FINAL
Explain in depth what Gnosticism is. Why do you think that it failed and that Christianity succeeded?
There are many different types of Gnosticism. They can be categorized in sects that are named for their founder, a place, a symbol or a group of people. The four main schools named for a particular founder are Marcion, Basilides, Valentinus, and Mani.
The main philosophical idea of Gnosticism is the pursuit of gnosis. This word literally means knowledge. But in the religious world it is specific to spiritual knowledge. Knowledge of the Divine that cannot be found in scripture is the highest form of gnosis and falls under two forms: knowledge of God and knowledge of spiritual techniques.
Gnostics believed in two Gods. The Infinite God that is unchanging and immeasurable, and the God that Jesus believed in. This second God, the creator God, called Demiurge, was seen as a demonic being. An evil being that wanted humans to remain in the created world with their material things, instead of transcend into the spiritual world.
Therefore, Gnostics completely separate the physical world with their internal, spiritual world. To forget your inner self is the “original sin”. Gnosticism has been compared to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, to name a few. It seems to me that anything that can take focus off of your inner self, even marriage and procreation, can be looked upon as evil things.
Marcionites believe that nature is evil and abstain from marriage. Some are strict vegetarians. Libertines might partake in sexual cultic rituals then enjoy a feast of meat and wine and end the evening with an orgy. They also refuse to give birth to children. The Valentinians are allowed to marry and procreate using worldly items in moderation. There are many different opposing Gnostic views but all share the same belief in a God that transcends the creator God.
Gnostic tradition seems to borrow a lot from Sant tradition. It focuses on turning yourself inward and reaching the Divine through quieting your mind and enlightening your soul. A true Sant loses their identity. This person embodies the Divine. To be enlightened is to awake from ignorance and that is the way to salvation. Gnostic tradition finds the creator god to be evil and responsible for the reason that humans are so wrapped up in material things. Hence taking focus off of the self and steering us away from enlightenment. According the Gnostics there are two ways to salvation. They are 1) “the ‘elect’ alone will be saved” 2) “all souls eventually will return to the ‘Realm of Light.’” Me Gnostic Valentinus states that there are three types of people; material, animal and spiritual. The “saved by nature” idea reinstates that eventually we will all return to God and that there are not a select few who are doomed from the start.
Basilides supports reincarnation and this is a direct similarity to Eastern religions. He thinks that the suffering we experience in this life is punishment for bad behavior in a previous life. This is shared with Buddhism, Hinduism and the Sant tradition; that the soul is on a journey to the ultimate goal and if that goal is not obtained in a single lifetime, the person will return back to earth until they essentially get it right.
Gnostics seems to share some of the same traditions with Eastern religions but with different motives. While Eastern religions abstain from eating meat due to a vow of non-violence, Gnostics abstain from worldly things, such as meat, because they see it is a distraction from the self. Gnostics added their own interpretations to the Old Testament as a way of fitting in to the Christian community. So while Gnosticism is considered a Western religion it still shares many traditions and values that could classify it as an Eastern religion.
While the Gnostics tried to become mainstream and accepted in the Roman world, they failed. At a time in the Roman Empire when people felt that there was something lacking from their current spiritual belief system, Christianity triumphed over Gnosticism and other mystery religions. The Roman world was corrupt and these new spiritual movements offered up to three appealing aspects; a strict ethical code, the myth of life after death, and the belief in a God who transcended this material world. While the other religions contained one or two of these aspects, Christianity offered up all three. Another reason Christianity was so appealing was its inclusiveness. Other mystery religions seemed elitist and their numbers began to dwindle, while Christianity seemed to hold no barriers to membership. The Christian community also found it useless to revolt against the system, because they believed that God would replace it with his Kingdom soon anyhow. This won the favor of the Roman leaders. Overall it seems that Christianity aimed at being a “people pleasing” religion, while Gnostics seemed to exclude people. This played an integral role in Christianity winning over the population and staying strong while Gnosticism was left with a small following to carry on its beliefs.
Crossan and the Historical Jesus
Crossan’s “research methodology” finds the historical Jesus in a place where three points meet. It is the intersection of cross-cultural anthropology, Greco-Roman and Jewish history in the first quarter of Jesus’ century, and literature. Cross-cultural anthropology poses questions about politics, family, class systems, the supernatural and the like. Jesus was described as a middle class man who could read and write, but if we cross-examine these statements, we find that ancient societies had no middle class and that peasants were mostly illiterate. It is also important to point out that the four New Testament gospels were not the only gospels recorded at this time. They were deliberately chosen, which means others were rejected. Crossan also argues that “Good News”, what gospel literally means, is misleading. The word “good” is a matter of opinion and news is already plural and need not be made plural a second time. This gives the false idea that the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are indeed THE good news; portraying them as authentically one hundred percent truth. He concludes that the gospels are merely different interpretations of what happened and cannot be relied on solely for a historical or biographical view of the life of Jesus. Crossan follows two strategies in his attempt to reconstruct the historical Jesus. He focuses on materials dated between 30 and 60 C.E. and builds on only multiple attestations. He concludes that no matter how many different historical Jesuses that there are, they all must be able to stand up to the contemporary means of historical methods. Crossan depicts the historical Jesus as the leader of a social, not political, revolution. Jesus presented the Kingdom of God as a social program designed to rebuild society. Its core was compassion and healing. He was depicted as a man who was adored and respected by many, during his lifetime and even after his death. Crossan describes the historical Jesus as a “peasant Jewish Cynic.” He and his followers were basically “hippies” amidst the Greco-Roman empire. He preached free healing and common eating; egalitarianism that was both religious and economical. This went against norms of the Jewish religion and Roman power, creating tension. Whether or not the resurrection is a historical fact, Crossan proves that the historical Jesus touched lives and his message/teachings were able to transcend his death. I do like the philosophy of the historical Jesus as Crossan presents it. I like how he points out the difference between fact and interpretation. He states that some stories, although they may not be 100 percent accurate, could be metaphors, making their message real and true.
