04-02-2004, 01:09 PM
Quote:It's the story that has religious significance, the form of the thing. It doesn't really matter (unless you're an irredeemable literalist) that he was Jewish
His Jewishness is contextually critical to the story, and to about 2000 years of history. A few reasons why, besides the god in question being the God of Abraham, aka Allah to the blatantly heretical semites from Arabia.
1. Fundamentalism. His position as rabbi, Jewish Clergyman, gave a certain legitimacy to his attempt to reform the Hebraic faith of his time, and to such teachings as he put forth. See how other, later, Christian reformers were thus explicitly following his example. WIthout his reference to the "legitimate" Law of Moses, he has no street cred with day to day residents of Judea.
2. Without being Jewish, the entire issue of jurisdiction within the Roman Empire, and hence the path to crucifixion, is missing. No crucifixion, no martyr. Without a martyr, the faith based on his life's work never exists.
3. The Jews were and are a well defined cultural and social group, a race if you will (in the 19th century sense) of remarkable people. Again, without the split in the social mores of Jews, a people who have influenced numerous other cultures through their intellectual and scientific contributions, for better andfor worse, we could not be having this discussion.
Yes, it mattered greatly that Jesus was a Jew. The Western ethos is referred to a Judeo Christian for a very good reason.
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete