Bible scholar ‘exposes’ Christian fraud
I said pretty much the same thing in my book The Christ Conspiracy in 1999 – and I was collecting there a scholarly consensus that dates back centuries. Ehrman’s playing catch-up: Some day perhaps he will look more closely at the mythicist position.
One of the chapters in my book, in fact, is called “The Holy Forgery Mill,” and I discuss the same or similar issues. In reality, basically my entire book is designed to show that the New Testament is unreliable as “history.” I do appreciate, however, whenever someone in the hallowed halls of academia essentially verifies what I and these others have been saying all these years.
According to leading biblical scholar Bart Ehrman, many of his contemporaries have it wrong when it comes to the Bible. Instead of calling biblical forgeries what they are – lies – they often fall back on safer scholarly terms, stopping just short of the word “forgery.”
Ehrman, however, is not afraid of breaking rank with his fellow scholars and speaking the truth. In his new book, Forged: Writing in the Name of God–Why the Bible’s Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are
In Forged, Ehrman reveals:
* The Apostle Peter was illiterate, and therefore could not have written two letters (1 & 2 Peter) credited to him in the Bible.
* Six of the Pauline letters in the New Testament are forgeries.
* The First Book of Timothy, known to be a forgery, is still used today to oppress women, and provides the Scriptural basis for the Roman Catholic Church’s refusal to ordain female priests….
28 thoughts on “Bible scholar ‘exposes’ Christian fraud”
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MURDOCK IS IN GOOD COMPANY!
Having read most of the works by David Mills, Drs. Price, Schoch and Eisenman, as well as the referenced Dr. Ehrman, amongst many, many others, I can say that D.M. Murdock stands tall in their company. Her writing is precise, erudite and well researched, and her conclusions match my own.
ditto
having lived through the christian experience and being a party to their craziness, I had come to the conclusion that weak minded folks need each other to back each other up. My family was witness to so many lies and deceptive misinformation that debunking christianity was easy. extracting one self from it is altogether anything but easy. It leaves gaping holes in your heart as you watch normally good simple folk get indoctrinated into their lies. pretty soon you develop opinions that are not your own and you end up voting republican. Just kidding about that republican business…maybe.
Mr
I have many of Acharya’s books, plus “Misquoting Jesus” , Bart Ehrmann. I am reading books by John Dominic Crossan at the moment, He throws a lot of doubt about the depiction of Jesus in the NT- almost to the point that he doubts if there ever was a historical Jesus. Powerful writing from a former Priest and Professor of Biblical Studies. However for some reason he still remains a believer in “God” and a Roman Catholic: Strange.
I just downloaded Ehrmann’s new book “Forgeries” and will read that with intense interest. I am a bedraggled refugee from the “Holy” Roman Catholic Church, now a proud Atheist
So refreshing to be shown the mythology
Having read “The Christ Conspiracy” and thoroughly enjoying its content, I must take the time to read more of D.M. Murdock’s publications and the suggestions shown here.
D.M. Murdock has given me so much sound evidence to support what I knew intuitively as a child to be complete and utter nonsense. I was raised by a prominent Primitive Baptist minister, but never succumbed to my families belief system. I never joined the church, never was baptized and left home when I was fourteen to find sanity. Needless to say, I was the black sheep of the family and was ostracized for many years. It was a hard road and I did not have the support like my brothers and sisters did.
Speaking the truth so eloquently as D.M. Murdock has about religions must have caused her grief and hardship. It is amazing to me how when you disclose the truth in a deceptive environment, whether it be about governance, religion or history it threatens people’s sense of security, and they can become violently defensive.
She has my utmost respect and admiration for her studies and brave presentation. And my very best heartfelt wishes for success and happiness.
Whats New
I haven’t read either Acharya’s books about Christ or the one that this article is about but I think that a “creator” of some kind is very likely. However I think that Charles Darwin and Richard Dawkins are likely to be correct as well. And why? Well I think that an evolving universe makes more sense than a “creator” who already knows everything. Most people who promote ancient religions also seem to pass “collection” bowls around whatever kind of temples that they use. Why an evolving universe? Well if one starts as a total vacuum then as this vacuum develops consciousness it could create new and individual consciousness’s like our human one and why? That would be much better than a very, very boring solitary existence that an evolving universe would experience otherwise.
