8 replies to this topic

[TrueFreedom]

I read about a third of this book two months ago before putting it down to read other things. Just reading the first couple of chapters had an impact on my perspective.


The author creates a legal case that Jesus (actually Y'shua=Joshua) led a Jewish sect and set out to become king. He was killed by the Romans for sedition. James continued to lead the sect. Paul invented the Roman Jesus-god, the trinity, and Christianity. To appeal to the Romans, he made it easy: believe in Jesus and be saved. No circumcision required. The Jesus Jews required circumcision, but Paul's new religion did not. Paul's new Christianity was also in submission to Roman authority.

Internet Infidels recently published a description:

http://www.infidels....k/book1059.html

[Eugene39]

I'm a little less than half-way through it. Just as a bit of history, reading the Bible through in a year is what eventually led to my loss of faith. I was struck by how "non-Jewish" that Paul's writings seemed to be. And as time progressed, Paul's writings were the first thing that I threw over-board because his salvation by faith did not match up with Jesus' teachings and the earlier Jewish teachings of salvation by works. All these thoughts have been something that I've never been able to quite get away from, so this book has really helped me to understand how Jesus did not have anything to do with the founding of Christianity. I sometimes get the feeling that the author has a bone to pick with Paul as I question that someone could have thought through all the deceptions that he claims Paul did, but as far as the meat of the book, I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

[MrsRoper]

I thought I heard a historian say that the James the brother of Jesus both had a father who was not Joseph so that they weren't talking about the Jesus of Nazareth? Anyone know about that?

[mcdaddy]

No idea

[raoul]

I was only about 20% through the Kindle edition and put it aside to read 'The God Virus' and now Dawkins' God Delusion.

Is it me or does the author of the ventroloquist book overstate the case a bit? I mean, I got the intent of the book in the first few pages so I think he's a bit too wordy.
Just my opinion.

[TrueFreedom]

I was only about 20% through the Kindle edition and put it aside to read 'The God Virus' and now Dawkins' God Delusion.

Is it me or does the author of the ventroloquist book overstate the case a bit? I mean, I got the intent of the book in the first few pages so I think he's a bit too wordy.
Just my opinion.

Yes. I put it down for a while as well. Every time I pick it up I wonder if I have already read the next chapter.

[raoul]

I was only about 20% through the Kindle edition and put it aside to read 'The God Virus' and now Dawkins' God Delusion.

Is it me or does the author of the ventroloquist book overstate the case a bit? I mean, I got the intent of the book in the first few pages so I think he's a bit too wordy.
Just my opinion.

Yes. I put it down for a while as well. Every time I pick it up I wonder if I have already read the next chapter.

LOL. I'll probably resume reading it while also reading Dawkins' work. I usually do that anyway - read 2 or 3 books at the same time. I can do this because I have 3 sets of eyes. No brain but 6 eyes.

Edited by raoul, 08 September 2012 - 10:02 AM.

[TrueFreedom]

John Adams was a Unitarian. Which book quoted him? The God Delusion, or Christ's Ventriloquists?

[raoul]

John Adams was a Unitarian. Which book quoted him? The God Delusion, or Christ's Ventriloquists?

The God Delusion - kindle edition. On page 61 he wrote about the Tripoli treaty which Adams signed and emphasised 'America was not found on christian principles'. Page 64 has a quote by Adams which attacks the Cult even further.