Search found 58 matches

by avi
Fri Dec 13, 2013 2:24 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Archaeological Evidence of pre-Constantinian Christianity
Replies: 137
Views: 123721

Re: Archaeological Evidence of pre-Constantinian Christianit

Thank you Pete, marvelous job, harvesting the wheat, midst a huge collection of locusts. Momigliano does not question the existence of Celsus and I have never made this claim. Momigliano questions whether we can ever be certain about what Celsus may have written, and answers that we cannot. And I ag...
by avi
Thu Dec 12, 2013 1:46 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: A Work of Origen Was Copied and Used by Jews
Replies: 3
Views: 10654

Re: A Work of Origen Was Copied and Used by Jews

Thanks for that comment Andrew, perceptive, as always, on your part. I had wondered the same thing about that palimpset, and in particular, whether or not one could distinguish something written by Origen in Caesarea versus Alexandria, given that he lived in both places. Here is an article on geneti...
by avi
Thu Dec 12, 2013 1:21 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Detering, etc.
Replies: 55
Views: 71822

Re: Detering, etc.

The argument for a historical Moses and the idea that faith must be used to reach any conclusions regarding ancient Judaism or Christianity. Thank you, Peter, for clarifying your stance on DuvDuv's quote, above. At the risk of further annoying you, (sorry, if so--not intentional), allow me to elabo...
by avi
Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:34 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Detering, etc.
Replies: 55
Views: 71822

Re: Detering, etc.

Peter, maybe there is something wrong with me, I cannot understand why you think the quote you provided, demonstrates anyone's "idiocy". The quote you provided looks quite reasonable to me, well, maybe I am an idiot too, then!!! haha... At least in the case of Jewish history there can be a...
by avi
Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:44 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: fourth century inquisition
Replies: 5
Views: 11432

Re: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed

Thank you very much for these extensive quotes from Ammianus Marcellinus, Pete, nice job. Here are four names. I have not read anything by any of them, neither in Greek (way beyond me) nor English translation. Some of them exist only in Latin, not Greek, but I suspect they are translations, rather t...
by avi
Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:35 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Detering, etc.
Replies: 55
Views: 71822

Re: Detering, etc.

Some of what was said about Marcion must be true . Why? "must" ? Is some of what was "said" [sic, WRITTEN] about zarathustra, or buddha, or ganesha, "true", absolutely, without qualification? The great 17th century scientist, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, despite having imp...
by avi
Wed Dec 11, 2013 5:08 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed
Replies: 107
Views: 146736

Re: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed

Hello Don, Strangely ironic, given the title of this thread and the contents of the OP. Is Myth 3: "Ancient Historian Josephus wrote about Jesus" a supernatural phenomenon? I suspect that the author would suggest that "myth" is simply something untrue. Many authors, including som...
by avi
Tue Dec 10, 2013 6:17 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed
Replies: 107
Views: 146736

Re: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed

Why not a historical (not divine) Herakles ? It seems not impossible to me. Thanks for this question, Kunigunde. May we start with some definitions? 1. fiction: = not true; 2. legend: = hyperbole, exaggeration; 3. myth: = supernatural attribution. By definition, Zeus, and all other Greek Gods, are ...
by avi
Tue Dec 10, 2013 12:21 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed
Replies: 107
Views: 146736

Re: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed

Yes it´s true, but I think it´s not so easy to judge a concret case. Maybe you know William Tell, the great folk hero of Switzerland. It seems that the legend of William Tell has at first glance a historical background, but apparantly not. In contrast it´s very unlikely that the myth of the holy gr...
by avi
Tue Dec 10, 2013 5:07 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed
Replies: 107
Views: 146736

Re: Nailed: 10 Christian myths that show Jesus never existed

I like the question. I have no interest to hear or argue that Jesus was a myth or that Jesus was a historical person. I just try to understand the problems of these two options. Wonderful English!!! Wish I could write German half as well as you express yourself in my native language. Are you also a...