Explain Nietzsche's understanding of Jesus as presented in your post-midterm reading packet. What does he admire about Jesus (see quotes 106-108)? Why is he so cross (no pun intended again) with the theology of Christianity itself (see quotes 110-115)? Explain in depth drawing from the appendix of the reading packet.
Nietzsche argues that Jesus didn’t create a new belief system, but a new way of living. He argues that Jesus was a symbolist who taught in helpful metaphors. He set an example on how one should live by adhering to his own teachings throughout his life. He comments that there has only ever been one true Christian, and that was Jesus. He says the Christians teachings tell us that we are here to reveal His glory and that we only exist because of Him, to serve Him. Nietzsche sees the man who thought this up, Paul, as being extremely vain. He believes that today’s Christians have nullified Christianity by merely labeling themselves and saying they follow a belief system. He says the problem is that they don’t DO, they just are, and are ok with just the name, not the action. He argues that the disciples may have misinterpreted Jesus’ death. He points out that maybe Jesus was only trying to test society and prove his teachings and that the disciples didn’t understand that. He sees the Christian answer to why God let Jesus die, as an absurd one. If Jesus had done away with guilt, then why would God have offered him up as a “guilt sacrifice”? He said killing an innocent man to wipe away the sins of guilty men is “atrocious paganism”. Nietzsche really seems to hate Paul. He states that Paul needed Jesus to die so that he could make up the story of the resurrection. He said without that story, then Jesus’ life, teachings and death, would all be meaningless, and Paul wanted to create a belief system out of it. I also got the gist that Nietzsche finds Christians to be extremely weak. All of the major Christian virtues (Submission to God, Forgiveness, etc.) he sees as the exact opposite of strength. I think he believes they are all mindless, brainwashed, idiots who believe anything they are told and fall into line with the masses. Simply put, Nietzsche hates Christians, because he doesn’t find anything respectable about them.
Outline the main argument in FALSE TESTAMENT and then offer "five or more" specific examples of why they call it "false testament."
In the essay, “False Testament” by Daniel Lazare, archaeological findings are used to challenge the historical accuracy of the Bible. Lazare states that at one time, in the recent past, archaeologists agreed that there was some truth to the Old Testament. But now, archaeological findings from the last quarter century are being used to prove the falsities and contradictions that were once said to be fact.
Where there once was a bond between religion and science, a gap is taking its place, thanks to a new generation of archaeologist who are examining and picking apart two “myths”: the origins of ancient Israel and the connection between the Bible and science.
Lazare states the early archaeologists were guilty of piecing together what they wanted to see and discover, because of preconceived ideas. In the 1950’s, science, religion and politics had a tight relationship and the term “Jewish archaeology” was born.
He also points out that these early recordings of history were of course going to fall short of our modern archaeological ways. This proving that dates and locations may have been jumbled throughout the years and even the people back then, recording the facts, may not have known exactly what was going on at exactly what time. But he also backtracks to say that even though numbers and dates may have been exaggerated certain facts still don’t match up. Lazare wraps up his argument by stating that as will all religions, their origins and beliefs are so complicated, that they are almost impossible to completely untangle.The Israelites are now thought to have been an indigenous culture that formed around 1200 B.C. west of the Jordan River, instead of a group of invaders who fought their way to the Holy Land. And now, the Davidic Empire is seen as a story made up by some priests who were just interested in creating a national history for their people. Also, take the 603, 550 Hebrew slaves that slipped past Egypt’s eastern borders, for example. Lazare comments that the number was most likely exaggerated, but a security breach of that caliber just doesn’t seem to make sense, seeing as how tight the borders were patrolled. Lazare goes on to dissect the Book of Numbers and the rulers David and Solomon, pointing out records lacking in the mention of any such names during the day of their rule. He also discusses a British archaeologist named Kathleen Kenyon who discovered that Joshua’s army could not have been the reason the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. She found Mycenaean pottery shards among the ruins that proved the event took place no later than 1300 B.C. That’s 70+ years before the conquest could have ever happened.
Utilizing Smith's material on Christianity, outline the history of Christianity, paying special attention to the differing schools of thought/branches within it. Compare and contrast the different schools of thought.
The Christian religion is said to be the most widespread and followed of the major world religions. Christianity studies the life of Jesus of Nazareth and is filled with spirituality. It is centered around God but includes angels and other spiritual beings. Jews conceived that spiritual order was not just an image of God residing over the earth but that the Spirit was actually something that you could find and come to know. Jesus claimed that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him and began his ministry. Yahweh speaks through prophets to send His message but humans can also speak to Yahweh. Seekers of this sort would often fast and embrace solitude as means to connect with the Spirit. In the Bible there are many different people who had the power of the Spirit. These people could heal the sick and cast out demons. The Jews concluded that the Spirit had supremacy over nature. The main purpose of Jesus on Earth was to not merely heal people but to heal humanity for eternity.
Jesus stressed God’s compassion with the Pharisees stressed His holiness. While Jesus agreed with the Pharisees, he did not like the division it created among the people. The holiness code structured a divided community and Jesus challenged its compassion. This caught the attention of the Roman authorities and he was arrested and executed on the charges of treason.
Jesus’ disciples give us accounts, throughout the Bible, of His activity. Peter tells us that basically Jesus went around doing good, as simple as that. Jesus taught through story telling. He taught simple life lessons, about love and good and evil. Jesus told of a God who loved people. His teachings were opposite of the expectancies of the world. The world values riches, while Jesus said that it is very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The extraordinary thing about Jesus was that he practiced what he preached. His life was told to be one of great humility and love. He wanted people to see God in him. The early church suggested that looking at Jesus was like looking at God in human form.
