Come one, come all....."The God Who Wasn't There"?

Question

"Provocative - to put it mildly"
Los Angeles Times

"The God Who Wasn't There is going to feel like a knife to the heart for those who subscribe to Christianity without thought."
DVD Talk

"Irreverently lays out the case that Jesus Christ never existed"
Newsweek

In this provocative, critically acclaimed documentary, you will discover:

The early founders of Christianity seem wholly unaware of the idea of a human Jesus

The Jesus of the Gospels bears a striking resemblance to other ancient heroes and the figureheads of pagan savior cults

Contemporary Christians are largely ignorant of the origins of their religion

Fundamentalism is as strong today as it ever has been, with an alarming 44% of Americans believing Jesus will return to earth in their lifetimes

And God simply isn't there.

http://www.thegodmovie.com/index.php


Whaddya think?

Answer 1

Jesus the man may well have existed, but it's likely that his followers piled mounds of myth and magic as a sales pitch for his basic teachings. The Christianity that evolved shows clear influences of Mithraism and Zoroastrianism, and borrowed many of its definitions of evil from the Roman theology it was competing with. (Compare the goat-like traditional image of Satan to the Roman satyr, a symbol of hedonistic indulgence--not a coincidence)
Followers of Siddhartha Gautama did the same thing. None of the miraculous notions found in current-day Buddhist practice can be found in the simple teachings of Gautama.
The original figures are usually genuine, but the purity of the teaching gets overlain with mystical crap, and believers end up caring more about whether or not Jesus turned water into wine than about love for one's fellow man.

Answer 2

Well, there are a lot of things going on with this movie that make me feel it is slightly biased, to say the least. First, look at the scholars they have chosen for this film. Dawkins is militant atheist, to whom the destruction of Chrisitianity would be a good thing. Also, he is a biologist, not a historian. Robert Price of the Jesus Seminar claims on his own website that he is disillusioned with the church, believing that the Unitiarian Universalists were not liberal enough. In regards to the Jesus seminar, there are number of scholars (both religious and secular) that have issues with its methods. Richard Carrier, like Dawkins, is a naturalist (atheist) and also has a vested interest in hurting Christianity rather than actually searching for the truth in the matter (though, to his credit, he is actually a historian). Sam Harris has said on a number of occasions that he is anti-religion, even saying that it is better if Americans practiced religious intolerance and that religious moderates are just the same as religious zealots who go around killing people. Finally, the director, Brian Flemming, is also an atheist.

Now, why do I list these things? Is it because that since these folks are atheists, some militant atheists, and are therefore evil and bad? No. But how is this different than a group of Christians making a documentary about how Jesus did exist? Both groups have a bias and personal interest making their point known. So, am I shocked that a group of atheists are producing a movie with "proof" that Jesus didn't exist? No. I will be shocked if people claim that is "purely factual" and "totally unbiased"...

Answer 3

Meh, I believe there is a higher power of some sort. Who else is there to hate me and make my life horrible? ^_^

But, "God" is something some people need to believe in. They need to feel like they've been forgiven, or that the natural disasters and deaths are because a God or God(s) is angry.

People also need to have someone to blame things on.

I'm not very religious, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. To me, there is a high power of some sort, but that doesn't mean I believe it's a specific God or that I even like him/her/them.

That's all I got...

Your friend,

Turtle Power!

Answer 4

Yes there is a God and it is insulting to me that you would post something like this online. Lots of people believe in God and probably are insulted also. Its not a bad way to live either cause people want to help others more often and dont usually insult other people about their beliefs like you are doing. Im sure im not the only one. Sincerely INSULTED

Answer 5

frustrating one to respond to for me, at this element in my existence as i'm thinking the life of God top now.. form of like the question: Which got here first The poultry or the egg?

Answer 6

I have to see this.

Answer 7

actually pagan religons "copied" some of christianity's teachings inoder to appeal to more people since christainity was gaining much popularity in the 1,2,3 centuries> We have very little pre-christian record of pagan religions and even that evidence doesn't point to them having a savior also, it was until after christ that pagan and eastern religions copied christianity to gain followers. the documentary needs to do some real historical research before trying to discredit christianity>>

Answer 8

seen it its OK but some will still deny the fact their religion come from pagan beliefs

Answer 9

I think that one day we will all be held accountable for what we have taught and I would hate to have to stand before God and receive punishment for leading so many astray.

Answer 10

These people are on there ways to hell, unless God come to their rescue.