Hi..... :)
I have been an Historical Jesus student since 1994 and joined TWeb four years ago, but somehow I didn't get too involved in any HJ conversations; I forget why.
I learned what little I know by reading the gospels and researching what evidence I could find of the archeology, history, numismatics, geography, etc connected with early 1st century Palestine. I read many scholars and decided that they mostly belong within groups, universities or institutions.
During heated HJ debates so many folks would rely upon what some 'authority' said..... they would wave a scholar's flag high and shout 'So there!'. Then another debater would counter that point by waving their favoured scholar-flag..... and so on.... I decided that if only all these 'Peer reviewed' scholars could be put in a paint-ball park and be equipped with paint guns and grenades that after a very short while the whole lot would be indistinguishable from each other.
learned that Individual Investigation beats Institutional Indoctrination every time. So I journeyed alone.....
But one area of reward for me was visiting with Christians and listening to them, and that is what this thread is about. Until the Covid lockdowns I would visit all kinds of Christian venues, tea mornings, snack 'n' chat meets, the odd service, etc.... and I always invited evangelists in to my home since the early 90's where they could at least have refreshments, or park their vehicles off-rough-road while they toured the area to visit others.
I learned all kinds of info from Christians. Made some friends..... but there was one guideline above all others! Don't mention any other Churches, Creeds, Denominations or beliefs.
One example of many....... One day I visited a 'snack n chat' venue, a group that runs soup kitchens, street-walks to aid the homeless, Christmas packs for the lonely, etc. I don't want to name this very well established church, OK? Well, I arrived to discover that they did not just serve just a mug of tea but sat everybody at table, served soup and rolls etc. A visiting priest started to ask me questions. Why had I come? Where from? What for? I answered all and received yet more. It became an interrogation. And then I made that mistake, when asked what other venues I visited mentioned the coffee mornings at the church in the high street.
Oh dear! This priest jumped up from the table, shouting out loud, actually pointing in the rough direction of the other church. 'They are not Christians! They do this and that! They are Satanists! They even do......' etc
Now although this was the most exciting example of rebuttal that I ever witnessed I noticed that nearly all churches and Christians would deny many of the others, and the only reason why I survived some of this treatment was because I was not a Christian at all.
I hope that I can chat with any other HJ students here, and learn yet more, but I don't get involved in shouting matches, and don't wave scholar flags........ :)
I must go....... this OP is too long... I'm sorry for that.
I have been an Historical Jesus student since 1994 and joined TWeb four years ago, but somehow I didn't get too involved in any HJ conversations; I forget why.
I learned what little I know by reading the gospels and researching what evidence I could find of the archeology, history, numismatics, geography, etc connected with early 1st century Palestine. I read many scholars and decided that they mostly belong within groups, universities or institutions.
During heated HJ debates so many folks would rely upon what some 'authority' said..... they would wave a scholar's flag high and shout 'So there!'. Then another debater would counter that point by waving their favoured scholar-flag..... and so on.... I decided that if only all these 'Peer reviewed' scholars could be put in a paint-ball park and be equipped with paint guns and grenades that after a very short while the whole lot would be indistinguishable from each other.
learned that Individual Investigation beats Institutional Indoctrination every time. So I journeyed alone.....
But one area of reward for me was visiting with Christians and listening to them, and that is what this thread is about. Until the Covid lockdowns I would visit all kinds of Christian venues, tea mornings, snack 'n' chat meets, the odd service, etc.... and I always invited evangelists in to my home since the early 90's where they could at least have refreshments, or park their vehicles off-rough-road while they toured the area to visit others.
I learned all kinds of info from Christians. Made some friends..... but there was one guideline above all others! Don't mention any other Churches, Creeds, Denominations or beliefs.
One example of many....... One day I visited a 'snack n chat' venue, a group that runs soup kitchens, street-walks to aid the homeless, Christmas packs for the lonely, etc. I don't want to name this very well established church, OK? Well, I arrived to discover that they did not just serve just a mug of tea but sat everybody at table, served soup and rolls etc. A visiting priest started to ask me questions. Why had I come? Where from? What for? I answered all and received yet more. It became an interrogation. And then I made that mistake, when asked what other venues I visited mentioned the coffee mornings at the church in the high street.
Oh dear! This priest jumped up from the table, shouting out loud, actually pointing in the rough direction of the other church. 'They are not Christians! They do this and that! They are Satanists! They even do......' etc
Now although this was the most exciting example of rebuttal that I ever witnessed I noticed that nearly all churches and Christians would deny many of the others, and the only reason why I survived some of this treatment was because I was not a Christian at all.
I hope that I can chat with any other HJ students here, and learn yet more, but I don't get involved in shouting matches, and don't wave scholar flags........ :)
I must go....... this OP is too long... I'm sorry for that.
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