After the crucifixion, some of Jesus’ close friends claimed that he was resurrected. He now appeared to them in a different form. A group of twelve or so had the tongues of fire placed upon them. They traveled throughout the Greco-Roman world, preaching the “Good News”. Christians chose a fish as their logo because the first letters in the Greek words for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”, spell out fish, in Greek. It was scratched on walls with its head pointing in the direction of secret underground meetings.
These early spreaders of the Word displayed two of Jesus’ teachings; love and joy. They claimed that everybody was equal in the eyes of God and their lives portrayed that. The first Christians experienced God’s love through Jesus, directly. This was a different kind of love; a love that embraced sinners, the poor, the weak, the sick, and the enemy.
There are three major branches of Christianity. They are Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. In 1054 this single institution divided into the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. In the 16th century, Protestantism branched off. Christianity was the major religion of the Roman Empire.
The Roman Catholic Church is a teaching authority. They believed that God came to earth through Jesus Christ to teach people how to live as to inherit the Kingdom of God. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope. The pope is not viewed as infallible. The only areas he may not falter in are faith and morals. The Catholic Church is also seen as a Sacramental Agent. There are seven sacraments; Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, Sacrament of the Sick, Reconciliation and Mass.
The Eastern Orthodox Church shares a lot with the Roman Catholic Church. They honor the same sacraments as are looked upon as a teaching authority. Eastern Orthodoxy sees fewer issues that call for unanimity than the Roman Catholics. Purgatory, the Immaculate Conception, etc. are looked upon as “developments” by the Roman Catholics, while Eastern Orthodox view them as “additions”. Unlike the Catholic Church, the Eastern Church does not have a Pope. They believe that councils serve the purpose of delivering God’s truth. The Eastern Church is said to be the Church that takes the notion of all the Christian churches being members of each other, most seriously. Priests of Eastern Orthodox churches do not need to remain celibate, unlike the leaders of the Roman Catholic churches. Roman Catholics believe that every human holds the Trinity in their soul and may receive supernatural graces, but have no right to mystical states here on earth. The Eastern Church encourages its members to explore the mystical life.
A new concept in Christianity, Justification by Faith and the Protestant Principle, caused Protestantism to break from Roman Catholicism in the 16th century. They believe in a movement of the mind, heart and will. They believe that no number of good deeds can help you enter the Kingdom of Heaven and warns highly against idolatry. They feel that all of these things (rituals, confession, traditions, etc.) that the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Church make mandatory, are merely “mouthings” and don’t mean anything unless they really reach your heart and change the way you feel. Protestants have freed themselves from the doctrines and institutions, things of which Roman Catholics and the Eastern Church have based their belief systems on.
Utilizing Smith's material in chapter seven discuss the Jewish quest for "meaning." What does Smith means by this and give numerous examples/"details"/specifics from the text to illustrate it.
The Jewish quest was one of understanding. They wanted to find meaning in the Supreme Being by understanding the concept of the Other. Two reasons for this are that no human is self-created and everyone has limited power. The Hebrew search for meaning refuses to give in to any idea that the Other is prosaic, chaotic, amoral or hostile. The Other is looked as like more of a person than an idea or thing. The Jews believe in one God, Yahweh.
First and foremost, Jews admit that the human self is limited and that self-image is crucial to the search for meaning. The key ingredients that make us human, according to Jewish thought, are human frailty, grandeur, sin, freedom and divine love. Jews also find that history is important to understanding human meaning. They feel this way for three significant reasons. One, that the way you live your life affects life in every possible way for that person and for people in the future. Two, if what takes place is important enough, it creates social action and forcing the community, and even the world, to work together. Third, nothing that happens is an accident and history is looked upon as a field of opportunity. There are Hebrew beliefs and accounts of God’s interventions during crucial historical points in time and that he has ordained a chosen people.
Another key in the search for meaning is that of morality. There are 613 commandments contained in Rabbinic law. There are four danger zones in human behavior derived from the Ten Commandments. They are force, wealth, sex and speech. Jews also search for meaning through justice. This is where Prophets come into play. The prophets wrote down the disapproval of Yahweh towards injustices and the Jews adhere to these writings. Exploitation, corruption and mediocrity are among the injustices that will not be put up with. The Jews also believe that there is meaning in suffering. In sixth century Babylonia a prophet sought to gain meaning from the defeat of Israel. He found that suffering and exile only showed his people how lightly they had taken their freedom when they had it. It was at this point they realized Yahweh was instilling in them a passion for freedom and justice. Their search for meaning came to a climax during the time of Messianism. This was the hope for a returning Messiah that would instill universal harmony. Other religions have borrowed from this idea, all forming the idea that a great day was in store for that certain religion’s followers.
The Jewish faith has many ceremonies and rituals. The role the rituals play in Judaism is to create a hallow life. Eating, marriage, children and nature are all things that should be made hallow before the Lord. If this is not done, it is compared to robbing God of what is rightfully his. Jews maintain a sense of the sacred by adhering to tradition. Holiness and history go hand in hand.
What Smith means by the Jewish search for meaning is ultimately a search for how to live their lives. Their “meaning” is a loyalty to God. They have laid a strict path out for themselves to follow that includes traditions, history, and submission .What they believe are the key essentials in their quest.
Detail the life and teachings of Muhammad according to Smith. Basically, give an outline of Islam as "he presents it."
Muslims believe that Muhammad is a prophet who gave life to Islam. Muhammad was born in 570 A.D. into the Koreish. He was described as sweet, gentle, and sensitive to human suffering. Muhammad sought solitude by frequently visiting a cave a top a mountain and reached out for God. He was convinced that Allah, worshipped by Meccans, wasn’t just a God or the greatest of Gods, but the he was the One and Only God. Around 610A.D. an angel came to Muhammad in his cave and declared him the proclaimer. It was at this point that Muhammad gave his life over to God. He said he was not commanded to perform miracles, but merely to open eyes to the wonders of God. His message was met with violent hostility. The Meccan leaders disapproved of Muhammad and wanted nothing to do with him. But Muhammad’s teachings managed to surpass Mecca and spread up north where they took hold, in the city of Yathrib. Muhammad migrated there to lead the people (the city’s name was later changed to Medina). The last ten years of his life he spent as a Medinese commoner. Muhammad wanted a whole Arabia and died with most of it under his control.
