Having spent some time studying Luke's gospel, I am finding more and more of a distinct separation between the terms "Heaven" and "Kingdom of God" as referring to two separate ideas; the latter being what is promised to mankind with the former being where God is. What's more, the prospect that Luke's Jesus made no promise to his followers of their (rather than his own) resurrection appears to be a likely one.
Would the tenates of Christianity as an organisation and way of life still work if the post-death revival of humanity was revealed to be an idea created by Paul of Tarsus rather than taught by Jesus of Nazareth?
2006-10-21 02:29:16 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Good point, and one rather similar to that made by Richard Holloway in his excellent book, Doubts and Loves.
His idea is that Christianity is about following Jesus in this life, not booking a place in the next. All the theology that Paul put together rather gets in the way of this, and after all, Paul was never a follower when Jesus was alive.
I'm a former evangelical Christian (the whole nine yards) and now an atheist. I regard Jesus as a very interesting teacher; a real, historical person, but not God.
Holloway reckons a true Christian is someone who fights injustice, loves the rejected, and works to heal wounds of every sort. That's really what Luke's gospel tries to show.
2006-10-21 02:35:33 · answer #1 · answered by wild_eep 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
The gospel "according" to Luke presents Jesus as bothe the promised Savior of Israel as well as the savior of mankind.The note of joy is also prominent in Luke, especially in the opening chapters that announce the coming of Jesus, and again at the conclusion, when Jesus ascends to heaven. How can this be just an idea created by Paul?
The apostle Paul summed up the importanceof the ressurection in I Corinthians 15,17,19. "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!...If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable"
Obviously, however, Paul believed that Jesus did rise from the dead. In fact, he mentioned that hundreds of people saw the risen Christ. (I Corinthians 15:5-8)
(Take it from the one who was a witness of it all! Paul was not the only witness about Jesus' ressurection. The apostle John also tells about it. and so does the others who were there to witness it. )
Jesus did promise us..
John 3:16" For God so loves the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
John 14:2 "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for YOU."
So much hinged on the ressurection that if Christ had not risen, the disciples would have walked away from it all. Their leader woould have been a big disappointment to them. The church only began becoz the first followers of Christ believed their Founder was all He claimed to be. His early disciples would not have died for what they knew to be a lie. (Most of them were killed for their faith, some on the stakes, some to lions, stones...)And they were too fearful and skeptical BEFORE they saw the risen Christ to concoct some crazy story about a ressurection.
Read the whole of the Bible and you will find more truths.
2006-10-21 03:05:10 · answer #2 · answered by *art blest* 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm not going to answer the whole question, but had a couple of comments:
1. I also used to look at Paul's letters as not so valid as the Gospels; i.e. not that the entire Bible was the inspired Word of God but that Jesus came and said the correct stuff and then Paul came and messed it up. Looking at the history of Paul and at his writings I did change my mind...The writings of Paul are difficult to study and easily misinterpreted or taken out of context, but they are worthwhile and I believe the history of Paul indicates that the entire Bible, including Paul's writings, were divinely inspired. So I would urge you not to write him off as an opposer of Jesus's original teachings, but to study him more. A lot of the negative changes in Christian theology occurred as a result of the next few hundred years of politics, NOT as a result of Paul's ministry, although it is easy to blame Paul for it since he evangelized the Pagans, and the Christian religion later shed its Jewishness and added a lot of Pagan attributes.
2. The short answer is, Christianity does work without an afterlife...I love being a Christian and could give a rat's *** about the afterlife, it is just great to worship and obey God right now!
2006-10-21 02:51:27 · answer #3 · answered by z 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I think John 3:16 sums it up:
"For God so loved the world that He gave the world His only begotten Son, so that whomsoever shall believe in Him (the Son of God), shall have life everlasting"
In other words, the promise of immortality (acheiveable only by some sort of rebirth) is promised to all believers. Further, Christ Jesus would not make such a promise, because His destiny had not been met.. however there are provisions made for little babies who are too young to learn the truth of the Bible before they die (stillborns, etc) and those generations who came before Christ was crucifed.
2006-10-21 02:42:30 · answer #4 · answered by Dat MrE Guy 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Most religions wouldn't work without the concerpt of an afterlife. It is the promise of heaven or valhallah or whatever that makes it possible to persuade people to behave according to a particular creed or code. I suspect most religions have thier roots in wanting to avoid death, and by persuading people you can do that is a very powerful incentive - possibly the most powerful ever thought up. I'm sure the advertising industry would do it if they could get away with it. "Buy this car/gadget/drink and live in paradise for eternity"!!!
2006-10-21 05:21:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Read stuff by Karen Armstrong. She calls the afterlife a 'red herring'. The real message of christianity should be the reduction of the ego which is the basis of all religion. Also, after reading 'Belonging to the Universe', I found some jesuit christians who don't seem to put much emphasis on the afterlife thing. With all that said, it seems that those -- like Jesus -- who have had an enlightenment experience have a realization that we/they are not this body & that there is no 'afterlife' because ... the concept of individual bodies is illusory. It's definitely not something that can be described but it means that there is no 'life' here -- no real individuals, no real birth, etc. It's why the Zen koans sound so nonsensical.
2006-10-21 02:34:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for the time will come when you will laugh with joy. God blesses you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man.
When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were also treated that way by your ancestors.
Luke 6:20-23
2006-10-21 03:06:26 · answer #7 · answered by Jay Z 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You are Learning.
Heaven is a Planet where the Father has HIS Throne right now.
HE will move it Later On to Earth.
The Kingdom of GOD is a Parallel Universe where the Father Rules.
It makes Everything Else Possible.
(Matter, atoms, molecules, Etc.).
You are Translated into the Kingdom of GOD when you get Saved (Spirit Recreated).
You Then Learn (if you want to) to Walk in Holiness (the Power of GOD) which is Called Entering in to the Kingdom.
You will still Go to Heaven if you don't ever Learn how to Enter In to the Kingdom.
All Baby Christians go to Heaven (Planet).
Actually, you can go to Heaven and VISIT if you will Enter In to the Kingdom-----and then GOD Grants you a VISIT.
2006-10-21 02:38:49 · answer #8 · answered by maguyver727 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
I'm very bothered by people who use the term Rapture, which was coined by a 14 year old girl in Scotland in 1830.
Too many Christians have Rapture on the mind instead of following the teachings of Jesus.
If we get to someplace nice, cool, but while we're here we need to be more like Jesus said we should do and be.
2006-10-21 02:32:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
Question 1: The afterlife is a basic of the faith.
Question 2: Sort of like asking what would an apple taste like if it wasn't an apple.
2006-10-21 05:21:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