Surely the message is the most important thing?
2007-08-30 20:45:19 · 26 answers · asked by Bart S 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Regardless of whether I believe Jesus truly walked the earth...
Although this may seem like a mundane example, bear with me. Once a year, parents the world over festoon their homes with colored lights, garland, pine needles, and, of course, presents. The purpose? Because they have told their children that a big, jolly, diet-challenged man in red will come down their chimney (or through their window in the budget communities) to distribute scads of gifts to the "well-behaved" boys and girls. The disobedient children get a lump of coal. The point in all of this? Parents use the idea of "Santa Claus" to try and steer the behavior of their children, and in many ways, it works. It doesn't really harm any child to think that a jolly, cookie-loving man is watching and hoping he gets to give them presents. Ok, so Christkindl (Kris Kringle) did exist, but if he didn't, would the message be lost? As it is, Christkindl didn't really resemble today's Santa, so in essence, Santa Claus never did exist.
SOOOO...whether or not Santa was real, it's the message that matters--goodwill, generosity, peace, love, respect, honor, etc.
Ultimately then, I don't think the argument should be, "Was Jesus a living person?" I think the argument should be, "Did the message of Jesus's life and death leave the intended impact on society?" I think that's a resounding, "Yes!"
But today, just as in Jesus's day, the message might be glaring you in the face, and you can still opt to turn away.
(Sorry this was so long, but thanks for reading it through.)
2007-08-31 08:05:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well yeah but he's not the only person who had a message of love and compassion...
Christianity is based on Jesus being the Son of God...if he never existed, then what's the point?
And if his existence didn't matter and only the message should be retained, then Gandhi and Martin Luther King should have people worshiping them under their own religion as well too, don't you think?
2007-08-31 03:55:43 · answer #2 · answered by Dahlia O 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes it does....there is no message without the messenger....as a gift from GOD HE had to come to overcome all temptations. had HE not come then there would be no Redeemer of our sins and we all would still be lost, spiritual dead and apart from GOD this every day with no chance for salvation. how great is He that would lay down HIS life for a friend. when we had no life, He came to give us life and give it more abundant. Oh how sweet it is of the good news that this man called JESUS came and died so I [we] could live...this world is just a place we pass through, I'm looking and waiting for that everlasting life where I will want for nothing.....HEAVEN........my hope is that you are as well.
so live your life in such a way that when you died the preacher won't have to lie......
live right
live happy
and live long
2007-08-31 04:20:01 · answer #3 · answered by LITTLE_JOHN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well yes and maybe not.
There is a big relationship between the figure "Jesus" and the beginning of Christianity. For Christians Jesus is the son of god delivering the message. So if there would be historical proof, that Jesus actually never existed, see how this would totally blast the Christian concept, and thus the hole bible would be a lie, and that leads to god being a lie.
There would be no "christ"-mas and no easter either. ewwww, and maybe no sunday off. ewww I would have to work even more.
2007-08-31 04:04:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Thats a good question.
It is vital that the Bible account of Jesus life and death to be true.
It was the fact that Jesus laid down his perfect life as a redeeming sacrifice that now allows humans to 1. have a relationship with God and 2. allow God to be able to act on behalf of his loyal followers.
Without this sacrifice we would be forever locked into the pattern of living and dying in a sin-full condition.
There would be no hope for us as individuals or for mankind as a whole.
For more information plz feel free to email me
2007-08-31 04:10:25 · answer #5 · answered by I♥U 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Whats important is that a person receives Jesus in their Heart and then follows Jesus after their saved.AMEN
2007-08-31 03:54:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes it's important. If not for His ministry that message would not be here. That means He did not suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, He did not die upon the cross, and most importantly it means He did not rise again. The fact that He atoned for our sins is the most important fact. Because of it we can have eternal life and be cleansed of our sins and transgressions.
2007-08-31 04:08:36 · answer #7 · answered by Bubblewrap 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, the message is not the only thing. If the bible is supposed to be truth... it needs to have some facts come out of it. It needs to have some things that aren't twisted into metaphors because they wouldn't stand up to rationalism otherwise.
2007-08-31 03:48:54 · answer #8 · answered by Jadochop 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes it matters. See, Jesus not only came down to save humankind, but to give an answer to Satan. Satan held that no man could be faithful to God and do his will 100%. Jesus showed him up to be a liar by his life on earth.
2007-08-31 03:51:11 · answer #9 · answered by Starjumper the R&S Cow 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is important that Jesus lived as a real person (which he did) because by his teachings we know beyond a doubt that God exists.
2007-08-31 03:51:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