Muhammad claimed that the only miracle God ever worked through him was the writing of the Koran. He called it God’s “standing miracle”. The Koran’s teachings came to Muhammad over the course of twenty-three years from the voice of Gabriel. The Koran is said to be a culmination of God’s revelations to the Jews and Christians, forgive two “defects” that have been removed. The purpose of the Koran, or the Muslim Bible, is to “proclaim the unity, omnipotence, omniscience and mercy of God.” It also contains collections of maxims for private meditation.
The basic theology of Islam is the same as Judaism and Christianity, save a few major exceptions. There are four main subjects of focus that they share. They are: God, Creation, the Human Self and the Day of Judgment. The center of the Islamic religion is God. It accepts Jesus as a prophet and agree with his virgin birth but deny the doctrine of the Trinity. They argue that their fear of the Lord, when dealt with correctly, causes lesser fears to vanish. Note that Allah’s compassion is noted 192 times in the Koran, deliberately to show that his compassion outweighs his wrath. The Koran also presents us with the idea of Creation. Allah purposely created the Universe and the human self. There are two obligations we have to the Creator in return for our gift of life. They are gratitude and surrender. To be a “slave to Allah is to be freed from other, degrading forms of slavery - to greed, say, or anxiety, or ambition.” The Day of Judgment is the day that all souls will return to Heaven or Hell. Muslims believe that you will be held accountable for your actions on Earth and how well you obeyed God’s commands. The Koran favors deeds more so than ideas. Islam teaches people “to walk the straight path.” It proposed a simple, straightforward, direct way to live your life. When life gets complicated the Koran provides the guidelines in how to manage your life.
The Five Pillars of Islam are instructions on how Muslims should deal with God. The first pillar is, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet.” When a Muslim faces a crisis, or is feeling overwhelmed, this creed will be recited. A Muslim must say this at least one time in his life, slow, out loud and heart felt.
Canonical prayer is the second pillar. Muslims pray to express gratitude for life and for perspective. The Koran notes Allah as saying that a Muslim should pray fifty times a day, while Muhammad reduced that number to five. Those times where fixed at waking up, at noon, mid afternoon, sunset, and before going to sleep. Muslims are encouraged to pray in the mosques and on Friday afternoons. The Koran instructs them to pray in the direction of Mecca.
Charity is the third Islamic pillar. The basic idea that those who have more than they need should share with those who are in need. The Observance of Ramadan is the fourth pillar. On the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is the Holy Month. This is the month that Muhammad migrated from Mecca. Muslims fast from food, drink and sex during this time. The fifth pillar is pilgrimage. Every Muslim who is able, must make a journey to Mecca. The purpose of this pilgrimage is to express his commitment to God. Upon their arrival, they exchange their clothes for rags and begin educating themselves about the world so they can return home with new knowledge. They are also told to no gamble, steal, lie, eat pork, drink alcohol or be sexually promiscuous.
There are four areas of Islamic life that deserve a bit more attention than others. Islam’s economic system is a free flowing system. Profit is not one of their main goals. Islam permits maintaining multiple wives, creating upheaval that Islam degrades women. Racial equality is stressed in the Islamic religion. Intermarriages are not looked down upon. Present day Muslims argue that they are not a militant religion, despite their history.After Muhammads death their was a quarrel between two groups of who would carry on the true teachings of Muhammad. From this religious split, came about the Sunnis, Shi’ites and the Sufis. The Sufis protested worldliness by wearing coarse woolen garments and held tight to the spiritual teachings of the Koran. Muslims believed there were three ways to learn of God’s fire. They are to hear of it, to see it, or to be burned by it. The Sufis chose the last option. They have three paths that we will call the “mysticisms of love, of ecstasy, and of intuitive discernment.” Sufis use a lot of symbols and repeat the name of God (which we saw a lot of when studying Eastern Religions). The Sufis are a derivative of a Western religion but seem to have a lot of Eastern values, especially that of mysticism. Islam is pretty much a textbook Western religion save the Sufis.
Compare and contrast Islam with Judaism and with Christianity. How is it similar to Judaism and how is it different? How is it similar to Christianity and how is it different?
Above all, the most important characteristic that these religions share, is that they are monotheistic. While they all share the belief in one God, the true God and the same God, they all call him a different name. The Christians calls him God. While the Jews call him Yahweh and the Muslims, Allah. According to the readings, Islam and Christianity both broke off into three major branches. In Islam, we have Sunni, Shi’ite and Sufi. In Christianity we have Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant. Christianity and Islam are derived from Judaism. Islam and Judaism both look at their religion as a sort of quest, or search. While Christianity seems to have already discovered the ultimate knowledge and how to attain it, and their purpose is to live according to their teachings. When it comes to the Messiah, or messenger of God, all three believe different things. Judaism, while they accept Jesus as being as a historical figure, does not claim him to be the Son of God. Christians on the other hand believe that the prophecy of God sending a messenger was fulfilled when Jesus came to earth and are now waiting for his second coming. Islam believes that Jesus was a prophet, but that Muhammad was the last prophet and follows his teachings. They reject the idea of the Trinity, while Christianity holds tightly to it. All three have their own holy book. Islam has the Koran, which is a recording of teachings that Gabriel spoke to Muhammad over 23 years. Judaism has the Torah. Which is a recording of Yahweh’s disclosure to the Jews. And the Christians have the Bible. Which is basically the extended version of the Torah, that includes gospel accounts and prophecies. It seems to me that Islam and Christianity suggest reading their Book more than Jews stress reading the Torah. None of these religions worship idols. They all stress prayer and complete submission to God.
