Comments on “The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differentlyTypePad2006-12-26T05:07:53ZBrian Hineshttps://hinessight.blogs.com/church_of_the_churchless/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://hinessight.blogs.com/church_of_the_churchless/2006/12/the_pagan_chris/comments/atom.xml/benandante commented on '“The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differently'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200d834d25c2853ef2006-12-28T15:34:27Z2007-08-20T08:22:53ZbenandanteI don't know that because what survives is not accurate historically somehow means that there is no truth to the...<p>I don't know that because what survives is not accurate historically somehow means that there is no truth to the accounts of Jesus' time on earth.</p>
<p>There's a good and valid reason that the Biblical accounts that have survived are not reflective of history; canonical franchisees did not want competition in the thoelogical marketplace. So the monks watered down, changed or simply excised the passages and facts that assaulted thier stranglehold on kings, or schools or anyone who wanted a bath or a book of their own.</p>
<p>I vacillate from churchless to Unitarian and back. I like the idea of a theological goulash served up to me without being smothered in allegorical pap, with the whole papal infallibility argument as a chaser the way the RC church does. But I don't like the way that the Unitarian personality-cult schticks in my throat.</p>
<p>The message to most rituals and symbols boils down to something I can toast almost any occasion with.</p>
<p>Cheers,<br />
Jeanine</p>zhoen commented on '“The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differently'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200d834d2030653ef2006-12-26T21:39:02Z2007-08-20T05:19:53Zzhoenhttp://onewordisenough.blogspot.com/It's the magic of Jesus' name invoked that saves souls. Presumably to be eaten later. When christian teachings join with...<p>It's the magic of Jesus' name invoked that saves souls. Presumably to be eaten later. </p>
<p>When christian teachings join with taoism, buddhism, islam, jainist, hindu, and all the other worlds words of wisdom, we must still use our own minds and hearts to filter the true from the false, the metaphor from the fact, the workable from the obsolete. When we do not, and thereby unbalance the world and harm other living creatures, we do nothing short of evil. </p>Brian commented on '“The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differently'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200d83507545469e22006-12-26T18:28:29Z2007-08-20T07:27:48ZBrianhttp://hinessight.blogs.com/Jordan, I appreciate what you're saying. To me "churchless" is more an open, receptive, non-dogmatic state of mind than a...<p>Jordan, I appreciate what you're saying. To me "churchless" is more an open, receptive, non-dogmatic state of mind than a staying away from a physical building or congregation of spiritual seekers.</p>
<p>Yesterday I found myself tuned to Fox News watching Christian pastor Rick Warren (of "purpose driven life" fame) conducting a service at his mega-church.</p>
<p>I rather liked it. My wife said, "What are you doing watching that?" Well, the music and singing was pretty impressive. And if I ignored the "Jesus saves" message, the rest of what Warren was saying about helping the poor, and such, I agreed with.</p>
<p>We do need some ritual in our lives. Most of us, anyway. Or at least coming together with other people and sharing a sense of wonder and "good god, what's it all about?"</p>david stobbs commented on '“The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differently'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200d834d1f71653ef2006-12-26T17:20:01Z2007-08-20T05:16:55Zdavid stobbsHi Brian, read this book a couple of years ago and it had a huge impact on my life. I...<p>Hi Brian, read this book a couple of years ago and it had a huge impact on my life. I felt liberated from having been lied to all my life. Unlike Harpur though Christmas and Easter are not more meaningful for me except as celbrations in a more pantheistic sense. David</p>Jordan Stratford+ commented on '“The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differently'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200d834d1f34c53ef2006-12-26T15:45:02Z2007-08-20T05:14:48ZJordan Stratford+http://egina2.blogspot.comYes, it’s time to grow up and become churchless. You cannot, in my opinion, make the leap from acknowledging the...<p>Yes, it’s time to grow up and become churchless.</p>
<p>You cannot, in my opinion, make the leap from acknowledging the moving power of deep archetypal myth to "becoming churchless". Churches are not factories for teaching false histories; they are communities of Seekers exploring and celebrating these myths and their impact on their lives. </p>
<p>Just because these myths are not literally true does not mean we become churchless. The classical pagan myths were not taken to be literally true, and yet the cycles of the liturgical year, state temples and intimate household shrines held civilization together.</p>
<p>Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.</p>The Rambling Taoist commented on '“The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differently'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200d8350746e969e22006-12-26T10:48:39Z2007-08-20T05:10:08ZThe Rambling Taoisthttp://ramblingtaoist.blogspot.comAh, but Lao Tzu (yet another most likely fictitious person)advises us to be LIKE children as we encounter life. It's...<p>Ah, but Lao Tzu (yet another most likely fictitious person)advises us to be LIKE children as we encounter life. It's the child-like things that make us most human. Besides, what does St. Paul [McCartney] know anyway? ;-)</p>Willy commented on '“The Pagan Christ” looks at Christmas differently'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451c0aa69e200d834d1ea7053ef2006-12-26T10:21:50Z2007-08-20T07:19:23ZWillyhttp://freewilly.zaadz.comYes, How we picture Christ, real or mythological, has no importance. More important is read the Gospel, meditate on it,...<p>Yes, How we picture Christ, real or mythological, has no importance. More important is read the Gospel, meditate on it, get good stuff and follow Jesus Christ example. <br />
I believe that Jesus Christ is the better pattern for me even though I don't believe that Jesus Christ was actually existed. It don't change Gospel teaching value.<br />
But not only Gospel has teaching value for me, any thing I meet on my way such as "Church of the churchless" ;)<br />
Bye bye and Season's Greetings.</p>