What if-no Jesus

In OTL, no other religion has formed round any contemporary messianic figures. It would be safe to assume, methinks, this does not happen. Plus, assuming Christ really was the Son of God, then it is no surprise that He has had such a following.

If no Jesus in the time He lived, would God need to raise up John the Baptist, since he was supposed to prepare the way for Christ? (Unles he was just another prophet in the long line of prophets...)

I wonder if I dare ask such questions. However, if people speak from a critical historical viewpoint, surely it is worth at least considering how things stand from a Christian viewpoint?

As a Christian myself, I just figure that Jesus is delayed in His coming. :)
 

Hendryk

Banned
As a Christian myself, I just figure that Jesus is delayed in His coming. :)
Well, he waited several millennia, it's not like he couldn't have waited a few more. Which begs the question of how important it was for him to show up at all.
 
Some might wonder what the difference is.
In the Tanakh, El, being all-powerful, omnipresent, and omniscient, has no rivals. Satan is an angel in El's employ, as figure that tricks and deceives man to test man's faith, not to turn them against El.

In the New Testament, Christianity, influenced by Zoroastrianism and other Eastern Religions due to trade in the greater Syria region, changed Satan, as the Archangel Lucifer, into a fallen angel who becomes a deity of chaos, darkness, and carnal pleasures- or evil, to a dualist religion such as Christianity.

Keep in mind that my definition, and likely NomadicSky's definition, of "god" is broader and different from the typical Western idea of an all-powerful eternal being. By "god", we mean a powerful spiritual entity with deity-like powers, abilities, and influence. The Christian concept of Satan Lucifer certainly fits this looser definition of a god.
 

NomadicSky

Banned
That is indeed a definition we share.
I didn't say he was in any way a positive force Luifer does seem to be an essential part of the Christian faith.
Without good there can't be evil. Like light and dark. God created light from dark. Might that same God have been able to pull the darkness out of himself and create another force from his own darkness? A dark force to give that needed counter balance.

If God was all good nothing he created could be evil. There has to be a force somewhere for that balance.


*I know I said take this to chat but WTH it's already off track.



In the Tanakh, El, being all-powerful, omnipresent, and omniscient, has no rivals. Satan is an angel in El's employ, as figure that tricks and deceives man to test man's faith, not to turn them against El.

In the New Testament, Christianity, influenced by Zoroastrianism and other Eastern Religions due to trade in the greater Syria region, changed Satan, as the Archangel Lucifer, into a fallen angel who becomes a deity of chaos, darkness, and carnal pleasures- or evil, to a dualist religion such as Christianity.

Keep in mind that my definition, and likely NomadicSky's definition, of "god" is broader and different from the typical Western idea of an all-powerful eternal being. By "god", we mean a powerful spiritual entity with deity-like powers, abilities, and influence. The Christian concept of Satan Lucifer certainly fits this looser definition of a god.
 
I don't think it's too off-topic. I mean, in order to discuss PODs involved deity-claimants, we must have a definition of a deity.

Anyway- since I view Jesus as not one man, but a character amalgamated from several people, at least one of which was named Yeshua (Joshua, which was twisted into "Jesus" by horrible Greek transliteration), and so a POD involving the guy not being born isn't a crisis of faith, as it seems to be for some people who cannot look at this thread from a more neutral standpoint.
 
the only plausable way to do this is that Joseph did not head the vision he was given and Jesus was lost in the massacre of the innocents.
 
Rome will fall much earlier. (349AD... if there was AD anymore)
Muhammed would not have is vision, Islam will only exist through the blood relation to Ishmael. I'll call them the Ishmaelites.
Science will advance at a faster rate, it will not be blocked by the church.
There will be more violence, without the messianic messages such as "Turn the other cheek" this was all foreign to them.
 
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