Who or what created this “creator”, Michael?
If this “creator” did not need or have a creator, then neither does anything else, including the universe. If this “creator” did have or need a creator, then so did THAT “creator”, ad infinitum
OH are you “god” Terrence
Terrence if you start the universe 13.7 billion years ago from a pure vacuum, firstly a vacuum is an enormous amount of energy but a single thing, you know being a vacuum there is absolutely nothing in any way different from anything else, its just one endless single energy. Now if this universe in some way becomes conscious it does make some sense that it starts an evolutionary process and why? Well Terrence if you became aware (you might one day) a universe probably though creating the good things that evolution has taught itself would probably create new and different forms of life and why? Well that would be a lot better that observing yourself endlessly and I even think that the ancients might have tried telling legends to their up and coming youth so that at an initiation the “initiator” could ask an initiate, and who are you young fellow, I’ll bet if the often intelligent but also hopeful youth said well I’m the sun of “god”, then the initiator would introduce him to his dad but if he said well I’m a Hebrew and I want to marry her, then the initiator would know he was to be considered a trusted tribal member and with a wife there would be new initiates one day in the future but you probably would have ended up hanging next to you “brother”
Michael – if you have energy 13.7 billion years ago, the THAT energy is the universe, whether it is in a vacuum or not, and regardless of whether it has “color”, and whether or not it is conscious.
Whatever exists is the universe. It can, and does undergo all kinds of changes over time.
How god-like of you to declare “Well that would be a lot better that observing yourself endlessly “. Do you always presume to speak for the universe?
You too just MIGHT become aware one day, Michael.
Obviously
A vacuum is one endless nothing of pure unending energy. A universe is this energy composed of different energetic structures of what I think that the vacuum energy upon firstly becoming aware of itself, then through evolution creating different structures seems also to have created us humans, and why create us humans? Well as a single consciousness it probably is boring at least compared to observing you and me debating who, what, how and why we exist! Of course this is just my perception of “Life, The Universe and Everything” but who really does know? The Universe? It puzzles me as to why you think that vacuum is not energy. Its just that the energy of a vacuum, like the name implies, is a total nothing of unending energy, but a nothing of unending energy is a logical point from a human perspective to start “Life, The Universe and Everything” from!
Are YOU aware Michael, or are YOU “god”?
Michael – if there was energy 13.7 billion years ago, then THAT energy is the universe, whether it is in a vacuum or not, and regardless of whether it has “color”, and whether or not it is conscious.
Whatever exists is the universe. It can, and does undergo all kinds of changes over time.
How god-like of you to declare “Well that would be a lot better that observing yourself endlessly “. Do you always presume to speak for the universe?
You too just MIGHT become aware one day, Michael. But, I have my doubts, given what you have written.
Yeah, this really applies to the white hole – blackhole theory. If what we style the big bang was simply matter emerging from a white that came from a black hole in another universe then we have an infinite digression in terms of creation. In that case mere existence itself is that which has always been and will always be. Personify existence and bam, you’re looking a mythical god with no beginning or end, the very thing we find in mythology…
Well put, Anonymous, well put.
