Where Did Jesus Come From


Periodically, someone comes up with new insight as to where the Bible stories came from. I'm reading How to Be by Adam Nicolson. He traveled the Mideast and looked at every ancient piece of writing he could find as well as drawings, inscriptions, coins, etc.

Around 600 BCE Greeks and their trade flourished along the "seas" of the time. This trade put people from various areas, languages and religions in direct contact with each other. It was like logging on the the internet. Around this time, Greek intellectuals began to change ideas from, "I am a servant to my gods and kings. I must keep my head down and keep working at my dreary occupation " to "I, myself, am important to the world."

Greeks had slaves and accumulated wealth. They developed mathematics which appear magical and other worldly. Along came a personality that mesmerized the lay people, Pythagoras. He was so persuasive he began to be seen by many as both human and divine. Included in his schtick was disappearing to fast and visit the underworld, encountered the devil coming out injured and in despair. 

He began to preach humans had a soul that lived on after death. This life after death was wonderful news, "Wow, I don't have to die."

Pythagoras was eventually replaced. He, or one of the many others probably preaching crazy ideas over the next 500 years, kept the soul and life after death in play. That whacko notion lives on today because of the printing press.

If you want children to believe in this ancient stuff, take away all computers and phones from young people. They are the new Greeks.


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