|
Navigation
The Rational Response Squad is a group of atheist activists who impact society by changing the way we view god belief. This site is a haven for those who are pushing back against the norm, and a place for believers of gods to have their beliefs exposed as false should they want to try their hand at confronting us. Buy any item on AMAZON, and we'll use the small commission to help improve critical thinking. Buy a Laptop -- Apple
|
Books on writings of Paul?
Posted on: November 19, 2008 - 3:31am
  Offline
Books on writings of Paul?
It is my understanding that when Paul originally wrote about Jesus, it wasn't about a historical figure, but a symbolic spirtual one.
Are there any (good..) books about Paul's writing as to what Paul was trying to say with the symbolic character?
|
|
Copyright Rational Response Squad 2006-2024.
|
Don't have any book recommendations, but I think I can give you the gist of what he meant, from my own POV.
He meant that IF you believe that Jesus exists, in your imagination, and that he died for you (i.e. made the ultimate sacrifice for you), you would get this awesome 'spiritual' high, which in my view is just intense gratitude and thankfulness.
In my view it would be the same feeling you'd get if you were about to be hit by a car, and you were frozen in fear, and then someone leapt in at the last moment, pushed you out of the way, but got hit himself. Then he lied there on the ground dying.
You'd look at him, go "Holy smokes, that was the most selfless thing I've ever experienced!", feel a great wave of gratitude, and even some sorrow/compassion/*love* over his imminent death. If in that moment, the person asked you to do one thing for him after he died, who could really say no? "Come on! He frickin died for you! Can't you just do that one little thing he requested? Don't you love him for what he did?"
It's the idea that 'you just have to believe it's really true' that encapsulate's Paul's basic message about Jesus. Once you believe it, you get this high, and you become 'born again', which means that you stop worrying so much about the problems of this life and just live in 'heaven' (i.e. spiritual high).
Of course, if you take it all literally, it makes zero sense. But as a recipe for a 'spiritual' experience, it is undeniably powerful. It's the classic hero motif on steroids. Paul's trick is to get you to actually believe it on faith, rather than just imagine it as if it were a typical hero story.
Wonderist on Facebook — Support the idea of wonderism by 'liking' the Wonderism page — or join the open Wonderism group to take part in the discussion!
Gnu Atheism Facebook group — All gnu-friendly RRS members welcome (including Luminon!) — Try something gnu!
There is a thread HERE
and HERE
and then there is THIS
The last one might not be your flavor, but there is a wealth of resources there.
Atheist Books, purchases on Amazon support the Rational Response Squad server, which houses Celebrity Atheists.
Neither of those are on the the original writings of Paul
What original writings do you want? Did you want someone who claims to be doing research on documents that are proven to be written in Paul's hand?
I'm only being partially facetious here. I'm still working under a sleep deficit.
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Several books I read in the past on paul were:
The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks see Amazon Here.
The Mythmaker by Hyam Maccoby See Amazon here.
I've read others but those are the only 2 still on my bookshelf, don't know where I put the others or who I loaned them to most likely.
Rook also has written some material that already has been suggested.
Hope it helps.
____________________________________________________________
"I guess it's time to ask if you live under high voltage power transmission lines which have been shown to cause stimulation of the fantasy centers of the brain due to electromagnetic waves?" - Me
"God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, - it says so right here on the label. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these divine attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. No checks please. Cash and in small bills." - Robert A Heinlein.
Thanks, I'll look into those.
OHHHHHH! You'll look into those, but you won't look into the books that Rook has listed that have been part of his LIFE for years or the ones that todangst lists as reference material.
The threads I directed you to have pretty extensive bibliographies. Granted, they don't list canadian pop-up books that incorporate physics metaphors into claims for and against the alleged historicity of the bible.
I see how that works.
Have a nice day. Hope it comes a blizzard.
Atheist Books, purchases on Amazon support the Rational Response Squad server, which houses Celebrity Atheists.
"If you can make any religion of the world look ridiculous, chances are you haven't understood it"-Ravi Zacharias
Or you could take him at his word. He wasn't a postmodern writing for the literary critics. He wrote frankly to evangelise, and did an excellent job of it. Europe, Russia, much of Africa, and ancient Christian ethnic groups throughout the Middle East evince this.
Just because you disbelieve that the "historical figure" did those things attributed to the "symbolic spiritual one" does not mean that the "slave of Christ" Paul made such a distinction.
I take it as given that you disagreed with my post; do come quickly to the point.