Two Words, One Answer.
word_whose
 Whose Word Is It? $34.95 I should declare an interest as a militant atheist but having said that, the author of this book certainly started off as a devout christian. This therefore is no Dawkins/Hitchens/Harris-type rant but rather a well laid out historical account of how the new testament came to take its present form. Haven't you ever wondered how you could be sure that the NT was an accurate history of anything given how many times it must have been copied - by hand, remember - and also translated from one language to another to another to another.... etc etc. Most of us after all will be reading it in translation into languages that effectively didn't even exist at the time e.g. English. Ehrmann shows well how the texts have been altered over time, sometimes accidentally and often quite intentionally in some quite substantial ways to present a particular picture of jesus and his beliefs. It would appear arguments began to rage very soon after the death of jesus even about who he was - was he entirely divine, was he entirely human, was he both - and also about the "true" meaning of his teachings so that the texts of the gospels began to change to reflect an emerging orthodoxy and to counter opposing views of which there seem to have been several. I came away from this book even more strongly of the view that as an accurate history of jesus, his family and companions, and his beliefs and teachings, the new testament is absolutely worthless. We have absolutely no way now of knowing who this man really was - leaving aside the vexed question of whether he even existed , at least as the person most christians imagine him to have been - nor what his teachings were. The new testament simply represents the outcome of what might best be seen as propaganda wars in which various factions sought to have their version of history prevail over the others. I strongly recommend this book to believers and non-believers alike.  Turn On the Word $13.99 An eclectic blend of musical styles are showcased in Bill Christman's first solo album and highlighted on such tracks as "Brake these Chains" and "Stand up for Righteousness".Mr. Christman's Bristish Pop roots come to the forefront with "House on Fire" enabling him to deliver a true affirmation of his faith.Tight chops, riveting bass, smooth harmonies and a solid horn section will make you want to Stand up and Turn on the Word! Well worth listening to his message! |
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