haha.. today was a productive day! studied from 9.30am to 1pm, then from 2pm to 4.30pm.. ok i guess.. 6 hours.. finally finished hydrology! well.. I enjoyed yesterday better though.. I read a book called "The Templar Legacy" by Steve Berry. I love those kind of books!
This book was about the controversies in the bible in the New Testament. The arguments and debates are the same as those the academics are making and I find it really interesting! In the books, apparently, the Knights are guarding Jesus's bones, that shows that he was not resurrected. Obviously this is fictional, but there are possibilities that it could be true! I'll put some quotations to illustrate what I mean =)
There are 4 different books in the New Testament, and apparently, the accounts of Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection all differ slightly, thus, makes it so questionable. The discovery of the Gnostic Gospels also seem to support the theory held by the book.
In everything we consider, there's always the language dilemma. "The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The New was penned in Greek, and any source materials, if they even existed, would have been in Aramaic. Then there's the issue of the sources themselves." Once something is open to interpretation or translation, it more or less immediately looses its objectivity.
In the accounts of the resurrection, "Each Gospel has a different version of who went to the tomb, what was found there - even the days of the week are unclear. And as to Jesus's appearance after the resurrection - none of the accounts agree on any point." It also states that "Whenever a problem exists with biblical texts, the solution is easy. It's faith."
I loved reading this book because I myself have read about these controversies and thought about stuff like that. In the book, the 'truth' is revealed through Simon Peter's testament(which in reality does not exist, but I think reflects the author's thoughts and opinions on this matter), and I honestly have to say I seem to believe that account of it. I always wondered whether the man Jesus was actually a normal man, that was an enlightened being, but not one that could do miracles, but give people the strength to cure themselves, and give them the strength to renew themselves. I wonder whether these instances were elevated to become miracles, for religious purposes. One thing suggested was that the resurrection was actually actually a spiritual, not religious one.
I do believe a God exists, and I do believe in religion, but not in any one general particular one, but I appreciate the whole idea of religion as a guide to living a good life, a proper one. And from all that I know of religion, every religion seems to do that one thing, give people strength to carry on, give people a suggestion of what the best way to live life is, how to be a good person, and tries to explain what reality and self is. They all seem to do it in different ways, but to me, they're all different routes to the same goal! =D I know religion comforts me and calms me down though, and thus I am not a skeptic! I watched a documentary, and the academics who specialize in these Christian controversies, are all believers of Christ, but say that questioning of the Truth is what makes it challenging.
hehe.. just a little something I wanted to share, hope it's not too wth-ing. I think controversies, especially religious ones are really interesting!! I wanna read another book.. But I need to study =( boo.. ok.. gotta go and study again soon.. and I need to exercise!! eating too much. lol.. bye!!*
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