Nah I’m just a man
I agree with you Terrence on the fact that energy exists. I wonder though if you are aware of how much energy is in a pure vacuum? I think that you might believe that because a vacuum is that a totality of absolutely nothing of any kind at all, it has no energy either. Well the amount of energy in a total and pure vacuum is tremendous, the thing is though that this energy is nothing of any kind at all and so this energy has to be just one thing, you know a single and completely endless energetic thing. This is what makes me think that this has to be the beginning of everything. Of course I am only using my human logic to deduce this and my human logic is just one version of approximately 7.5 billion types of human logic in existence on our planet at the present time. In my life I’ve found that quite often until you experience some thing or some event, the possibility of the event even occurring is not a perception that you have though of or about at all. Conscious human perception is an excellent example of this, from what I have heard on the media, most humans are only perceptually conscious on one side of their body and by this I mean that either the left or right side perception is the part of their person that indicates true, false, yes, no, I’m unsure or even totally ignores whatever it senses in any way at all. But once one can be conscious on the left side, the right side or both sides at once, one may not know how or understand why this is now possible but it becomes quite obvious from then on. But I am unaware of how anybody else perceives personally, I can only judge myself. As to being God, again it depends on what you believe and weather your belief is true or at least has the outcome that you think that it has. I used an old technique that is usually referred to as religious belief now days, but I used it to be a man perceptually and not anything else. It is surprising but if you perceive that you are a golf club then you will only feel comfortable on a golf course wont you?
Metaphysics
Indeed the myth is symbolic but not of natural phenomena which are only more symbols, rather myth is symbolic of metaphysics and initiatic rites, as explained by Rene Guenon, Ananda Coomaraswamy, Frithjof Schuon, and others of the perennialist school.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
Christians of all denominations are emphatic that the Jesus shown as nailed to the Cross in their churches, either figuratively (as in catholic and orthodox churches) or symbolically (as in protestant churches) is the “Son of God”. However, the existence of two Jesus has not been officially proclaimed by the churches. Evidence suggests that it was the “Son of Man” who was crucified. However, neither Romans nor Jews were involved, but an individual who was inmical to Christ. But, by failing to prevent the murder despite warning, they are considered “guilty by default”. Judas Isacrot was a staunch disciple of the “Son of Man”. He had been forced by his master to arrange a meeting with The Son of Man’s would be killer as the killer had threatened Jesus’ family with death. Initially, Judas was blamed, again by default, but soon people realised his innocence and he continued to be a part of Jesus’ inner circle. The Son of Man was given a state funeral and Pontius Pilate promised to bring his killer to book. This Jesus’ wife was Mary Magdalene and his twin younger brother was the apostle Thomas Didymus. Virgin Mary was believed to have looked upon him as an elder brother. The churches are nevertheless emphatic on displaying only “The Son of God” in churches in crucified form. Earlier, “The Son of Man” and his wife were shown in churches in normal form, despite the senior Jesus’ physical crucifixion. Mary Magdalene and Judas Isacrot had not shown proper respect to the Son of God, hence they were vilified for some time by some section of the church. TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
The christian churches of all denominations have not made public the fact that “Son of Man” and “Son of God” are two different individuals, both known as Lord Jesus Christ, despite coming to know of this fact from say 1998. They should make this fact public and also stop demonising Pagans, Jews and Judas Isacrot for Jesus’ crucifixion. It was “The Son of Man” who was crucified and not “The Son of God”. The churches should also explain the reason for showing “The Son of God” in a crucified form in christian churches. Jesus (“Son of God”) was a bachelor, celibate, with no blood line and supposedly endowned with a sense of justice. But for a wrong he had done, he is shown in a most vicious fashion in christian churches. The churches should clarify what wrong he had done.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
