What if everybody's Jesus?

@dharma bum,

I have seen this view posited somewhat, both in Gnostic teachings and also in Tolstoy's brilliant book- "The Kingdom Of God Is Within You"

@TheSingingSword,

And in the canonical Bible, from the mouth of Jesus, the source of Tolstoy's title.

@dharma bum,

No, i don't think we can, for this reason:

We all inherit sin from Adam and eve, while Jesus ( the son of god, not a descendant of Adam) is born pure.

@Johnny Fresh,

Jesus' lineage to Adam is the subject of Matthew 1:1-17.

Matthew 1 - PassageLookup - New International Version - BibleGateway.com

Traced all the way back for the Son of God. But remember, Jesus tells us to pray "Our Father, who art in Heaven". If God is the father of us all, then we must all be the children of God - if you're male, that makes you a Son of God. If you're female, Daughter of God - hence the whole brothers and sisters thing.

@dharma bum,

Sounds like a variation of Pantheism. Hah, I find myself humorous.

@Egosum,

Many people tell me I have a Messiah complex but I forgive them.

-ITL-

@dharma bum,

dharma_bum;82802 wrote:

Has anybody ever pondered the thought of what if anybody has the potential to be just as holy and enlightened as Jesus Christ?

I think that's what real Christianity is all about. Christ as example. Imitation of Christ. But man is born an idolater (original sin?). He ends treating the image of Christ like a magic hat, or friend in the sky. But the point is to do what he did, incarnate God. If we're going to worship Christ, I think we had better be worshiping the best part of ourselves.

@Reconstructo,

Reconstructo;111471 wrote:

I think that's what real Christianity is all about. Christ as example. Imitation of Christ. But man is born an idolater (original sin?). He ends treating the image of Christ like a magic hat, or friend in the sky. But the point is to do what he did, incarnate God. If we're going to worship Christ, I think we had better be worshiping the best part of ourselves.

Hello Recon, if you don't mind I would like to offer you a couple of questions. Would you please define as best you can and in few words what is meant by "original sin" keeping in mind how could an "omnipotent God" create a sinful anything unless he had a "crystal ball" and knew before hand what the future would hold. If that were the case then why would a loving God do such a thing?

Secondly if you disagree with what is defined original sin is, please offer those reasons why man would err? Thanks,

William

@William,

William;112355 wrote:

Hello Recon, if you don't mind I would like to offer you a couple of questions. Would you please define as best you can and in few words what is meant by "original sin" keeping in mind how could an "omnipotent God" create a sinful anything unless he had a "crystal ball" and knew before hand what the future would hold. If that were the case then why would a loving God do such a thing?

Secondly if you disagree with what is defined original sin is, please offer those reasons why man would err? Thanks,

William

I think that original sin is just a myth. But it's a good myth, if taken as a myth. I think it symbolizes that man is not born in an ideal state. There's something in him that can and should be activated.
I also think that God should be understood in a non-Biblical way. The only way I can reasonably think of the "omnipotence of God" is what I would call the Ground of Being. If we use "God" as a name of the mysterious source of existence, this is not exactly omnipotence but something overwhelming. Of course the ground of being could be called something else, or thought of differently. But it's natural to wonder how everything got here, and to wonder about consciousness as much as the universe that consciousness makes possible.

Parable: The original sin of a butterfly is only that he is born as a catepillar. The myth suggest that man is capable of higher states than his natural un-illuminated state.

Just my opinion.

@dharma bum,

dharma_bum;82802 wrote:

Has anybody ever pondered the thought of what if anybody has the potential to be just as holy and enlightened as Jesus Christ?

In Mahayana Buddhism, we believe that all people can be Buddha's and that Siddhartha Gautama was the first one to become enlightened and teach others about it. Many Buddhists also believe that Jesus Christ was one of these enlightened Buddhas.

Has any Christian Theologian entertained the idea that, since we are all the children of God, we all have the potential to be Christs?

I know that this goes against some Biblical teachings, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

But who will do the crucifying, betraying and denying if everyone is Jesus?

@Deckard,

Deckard;112473 wrote:

But who will do the crucifying, betraying and denying if everyone is Jesus?

I suggest that we are all Judas, Pilate, and the Roman Soldiers, as well as Jesus. If Judas is a caterpillar, Jesus is a butterfly.

@dharma bum,

Has anyone pointed out yet that acting like Jesus is not actually being Jesus, and, in general, acting like X, no matter how closely, is still, not being X?

@Deckard,

Deckard;112473 wrote:

But who will do the crucifying, betraying and denying if everyone is Jesus?

I'll be the Roman, if you'd like.

In this day and age we have anti-bacterial soap, so it'll be easier for me to wash my hands of the matter.

kennethamy wrote:

Has anyone pointed out yet that acting like Jesus is not actually being Jesus, and, in general, acting like X, no matter how closely, is still, not being X?

Yes, you have.

@Zetherin,

Zetherin;112539 wrote:

I'll be the Roman, if you'd like.

In this day and age we have anti-bacterial soap, so it'll be easier for me to wash my hands of the matter.

Yes, you have.

That isn't "yet". You would think that was so obvious that no one would have to point it out.

@kennethamy,

kennethamy;112543 wrote:

That isn't "yet". You would think that was so obvious that no one would have to point it out.

Do you think you're on a philosophy forum or something?!

@Zetherin,

Zetherin;112547 wrote:

Do you think you're on a philosophy forum or something?!

Hope so........................

@Reconstructo,

Reconstructo;112475 wrote:

I suggest that we are all Judas, Pilate, and the Roman Soldiers, as well as Jesus. If Judas is a caterpillar, Jesus is a butterfly.

Nah, I don't think Judas is the caterpillar to Jesus's butterfly. John the Baptist maybe but not Judas.
In the end we all have our own chrysalides to bear.

@dharma bum,

If Christ is totality incarnate, he would include the lowest of the low, as well as being the lord of lords. It all depends on how you like your Jesus. I say Jesus is a mask, a magic wand, an incantation, a positronic trigger for individuation. Beam us up, lamb of Gott.

@Reconstructo,

Reconstructo;112579 wrote:

If Christ is totality incarnate, he would include the lowest of the low, as well as being the lord of lords. It all depends on how you like your Jesus. I say Jesus is a mask, a magic wand, an incantation, a positronic trigger for individuation. Beam us up, lamb of Gott.

Wow! Block that metaphor! Block that metaphor!

@dharma bum,

Beware the Pharisee, kids!! No offense, K, just razzing you. Is the myth dead for you? What's your poison? What myth moves you? Certainly you must like art, fiction, music, something subjective.

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What if everybody's Jesus?

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