There are many different types of Gnosticism. They can be categorized in sects that are named for their founder, a place, a symbol or a group of people. The four main schools named for a particular founder are Marcion, Basilides, Valentinus, and Mani.
The main philosophical idea of Gnosticism is the pursuit of gnosis. This word literally means knowledge. But in the religious world it is specific to spiritual knowledge. Knowledge of the Divine that cannot be found in scripture is the highest form of gnosis and falls under two forms: knowledge of God and knowledge of spiritual techniques.
Gnostics believed in two Gods. The Infinite God that is unchanging and immeasurable, and the God that Jesus believed in. This second God, the creator God, called Demiurge, was seen as a demonic being. An evil being that wanted humans to remain in the created world with their material things, instead of transcend into the spiritual world.
Therefore, Gnostics completely separate the physical world with their internal, spiritual world. To forget your inner self is the “original sin”. Gnosticism has been compared to Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, to name a few. It seems to me that anything that can take focus off of your inner self, even marriage and procreation, can be looked upon as evil things.
Marcionites believe that nature is evil and abstain from marriage. Some are strict vegetarians. Libertines might partake in sexual cultic rituals then enjoy a feast of meat and wine and end the evening with an orgy. They also refuse to give birth to children. The Valentinians are allowed to marry and procreate using worldly items in moderation. There are many different opposing Gnostic views but all share the same belief in a God that transcends the creator God.
Gnostic tradition seems to borrow a lot from Sant tradition. It focuses on turning yourself inward and reaching the Divine through quieting your mind and enlightening your soul. A true Sant loses their identity. This person embodies the Divine. To be enlightened is to awake from ignorance and that is the way to salvation. Gnostic tradition finds the creator god to be evil and responsible for the reason that humans are so wrapped up in material things. Hence taking focus off of the self and steering us away from enlightenment. According the Gnostics there are two ways to salvation. They are 1) “the ‘elect’ alone will be saved” 2) “all souls eventually will return to the ‘Realm of Light.’” Me Gnostic Valentinus states that there are three types of people; material, animal and spiritual. The “saved by nature” idea reinstates that eventually we will all return to God and that there are not a select few who are doomed from the start.
Basilides supports reincarnation and this is a direct similarity to Eastern religions. He thinks that the suffering we experience in this life is punishment for bad behavior in a previous life. This is shared with Buddhism, Hinduism and the Sant tradition; that the soul is on a journey to the ultimate goal and if that goal is not obtained in a single lifetime, the person will return back to earth until they essentially get it right.
Gnostics seems to share some of the same traditions with Eastern religions but with different motives. While Eastern religions abstain from eating meat due to a vow of non-violence, Gnostics abstain from worldly things, such as meat, because they see it is a distraction from the self. Gnostics added their own interpretations to the Old Testament as a way of fitting in to the Christian community. So while Gnosticism is considered a Western religion it still shares many traditions and values that could classify it as an Eastern religion.
While the Gnostics tried to become mainstream and accepted in the Roman world, they failed. At a time in the Roman Empire when people felt that there was something lacking from their current spiritual belief system, Christianity triumphed over Gnosticism and other mystery religions. The Roman world was corrupt and these new spiritual movements offered up to three appealing aspects; a strict ethical code, the myth of life after death, and the belief in a God who transcended this material world. While the other religions contained one or two of these aspects, Christianity offered up all three. Another reason Christianity was so appealing was its inclusiveness. Other mystery religions seemed elitist and their numbers began to dwindle, while Christianity seemed to hold no barriers to membership. The Christian community also found it useless to revolt against the system, because they believed that God would replace it with his Kingdom soon anyhow. This won the favor of the Roman leaders. Overall it seems that Christianity aimed at being a “people pleasing” religion, while Gnostics seemed to exclude people. This played an integral role in Christianity winning over the population and staying strong while Gnosticism was left with a small following to carry on its beliefs.
Crossan and the Historical Jesus
Crossan’s “research methodology” finds the historical Jesus in a place where three points meet. It is the intersection of cross-cultural anthropology, Greco-Roman and Jewish history in the first quarter of Jesus’ century, and literature. Cross-cultural anthropology poses questions about politics, family, class systems, the supernatural and the like. Jesus was described as a middle class man who could read and write, but if we cross-examine these statements, we find that ancient societies had no middle class and that peasants were mostly illiterate. It is also important to point out that the four New Testament gospels were not the only gospels recorded at this time. They were deliberately chosen, which means others were rejected. Crossan also argues that “Good News”, what gospel literally means, is misleading. The word “good” is a matter of opinion and news is already plural and need not be made plural a second time. This gives the false idea that the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are indeed THE good news; portraying them as authentically one hundred percent truth. He concludes that the gospels are merely different interpretations of what happened and cannot be relied on solely for a historical or biographical view of the life of Jesus. Crossan follows two strategies in his attempt to reconstruct the historical Jesus. He focuses on materials dated between 30 and 60 C.E. and builds on only multiple attestations. He concludes that no matter how many different historical Jesuses that there are, they all must be able to stand up to the contemporary means of historical methods. Crossan depicts the historical Jesus as the leader of a social, not political, revolution. Jesus presented the Kingdom of God as a social program designed to rebuild society. Its core was compassion and healing. He was depicted as a man who was adored and respected by many, during his lifetime and even after his death. Crossan describes the historical Jesus as a “peasant Jewish Cynic.” He and his followers were basically “hippies” amidst the Greco-Roman empire. He preached free healing and common eating; egalitarianism that was both religious and economical. This went against norms of the Jewish religion and Roman power, creating tension. Whether or not the resurrection is a historical fact, Crossan proves that the historical Jesus touched lives and his message/teachings were able to transcend his death. I do like the philosophy of the historical Jesus as Crossan presents it. I like how he points out the difference between fact and interpretation. He states that some stories, although they may not be 100 percent accurate, could be metaphors, making their message real and true.
