Could there be Christianity Without the Myth of Resurrection


Over and over preachers, priests and pundits emphasize it is critical to Christianity that the resurrection of Jesus be considered a true historically accurate event. The problem is the story gets so complicated people doze off. And, it is very self serving. If I were to explain Christianity to a person who had never heard of it the tale would have to be something like this (apologies if I do not get the story exactly correct):

The Bible was written by God. God said there are behaviors, even thoughts, that are something called "sin." Humans all commit sin so it cannot be avoided. But, there is a monopoly, one firm only, which can wipe sin off your record of life. The firm is called Christianity. If you commit to buying from this firm, and this firm only, it will take care of sin. If you do not get this sin wiped off your record there is an imaginary place called hell where you will spend your years after death. The firm offers a better imaginary place for your after death years called heaven. The reason the Christian firm can offer you this choice is because there is a story of someone 2,000 years ago that, people said later, had a life after death. 

For some reason, those who came up with the marketing program for Christianity thought the life after death offer was a deal people could not refuse. One has to admit for most of the past 2,000 years it has been quite successful. Most of those marketing the faith today still believe the resurrection is a deal maker, not a deal breaker. For myself, I don't see why it is necessary to keep the resurrection in the story.

The liberal wing of Christianity plays up the "good" characteristics attributed to Jesus. They like to repeat the kind of stories about turning the other cheek and not condemning the prostitute. He saw virtue in the poor the lampooned the rich just as liberals like to do today. While the stories I have read about Jesus make him seem like kind of a cranky personality ignoring that aspect of him leaves an attractive persona that can, and is, used to market the faith. If this approach were adopted by the entire faith, some of the la la land that is hard for a rational person to believe would be set aside.

It seems to me there could be Christianity without a resurrection story.


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