Syrian Christians are supposed to be the first Christians of India. But who were they and where did they come from? The original Syrian christians were Gnostic christians based in West Asia, belonging to different religions, but believing in “Son of Man”. As most of these regions were under control of Roman Empire, after the coming of Emperor Constantine the Great, these christians were forced to embrace Pauline Christianity by renouncing both their religion and belief in “Son of Man”. A few of them came to India to escape persecution. Today’s Christians are Pauline Christians. Gnostic Christianity was rooted out even from India even before the coming of Europeans, by questionable means. So, in effect, there are no Syrian Christians today. Or by default, if a person is a Syrian Christian as the position was at that time of his forefathers coming to India, then he is not a Christian. The subsequent Christian converts in Kerala and elsewhere in India, were all Hindu converts of all castes, who were converted by force. In Kerala, about 57% of Christians are Roman Catholics, 33% Syrian Orthodox and balance 10% Protestants. The so-called Syrian Christians amongst them have never come from Syria. So these Christians are not Syrians.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
Both the Syrian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, claim that St.Thomas was “martyred” in India by fanatic Hindus. Other christian denominations also endorse this view. This theory is absolutely FALSE. Now, with research having proved that there were two Jesus; churches are certainly aware that St.Thomas was the twin younger brother and an apostle of Jesus (“Son of Man”). He and his brother were Jews. Son of Man was the founder of Gnostic Christianity which is different from the current christianity founded by St.Pauls, who was also a “devotee” of the “Son of Man”. After the murder of his brother, St.Thomas came to India to improve his occult powers and help identify and bring his brother’s killer to justice. He and his brother had earlier studied in India and they had many friends from amongst the Hindu elite. St.Thomas was well received in India and underwent rigorous occult education in Lord Shiva temple in Chennai known as Kapalishwara temple. He was believed to have subsequently identified his brother’s killer, who happened to be a very powerful sorcerer. However, before St.Thomas could tackle the sorcerer, the sorcerer killed him, using presumably, some local mercenaries. St.Thomas was given a proper funeral and though Hindu friends of his tried to identify the sorcerer, they apparently did not succeed. So, St.Thomas, also known as Thomas Didymus, never came to India to convert, but to seek help of Hindus. But, by distorting facts, the Portuguese destroyed the Kapalishwara temple converted it into the current SANTHOME CHURCH. They also destroyed a Vishnu temple and converted it into ST.THOMAS MOUNT. And finally a Muruga (Skanda) temple and converted it into LITTLE MOUNT. The Portuguese Government had in 1976, apologised to India for misdeeds done during colonial period in India. But the Christian churches are yet to apologise, even though their role was MORE SINISTER.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
Christmas is celebrated in honour of Lord Jesus Christ referred to as ‘Son of God’ in the Holy Bible. His parents, including his mother known as Virgin Mary (whose only child incidentally he was), are considered divine by Christians cutting across denominational barriers. Whereas Catholic and Orthodox Christians worship Mary with images, Protestant Christians don’t do so, but still revere her. But worship of this Jesus is forbidden by the Holy Bible and Christian doctrine, cutting across denominational barriers. But, Emperor Constantine the Great wanted people to worship this Jesus. As a first step, celebration of Christmas was introduced. Christmas was initially celebrated as the date of motherhood of Virgin Mary. Later, it metamorphosised into celebrating this Jesus’ birth, as everyone is now aware. The date has been calculated as per the Jewish solar calendar, which is incidentally, identical to the Hindu solar calendar. Like Hindus, Jews also have the luni-solar calendar and proper solar calendar based on zodiac. This solar calendar is slightly different from the tropical solar calendar, as it is longer by about 24 minutes. Jesus was therefore born on the 25th day of the 10th solar month of this calendar. Translated into the current year Gregorian calendar, the date will be around the 7th or 8th day of February. Of course, the date of birth of Jesus as calculated as per luni-solar calendar, could be slightly different every tropical year. However, since the time of Constantine, Christians don’t worship the other Jesus Christ referred to as ‘Son of Man’ in the Holy Bible. In fact, his existence itself has been suppressed.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
Lord Jesus Christ referred to as ‘Son of God’ in the Holy Bible, was the only child conceived and given birth to by his mother known as Virgin Mary. His parents are considered divine by the Church and the Holy Bible. His mother’s husband was and is known as ‘Joseph the carpenter’. Joseph is referred to as a ‘Son of David’. David was the first real political unifier of the Jewish people and also a great spiritualist, as he had built (or re-modelled in a very big way), the Jewish temple at Jerusalem. This temple was subsequently destroyed and is now the site of the Al-Aqsa mosque. This is however, not the subject of this discussion. The term ‘Son’ with reference to Joseph, is believed to mean direct male descendant. In holy books like the Bible, the term ‘Son’ could mean one of the