Explain Nietzsche's understanding of Jesus as presented in your post-midterm reading packet. What does he admire about Jesus (see quotes 106-108)? Why is he so cross (no pun intended again) with the theology of Christianity itself (see quotes 110-115)? Explain in depth drawing from the appendix of the reading packet.
Nietzsche argues that Jesus didn’t create a new belief system, but a new way of living. He argues that Jesus was a symbolist who taught in helpful metaphors. He set an example on how one should live by adhering to his own teachings throughout his life. He comments that there has only ever been one true Christian, and that was Jesus. He says the Christians teachings tell us that we are here to reveal His glory and that we only exist because of Him, to serve Him. Nietzsche sees the man who thought this up, Paul, as being extremely vain. He believes that today’s Christians have nullified Christianity by merely labeling themselves and saying they follow a belief system. He says the problem is that they don’t DO, they just are, and are ok with just the name, not the action. He argues that the disciples may have misinterpreted Jesus’ death. He points out that maybe Jesus was only trying to test society and prove his teachings and that the disciples didn’t understand that. He sees the Christian answer to why God let Jesus die, as an absurd one. If Jesus had done away with guilt, then why would God have offered him up as a “guilt sacrifice”? He said killing an innocent man to wipe away the sins of guilty men is “atrocious paganism”. Nietzsche really seems to hate Paul. He states that Paul needed Jesus to die so that he could make up the story of the resurrection. He said without that story, then Jesus’ life, teachings and death, would all be meaningless, and Paul wanted to create a belief system out of it. I also got the gist that Nietzsche finds Christians to be extremely weak. All of the major Christian virtues (Submission to God, Forgiveness, etc.) he sees as the exact opposite of strength. I think he believes they are all mindless, brainwashed, idiots who believe anything they are told and fall into line with the masses. Simply put, Nietzsche hates Christians, because he doesn’t find anything respectable about them.
Outline the main argument in FALSE TESTAMENT and then offer "five or more" specific examples of why they call it "false testament."
In the essay, “False Testament” by Daniel Lazare, archaeological findings are used to challenge the historical accuracy of the Bible. Lazare states that at one time, in the recent past, archaeologists agreed that there was some truth to the Old Testament. But now, archaeological findings from the last quarter century are being used to prove the falsities and contradictions that were once said to be fact.
Where there once was a bond between religion and science, a gap is taking its place, thanks to a new generation of archaeologist who are examining and picking apart two “myths”: the origins of ancient Israel and the connection between the Bible and science.
Lazare states the early archaeologists were guilty of piecing together what they wanted to see and discover, because of preconceived ideas. In the 1950’s, science, religion and politics had a tight relationship and the term “Jewish archaeology” was born.
He also points out that these early recordings of history were of course going to fall short of our modern archaeological ways. This proving that dates and locations may have been jumbled throughout the years and even the people back then, recording the facts, may not have known exactly what was going on at exactly what time. But he also backtracks to say that even though numbers and dates may have been exaggerated certain facts still don’t match up. Lazare wraps up his argument by stating that as will all religions, their origins and beliefs are so complicated, that they are almost impossible to completely untangle.The Israelites are now thought to have been an indigenous culture that formed around 1200 B.C. west of the Jordan River, instead of a group of invaders who fought their way to the Holy Land. And now, the Davidic Empire is seen as a story made up by some priests who were just interested in creating a national history for their people. Also, take the 603, 550 Hebrew slaves that slipped past Egypt’s eastern borders, for example. Lazare comments that the number was most likely exaggerated, but a security breach of that caliber just doesn’t seem to make sense, seeing as how tight the borders were patrolled. Lazare goes on to dissect the Book of Numbers and the rulers David and Solomon, pointing out records lacking in the mention of any such names during the day of their rule. He also discusses a British archaeologist named Kathleen Kenyon who discovered that Joshua’s army could not have been the reason the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. She found Mycenaean pottery shards among the ruins that proved the event took place no later than 1300 B.C. That’s 70+ years before the conquest could have ever happened.
Utilizing Smith's material on Christianity, outline the history of Christianity, paying special attention to the differing schools of thought/branches within it. Compare and contrast the different schools of thought.
The Christian religion is said to be the most widespread and followed of the major world religions. Christianity studies the life of Jesus of Nazareth and is filled with spirituality. It is centered around God but includes angels and other spiritual beings. Jews conceived that spiritual order was not just an image of God residing over the earth but that the Spirit was actually something that you could find and come to know. Jesus claimed that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him and began his ministry. Yahweh speaks through prophets to send His message but humans can also speak to Yahweh. Seekers of this sort would often fast and embrace solitude as means to connect with the Spirit. In the Bible there are many different people who had the power of the Spirit. These people could heal the sick and cast out demons. The Jews concluded that the Spirit had supremacy over nature. The main purpose of Jesus on Earth was to not merely heal people but to heal humanity for eternity.
Jesus stressed God’s compassion with the Pharisees stressed His holiness. While Jesus agreed with the Pharisees, he did not like the division it created among the people. The holiness code structured a divided community and Jesus challenged its compassion. This caught the attention of the Roman authorities and he was arrested and executed on the charges of treason.
Jesus’ disciples give us accounts, throughout the Bible, of His activity. Peter tells us that basically Jesus went around doing good, as simple as that. Jesus taught through story telling. He taught simple life lessons, about love and good and evil. Jesus told of a God who loved people. His teachings were opposite of the expectancies of the world. The world values riches, while Jesus said that it is very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The extraordinary thing about Jesus was that he practiced what he preached. His life was told to be one of great humility and love. He wanted people to see God in him. The early church suggested that looking at Jesus was like looking at God in human form.
After the crucifixion, some of Jesus’ close friends claimed that he was resurrected. He now appeared to them in a different form. A group of twelve or so had the tongues of fire placed upon them. They traveled throughout the Greco-Roman world, preaching the “Good News”. Christians chose a fish as their logo because the first letters in the Greek words for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”, spell out fish, in Greek. It was scratched on walls with its head pointing in the direction of secret underground meetings.
