informed without suggesting that anyone follow suit.
One reason that we all had the Chronicle is that I sent our directory to the Chronicle so that all of our members could receive it. I suggest everyone do the same. While there may be an identity crisis, I think in the decades to come one of the contributions to maintaining some form of our identity will be the presence of a newspaper that kept us informed of what ‘we’ were all doing and thinking. The Christian Chronicle fills a vital need in our fellowship… one that the GA could have filled, but instead continues to drive wedges (in my opinion).
As for Spiritual Sword … well … I find very little of the Spirit of Jesus in those pages. There is too much anger and sarcasm there for my palate.
Mike,
“And to think that unbelievers can poke ridicule at Christians for walking by faith without evidence!”
This is what I found “a somewhat mean spirited reaction”
Perhaps I overreacted. That’s how I read it.
I am very bitter, very angry, very tired and very depressed nowadays and should not take it out on you.
Re: “tomb of Jesus has been found — with the remains of his body inside.”
If the tomb is not empty and it truly was the tomb where Jesus was buried, one guess is that the body belonged to Joseph of Arimathea.
“I am very bitter, very angry, very tired and very depressed nowadays and should not take it out on you.”
Fred, I admire your humble admissions, and I appreciate that you continue to “hang out” here. I’m sorry to hear that you are struggling. I would like to ask you if I may pray for you with specificity. If you are willing, you may contact me at poluttam at bell south doooot net (squeeze the blanks and extra o’s - how sad that we have to take such precautions, but I get enough junk email, thank you very much!) I do not wish to debate things (unless YOU want to). But whatever a ‘Net buddy can do for another, I’d like to try.
With hope,
Michael
Thanks Michael. I genuinely appreciate your words and encouragement. I do not wish to debate either.
I imagine we disagree on most things theological, but that really doesn’t matter to me. What matters is that you took the time be decent to a man who wasn’t being very decent (me). Thanks
I think it’s notable that many skeptical/atheistic blogs find the whole Jesus tomb affair laughable, as they should. Pharyngula, a prominent atheist/ evolution/ science blog, has a short dismissal here. As for the non-Christians who have jumped on this discovery, I think they should be embarassed, because it shows the same lack of skepticism that they criticize when it is found in the religious. Just a thought.
well i haven’t read the book… (not like I don’t have a plethora of other literature to read on my shelf)… but has anyone stopped to consider that Yeshua’s family died? (Mary, Joseph, James, Doug & Bubba). They’re all dead (except JC).
Look at it like this: My parents have grave plots… one was even kept for me. But I doubt I’ll be buried there. Instead, I’ll probably be put into a borrowed mason jar or an old Thermos®… maybe a wine bottle and thrown into the sea? The point that the “Christ” family had a set of grave plots doesn’t refute that Yeshua was indeed the Messiah. My parents have a car… that doesn’t mean I’m going to drive theirs.
Now we have to consider what the book proclaims. At this point, I could honestly care less what this guys book says. Give me a publisher and a computer… I can make a book that says that the ocean is made of peanut butter.
On that note… I’m hungry… gonna go eat a PB & Crackers.
later y’all!