Assuming he was real, not divine (and knew it), and his ideas (e.g. Sermon on the Mount) were accurately depicted in the Bible, what would you call him?
The Jesus I’m describing is fervently Jewish, in case that wasn’t clear.
Edit in response to downvote: while I can certainly see how this could be interpreted as a simple attack on Christianity, considering that the figure in question apparently encouraged followers to give up their belongings to live in communes and made statements strongly indicative of encouraging followers to regard family members who were not followers as outgroup members, I think this is a fair descriptor.
It’s really hard to say, considering that practically everything recorded about him seems to have been filtered through Paul at some stage. You can take a stab at it with the help of some pretty sophisticated textual analysis methods (I think the Jesus Seminar did a pretty good, though not unimpeachable, job of this), but ultimately an analysis always depends as much on readers’ preconceptions as it does on the actual text. Kind of like trying to get an handle on Socrates’ ideas when all we’ve got to base them on is Plato and a handful of contemporary commentaries—except worse, since analogous commentaries don’t exist in this case.
I’d lean toward “dissident rabbi” based on the charitable version of my reading of the New Testament, but readings of the New Testament are notoriously idiosyncratic for the same reasons.
You can see my edit for further justification. Paul took up the mantle of leadership and effectively made the religion, but that doesn’t mean that Jesus wasn’t a cult leader.
Hindsight. How do you know he wasn’t? No matter what label you choose to give (H)im, that isn’t the point though, if you ask me.
By discussing this, we’re only giving in to this;
| Oh but dang if there aren’t like over a thousand comments here, jeez i don’t want to sound like i’m crying for attention but i’m TOTALLY CRYING FOR ATTENTION, srsly i need help you dudes
| Oh but dang if there aren’t like over a thousand comments here, jeez i don’t want to sound like i’m crying for attention but i’m TOTALLY CRYING FOR ATTENTION, srsly i need help you dudes
What do you mean “only”? In the context of a thorough introduction, and a relevant request for advice lampshading his degree of desire for an answer like this is certainly excusable.
It’s not “giving in” when you choose to do something you reflectively endorse doing without being subject to any more manipulation than a forthright request.
Indeed, I hoped to not give in to Benedict’s “totally crying for attention”. Yet, here we are discussing it even further. I am new to the site, and assumed it was not the place for paternal issues or internal conflicts with your God/deity of choice.
How do you know that Jesus was a philosopher?
Assuming he was real, not divine (and knew it), and his ideas (e.g. Sermon on the Mount) were accurately depicted in the Bible, what would you call him?
The Jesus I’m describing is fervently Jewish, in case that wasn’t clear.
Street preacher? Movement organizer? Dissident rabbi?
I’d lean towards cult leader.
Edit in response to downvote: while I can certainly see how this could be interpreted as a simple attack on Christianity, considering that the figure in question apparently encouraged followers to give up their belongings to live in communes and made statements strongly indicative of encouraging followers to regard family members who were not followers as outgroup members, I think this is a fair descriptor.
He (whether fictional or otherwise) seemed more like a celebrity than a cult leader. The real cult leader was Saul/Paul.
It’s really hard to say, considering that practically everything recorded about him seems to have been filtered through Paul at some stage. You can take a stab at it with the help of some pretty sophisticated textual analysis methods (I think the Jesus Seminar did a pretty good, though not unimpeachable, job of this), but ultimately an analysis always depends as much on readers’ preconceptions as it does on the actual text. Kind of like trying to get an handle on Socrates’ ideas when all we’ve got to base them on is Plato and a handful of contemporary commentaries—except worse, since analogous commentaries don’t exist in this case.
I’d lean toward “dissident rabbi” based on the charitable version of my reading of the New Testament, but readings of the New Testament are notoriously idiosyncratic for the same reasons.
You can see my edit for further justification. Paul took up the mantle of leadership and effectively made the religion, but that doesn’t mean that Jesus wasn’t a cult leader.
Hindsight. How do you know he wasn’t? No matter what label you choose to give (H)im, that isn’t the point though, if you ask me.
By discussing this, we’re only giving in to this;
| Oh but dang if there aren’t like over a thousand comments here, jeez i don’t want to sound like i’m crying for attention but i’m TOTALLY CRYING FOR ATTENTION, srsly i need help you dudes
What do you mean “only”? In the context of a thorough introduction, and a relevant request for advice lampshading his degree of desire for an answer like this is certainly excusable.
It’s not “giving in” when you choose to do something you reflectively endorse doing without being subject to any more manipulation than a forthright request.
I do not presume to know. I am a novel LWian.
Indeed, I hoped to not give in to Benedict’s “totally crying for attention”. Yet, here we are discussing it even further. I am new to the site, and assumed it was not the place for paternal issues or internal conflicts with your God/deity of choice.