These early spreaders of the Word displayed two of Jesus’ teachings; love and joy. They claimed that everybody was equal in the eyes of God and their lives portrayed that. The first Christians experienced God’s love through Jesus, directly. This was a different kind of love; a love that embraced sinners, the poor, the weak, the sick, and the enemy.
There are three major branches of Christianity. They are Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. In 1054 this single institution divided into the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. In the 16th century, Protestantism branched off. Christianity was the major religion of the Roman Empire.
The Roman Catholic Church is a teaching authority. They believed that God came to earth through Jesus Christ to teach people how to live as to inherit the Kingdom of God. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope. The pope is not viewed as infallible. The only areas he may not falter in are faith and morals. The Catholic Church is also seen as a Sacramental Agent. There are seven sacraments; Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, Sacrament of the Sick, Reconciliation and Mass.
The Eastern Orthodox Church shares a lot with the Roman Catholic Church. They honor the same sacraments as are looked upon as a teaching authority. Eastern Orthodoxy sees fewer issues that call for unanimity than the Roman Catholics. Purgatory, the Immaculate Conception, etc. are looked upon as “developments” by the Roman Catholics, while Eastern Orthodox view them as “additions”. Unlike the Catholic Church, the Eastern Church does not have a Pope. They believe that councils serve the purpose of delivering God’s truth. The Eastern Church is said to be the Church that takes the notion of all the Christian churches being members of each other, most seriously. Priests of Eastern Orthodox churches do not need to remain celibate, unlike the leaders of the Roman Catholic churches. Roman Catholics believe that every human holds the Trinity in their soul and may receive supernatural graces, but have no right to mystical states here on earth. The Eastern Church encourages its members to explore the mystical life.
A new concept in Christianity, Justification by Faith and the Protestant Principle, caused Protestantism to break from Roman Catholicism in the 16th century. They believe in a movement of the mind, heart and will. They believe that no number of good deeds can help you enter the Kingdom of Heaven and warns highly against idolatry. They feel that all of these things (rituals, confession, traditions, etc.) that the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Church make mandatory, are merely “mouthings” and don’t mean anything unless they really reach your heart and change the way you feel. Protestants have freed themselves from the doctrines and institutions, things of which Roman Catholics and the Eastern Church have based their belief systems on.
Utilizing Smith's material in chapter seven discuss the Jewish quest for "meaning." What does Smith means by this and give numerous examples/"details"/specifics from the text to illustrate it.
The Jewish quest was one of understanding. They wanted to find meaning in the Supreme Being by understanding the concept of the Other. Two reasons for this are that no human is self-created and everyone has limited power. The Hebrew search for meaning refuses to give in to any idea that the Other is prosaic, chaotic, amoral or hostile. The Other is looked as like more of a person than an idea or thing. The Jews believe in one God, Yahweh.
First and foremost, Jews admit that the human self is limited and that self-image is crucial to the search for meaning. The key ingredients that make us human, according to Jewish thought, are human frailty, grandeur, sin, freedom and divine love. Jews also find that history is important to understanding human meaning. They feel this way for three significant reasons. One, that the way you live your life affects life in every possible way for that person and for people in the future. Two, if what takes place is important enough, it creates social action and forcing the community, and even the world, to work together. Third, nothing that happens is an accident and history is looked upon as a field of opportunity. There are Hebrew beliefs and accounts of God’s interventions during crucial historical points in time and that he has ordained a chosen people.
Another key in the search for meaning is that of morality. There are 613 commandments contained in Rabbinic law. There are four danger zones in human behavior derived from the Ten Commandments. They are force, wealth, sex and speech. Jews also search for meaning through justice. This is where Prophets come into play. The prophets wrote down the disapproval of Yahweh towards injustices and the Jews adhere to these writings. Exploitation, corruption and mediocrity are among the injustices that will not be put up with. The Jews also believe that there is meaning in suffering. In sixth century Babylonia a prophet sought to gain meaning from the defeat of Israel. He found that suffering and exile only showed his people how lightly they had taken their freedom when they had it. It was at this point they realized Yahweh was instilling in them a passion for freedom and justice. Their search for meaning came to a climax during the time of Messianism. This was the hope for a returning Messiah that would instill universal harmony. Other religions have borrowed from this idea, all forming the idea that a great day was in store for that certain religion’s followers.
The Jewish faith has many ceremonies and rituals. The role the rituals play in Judaism is to create a hallow life. Eating, marriage, children and nature are all things that should be made hallow before the Lord. If this is not done, it is compared to robbing God of what is rightfully his. Jews maintain a sense of the sacred by adhering to tradition. Holiness and history go hand in hand.
What Smith means by the Jewish search for meaning is ultimately a search for how to live their lives. Their “meaning” is a loyalty to God. They have laid a strict path out for themselves to follow that includes traditions, history, and submission .What they believe are the key essentials in their quest.
Detail the life and teachings of Muhammad according to Smith. Basically, give an outline of Islam as "he presents it."
Muslims believe that Muhammad is a prophet who gave life to Islam. Muhammad was born in 570 A.D. into the Koreish. He was described as sweet, gentle, and sensitive to human suffering. Muhammad sought solitude by frequently visiting a cave a top a mountain and reached out for God. He was convinced that Allah, worshipped by Meccans, wasn’t just a God or the greatest of Gods, but the he was the One and Only God. Around 610A.D. an angel came to Muhammad in his cave and declared him the proclaimer. It was at this point that Muhammad gave his life over to God. He said he was not commanded to perform miracles, but merely to open eyes to the wonders of God. His message was met with violent hostility. The Meccan leaders disapproved of Muhammad and wanted nothing to do with him. But Muhammad’s teachings managed to surpass Mecca and spread up north where they took hold, in the city of Yathrib. Muhammad migrated there to lead the people (the city’s name was later changed to Medina). The last ten years of his life he spent as a Medinese commoner. Muhammad wanted a whole Arabia and died with most of it under his control.