four, viz., actual son; direct male descendant; male descendant (even if through one or more female intermediaries); and finally a male person with similar tendencies and preferably culture, born many years later. As Bible is a spiritual book, the fourth definition assumes significance. That is why purposely, two of the four gospels of the New Testament of the Holy Bible, give different geneologies with regard to the ‘link ancestors’ between Joseph and David. So, Joseph was not a physical descendant of David. Nor was he a carpenter, but rather an architect. He was a prince and many years elder in age to Mary. All his children were also older in age to Mary. After becoming a widower, he married Mary, as decided by providence. Of course, there is another catch. Joseph and Virgin Mary were not Jews.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
There are two Jesus Christ as referred to in the Holy Bible and Christian doctrine and this can be understood by decoding the Holy Bible. The ‘Son of Man’ was the original founder of ‘Gnostic Christianity’. It was a spiritual movement, not a proper religion. After his crucifixion, one of his followers St.Pauls, established a proper religion, which can be called ‘Pauline Christianity’. Pauline Christianity is now known simply as Christianity as Gnostic Christianity was abolished by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Even before Constantine, Gnostic Christianity followers occasionally faced persecution in the Roman empire, as they consistently fought against oppression and injustice. As many were Jews, deterioration of relations between the Romans and Jews, also caused their persecution on many an occasion. However, Pauline Christianity, which was headquartered in the Vatican, was never seriously assaulted for a very long time. It was an occult religion and its membership was extremely limited at that point of time. However, during the time of Emperor Diocletian, these christians were severely persecuted, as Diocletian wrongly felt that these christians were encouraging sorcery. As Pauline Christians had generally been lukewarm to the past persecution faced by others, their persecution failed to elicit much sympathy from others. Pauline Christians therefore went underground and contacted many prominent Romans for help. One of them was Constantine the Great, who was then the Roman Governor of Britain. Constantine promised help if he could become emperor. With the support of Pauline Christians, Constantine overcame his rivals and became emperor in the early decades of the 4th century C.E.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, was an ardent devotee of Lord Jesus Christ referred to as “Son of God” in the Holy Bible. This Jesus was the only child conceived and given birth to by his mother known as ‘Virgin Mary’. Whereas Pauline Christianity enjoins the worship of this Jesus’ father and also permits the woship of Virgin, worship of this Jesus is prohibited. Also, the other Jesus Christ, referred to as “Son of Man” in the Holy Bible was older in age to the Virgin and also an extremely important Christian icon. To achieve his objective, Constantine convened the Council of Nicea. Nicea is a place in present day Turkey and an important town in the Roman Empire. There, Pauline Christians informed their difficulty in acceding to Constantine’s demands vis-a-vis Jesus Christ (Son of God), as the same would be in variation with christian doctrine. A compromise was agreed to. The Holy Bible, which had not been formally written till then, would be composed. The Bible will be written in code language. There will be two main books, viz., The Old Testament which deals with life before Jesus Christ and The New Testament, which deals with life from a little before the birth of Jesus Christ and thereafter. The New Testament is the main book for Christians. This in turn is sub-divided into four main gospels followed by the Book of Revelation. The gospels were composed in the name of four of the apostles of the Son of Man, though obviously, not by them. The separate existence of the Son of Man was suppressed. The core identity of the Son of God, viz., his parentage, marital status, etc, were retained as his identity. The other Jesus Christ’s existence was suppressed, though not stories relating to his life, which in turn was indicated in code, with mixture from the life of the Son of God. The ap
Unravelling the Biblical Code
From a purely academic point of view, the country to which the members of the ‘Holy Family’ of Christianity really originated, would assume significance. Also, how the Son of God and the Son of Man came to be connected, is also crucial, not only to Christians, but also others, as Christianity has deeply influenced the world. The real gospels written by the Son of Man’s apostles and perhaps the Son of Man himself, are believed to be in the secret archives of the Vatican. Also, the MORE SENSATIONAL aspects of the Book of Revelations of the Holy Bible are also believed to have been decoded at least by a section of Catholic and other Christian, including Jesuit exorcists. These facts may, if made public, create a GLOBAL SENSATION, as none witnessed in the past. The more immediate aspects, need to be made public soon by the Christian Churches.
