Who Was Jesus?

by Barry Artiste | December 22, 2007 at 08:23 am

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Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Everyone has a different viewpoint, Israels Temple Mount for example places Mohamhed, King David and Solomon, Abraham, and Jesus there in history. The Temple Mount a Holy Site sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians alike. Strange these three major religions gravitate to the same place. Is our Bible so similar to the Koran, Torah, Bible that perhaps Jesus knew everyone in his time or vice versa. If this is true, then why all the Holy wars if all were disciples, followers,brothers in common with common beliefs? Are they all under one God? Are our religious beliefs so eerily similar in writings and teachings?

If so, then the middle east conflcts should cease, if not, then what is the mystery behind the Temple Mount, as a revered place for Aggada (Jews), Haram (Muslims), Jesus (prayed there and pissed off the moneychangers on this location) (Christian).

This is and has been a place of worship for all three major religions who hold this place sacred. But worship different dieties. One would think there would be something to this to resolve who is not just Jesus, but Mohamed and Moses. I believe they all worshipped a single God. If so, they what's the problem?

Misinterpretation of the Holy Books which were written and misinterpreted by Man, that is the Problem.

My Final Thought

Get the Pope, Head Imam, Head Rabbi all in a room with their respective Holy Books, all agree to interpret amongst each others holy books "verbatim" in what they read from the word of God, doscarding anything written by Kings, apostles or hearsay. No one else in allowed in the room, work out a compromise, take the religious writings at face value, and discard the gobblygook which is open to misinterpretation. Just write on the facts and teachings.

It is a given all three men know intimately each others Holy book in great detail. With the bottom line that Religious teachings by their Gods initially preached love, wisdom and benevolence. All the other war and burn in hell crap was written by ancient and modern bizzaro zealots who took lots of artistic licence in God's teachings.

Then all three Holy men get their best scribes to draft new Holy books for all three religions in which all three Holy men agree to each other's teachings verbatim, no exceptions, with the caveat that the holy books should be updated to modern times and values, just as they were millenia ago.

Until they agree, these three religious wise men cannot leave the room ever.

Once agreed, the revised (To Modern Times) Holy Books are completed, they are handed out to those who want it. The front page should have a Disclaimer titled "Do not interpret this in "any way, shape or form" it clearly states what is expected of you. If you are too stupid to follow these simple rules, perhaps you should join another lesser religion, Scientology, Care Bears, Raelian Movement etc... Any contravention by misinterpretation of the rules in this book by anyone, punishment will be meted out by God on Judgement day, not by any mortal being. Get it, Got it, Good.

Maybe it is just me, but Buddism is starting to look better day after day.

Who Was Jesus?

Leaders representing four distinct religious traditions confront differences over the meaning of Jesus' life

Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun

Published: Saturday, December 22, 2007

Many Jews think of him as an ancient Jewish teacher named Yeshua.

Muslims look up to him as Isa, one of the five major prophets, or messengers, of God.

And Christians revere him as Jesus, the Christ, the ultimate manifestation of God on Earth; for many the actual only son of the Supreme Being.

A section of stained glass showing the ascension of Jesus at Vancouver's St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church.View Larger Image View Larger Image

A section of stained glass showing the ascension of Jesus at Vancouver's St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church.

As Christmas approaches, The Vancouver Sun sought to explore the various meanings that a noted Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and Jew see in Jesus of Nazareth, arguably the most famous figure in history, undoubtedly in the West.

The four religious leaders and scholars met this week at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church. They gathered around a table in a small salon in the grand, neo-Gothic, stained-glass-filled church at Burrard and Nelson.

They began a tad nervously.

Interfaith dialogue doesn't happen often in Vancouver and these accomplished specialists in their traditions were brave enough to honestly confront differences over the meaning of Jesus' life and death at a sensitive time of year: Christmas, when Christians celebrate Jesus' birth and most others go shopping.

During their exchange it soon became clear that Muslims hold Jesus, or Isa (his name in Arabic) in what many may consider surprisingly high esteem.

Though global politics and war make it seem Christianity and Islam are hopelessly in conflict, Muslims are captivated by the life of Jesus -- and even place more emphasis on his mother, Mary, than most Protestants.

University of B.C. Muslim academic Seemi Ghazi graphically illustrated how Muslims embrace their own version of Mary's virginal conception of Jesus and her birth labour -- and have a unique understanding of the Christian crucifixion story.

While Jews definitely do not see Yeshua, the original Aramaic name for Jesus, as their saviour, some see him as a Jewish sage, or rabbi, whose followers mistakenly came to believe he was divine.

As Vancouver scholar and rabbi Robert Daum made clear as he wished Christians a "very happy Christmas and a meaningful one," many Jews try to respect Christian convictions.

The dialogue did not take long to illustrate how questions about the meaning of the birth and death of Jesus bring out deep contrasts within various streams of Christianity.

Roman Catholic Coadjutant Archbishop Michael Miller of Vancouver and Protestant Gary Paterson, minister at St. Andrew's-Wesley United, differed on whether to accept Jesus' virgin birth and resurrection as literal facts or profound metaphors.

THE CONCEPTION

Miller started the discussion with an impassioned explanation of the "truly spectacular" divine conception and ensuing birth of Jesus at Christmas.

"The fact Jesus is God who has become man is startling," said Miller, who worked in the highest echelons of the Vatican before Pope Benedict XVI assigned him to the Vancouver archdiocese in September.

The more than 700,000 Catholics who live in B.C. are taught to take the virginal conception of Mary "at face value, as literally true," affirmed the long-time educator who is serving as an auxiliary Vancouver archbishop with Archbishop Raymond Roussin.