Muhammad claimed that the only miracle God ever worked through him was the writing of the Koran. He called it God’s “standing miracle”. The Koran’s teachings came to Muhammad over the course of twenty-three years from the voice of Gabriel. The Koran is said to be a culmination of God’s revelations to the Jews and Christians, forgive two “defects” that have been removed. The purpose of the Koran, or the Muslim Bible, is to “proclaim the unity, omnipotence, omniscience and mercy of God.” It also contains collections of maxims for private meditation.
The basic theology of Islam is the same as Judaism and Christianity, save a few major exceptions. There are four main subjects of focus that they share. They are: God, Creation, the Human Self and the Day of Judgment. The center of the Islamic religion is God. It accepts Jesus as a prophet and agree with his virgin birth but deny the doctrine of the Trinity. They argue that their fear of the Lord, when dealt with correctly, causes lesser fears to vanish. Note that Allah’s compassion is noted 192 times in the Koran, deliberately to show that his compassion outweighs his wrath. The Koran also presents us with the idea of Creation. Allah purposely created the Universe and the human self. There are two obligations we have to the Creator in return for our gift of life. They are gratitude and surrender. To be a “slave to Allah is to be freed from other, degrading forms of slavery - to greed, say, or anxiety, or ambition.” The Day of Judgment is the day that all souls will return to Heaven or Hell. Muslims believe that you will be held accountable for your actions on Earth and how well you obeyed God’s commands. The Koran favors deeds more so than ideas. Islam teaches people “to walk the straight path.” It proposed a simple, straightforward, direct way to live your life. When life gets complicated the Koran provides the guidelines in how to manage your life.
The Five Pillars of Islam are instructions on how Muslims should deal with God. The first pillar is, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet.” When a Muslim faces a crisis, or is feeling overwhelmed, this creed will be recited. A Muslim must say this at least one time in his life, slow, out loud and heart felt.
Canonical prayer is the second pillar. Muslims pray to express gratitude for life and for perspective. The Koran notes Allah as saying that a Muslim should pray fifty times a day, while Muhammad reduced that number to five. Those times where fixed at waking up, at noon, mid afternoon, sunset, and before going to sleep. Muslims are encouraged to pray in the mosques and on Friday afternoons. The Koran instructs them to pray in the direction of Mecca.
Charity is the third Islamic pillar. The basic idea that those who have more than they need should share with those who are in need. The Observance of Ramadan is the fourth pillar. On the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is the Holy Month. This is the month that Muhammad migrated from Mecca. Muslims fast from food, drink and sex during this time. The fifth pillar is pilgrimage. Every Muslim who is able, must make a journey to Mecca. The purpose of this pilgrimage is to express his commitment to God. Upon their arrival, they exchange their clothes for rags and begin educating themselves about the world so they can return home with new knowledge. They are also told to no gamble, steal, lie, eat pork, drink alcohol or be sexually promiscuous.
There are four areas of Islamic life that deserve a bit more attention than others. Islam’s economic system is a free flowing system. Profit is not one of their main goals. Islam permits maintaining multiple wives, creating upheaval that Islam degrades women. Racial equality is stressed in the Islamic religion. Intermarriages are not looked down upon. Present day Muslims argue that they are not a militant religion, despite their history.After Muhammads death their was a quarrel between two groups of who would carry on the true teachings of Muhammad. From this religious split, came about the Sunnis, Shi’ites and the Sufis. The Sufis protested worldliness by wearing coarse woolen garments and held tight to the spiritual teachings of the Koran. Muslims believed there were three ways to learn of God’s fire. They are to hear of it, to see it, or to be burned by it. The Sufis chose the last option. They have three paths that we will call the “mysticisms of love, of ecstasy, and of intuitive discernment.” Sufis use a lot of symbols and repeat the name of God (which we saw a lot of when studying Eastern Religions). The Sufis are a derivative of a Western religion but seem to have a lot of Eastern values, especially that of mysticism. Islam is pretty much a textbook Western religion save the Sufis.
Compare and contrast Islam with Judaism and with Christianity. How is it similar to Judaism and how is it different? How is it similar to Christianity and how is it different?
Above all, the most important characteristic that these religions share, is that they are monotheistic. While they all share the belief in one God, the true God and the same God, they all call him a different name. The Christians calls him God. While the Jews call him Yahweh and the Muslims, Allah. According to the readings, Islam and Christianity both broke off into three major branches. In Islam, we have Sunni, Shi’ite and Sufi. In Christianity we have Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant. Christianity and Islam are derived from Judaism. Islam and Judaism both look at their religion as a sort of quest, or search. While Christianity seems to have already discovered the ultimate knowledge and how to attain it, and their purpose is to live according to their teachings. When it comes to the Messiah, or messenger of God, all three believe different things. Judaism, while they accept Jesus as being as a historical figure, does not claim him to be the Son of God. Christians on the other hand believe that the prophecy of God sending a messenger was fulfilled when Jesus came to earth and are now waiting for his second coming. Islam believes that Jesus was a prophet, but that Muhammad was the last prophet and follows his teachings. They reject the idea of the Trinity, while Christianity holds tightly to it. All three have their own holy book. Islam has the Koran, which is a recording of teachings that Gabriel spoke to Muhammad over 23 years. Judaism has the Torah. Which is a recording of Yahweh’s disclosure to the Jews. And the Christians have the Bible. Which is basically the extended version of the Torah, that includes gospel accounts and prophecies. It seems to me that Islam and Christianity suggest reading their Book more than Jews stress reading the Torah. None of these religions worship idols. They all stress prayer and complete submission to God.
posted by Katie Harris at 8:08 AM
1 Comments:
ohmigod... You're too smart. I can't take it. My brain's totally smokin'
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