Phew! That’s a lotta posts. In the meantime, there remains no credible, scientific evidence that the “Jesus Christ” of the New Testament is a historical figure. Indeed, the evidence points to him being as mythical as the Greek son of God, Hercules.
Unravelling the Biblical Code
The Holy Bible is written in code and decoding is necessary to understand the religion. The rituals of the various christian churches are based on the Bible. Incidentally, the differences that exist between christian churches of different denominations are minor and based mainly on mundane rituals and in some cases, local politics. However, the real problem afflicting the christian churches is their lack of focus on spiritualism. Since the time of Emperor Constantine the Great, christian churches have, particularly after the Council of Nicea, been advised to focus on issues like governance, etc, giving spiritualism a go. The reason was that Constantine was deeply devoted to Jesus Christ (referred to as ‘Son of God’) in the Holy Bible. Christian tradition enjoins the worship of this Jesus’ father and also permits the worship of his mother known as ‘Virgin Mary”, whose only child he incidentally was. However, worship of this Jesus is not permitted. Because, Christianity talks of ‘Holy God’ or ‘Holy Father’ meaning Father of this Jesus; ‘Holy Virgin’, meaning Virgin Mary and ‘Holy Cross’, meaning the cross which symbolically crucified this Jesus. It also talks of ‘Holy Ghost’ (identity unknown). It does not talk of ‘Holy Jesus’. Similarly, whereas Virgin Mary is referred to as “St,Mary’ and her husband as ‘St.Joseph’, Jesus is not referred to as ‘St.Jesus’. Christianity as understood today was established as an occult religion by St.Pauls. There is reference to another Jesus in the Holy Bible, referred to as ‘Son of Man’. He was the original founder of Gnostic Christianity and St.Pauls was his follower. All 12 apostles referred to in the Holy Bible were his followers. His existence was suppressed by Constantine. The truth has recently been discovered and needs to be made public by the church. Because of suppression of this truth, many facts of Christianity continue to be hidden. The real understanding of Christmas and message of crucifixion, are some of these.
“Forgery” misused
Forgery is clearly being misused here. Plagiarism is the word they’re struggling for. A mere forgery can be nothing more than copying and misusing a letter containing facts that as still 100% true. Or take even a short note written by your dad allowing your brother to use the family credit card, and make a handwritten copy of your own – that’s forgery. Wrong thing to do, but 100% accurate since there is a dad and there is a card. Same with copying someone’s signature on a check.
But plagiarism is instead what’s going on with this bible stuff, since it’s a whole different animal – 0% truth, and on top of that it’s a lifting of totally untrue tales found elsewhere, all collected into one totally untrue book.
GOD IS NOT GREAT
Hi all, I have read BIBLE FRAUD,brought up in the SALLIES,tought
bible school ,always in dought about what i was passing on.
just read GOD IS NOT GREAT by the late CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS,
allow me to quote RICHARD DAWKINS.
if you are a religious apologist invited to debate with Chistopher Hitchens,DECLINE!.
so folks if you live by the ethic,do unto others as you would have them do unto you,you cant go wrong,
keep on smilling life is great
Christianity is just so much drivel.
I read with amazement the various comments put forth by the various contributors.
Jesus Christ born of a virgin? Does sound like a fairy tale from mythology. God coming down from heaven (Mount Olympus?) and impregnating a virgin said by experts to be a fourteen years old little girl? That makes this god a pedophile in the first place. Then having the fruit of the little girl’s loin perform miracles, like healing the sick, walking on water, resurrecting people from the dead and finally resurrecting himself from the dead? How gullible are we to believe that drivel. Listen to the passion with which televangelists preach about the savior who suffered on the cross to redeem the sins of mankind. Well it provides them with a nice income, a beautiful home and a private jet! How is that for a humble preacher of the message of Jesus Christ, the humble itinerant rabbi, who never actually lived in the first place.