So Jesus took a wife

[kalniel]

are sending a pretty coherent message that is not really open to interpretation, right?

Why are you brining up tenants of Judaism in a thread about Jesus? Yes, the Isrealites had a lot of laws to follow. No, we don't need to follow them any more - read a bit further in the Bible and it explains why.

[Zak33]

So

Assuming that a bloke called Jesus, who may or may not have looked anything like a white man with a long beard... was wandering around 2000 years ago, mending up the sick, and being reborn in caves after his death...

Do the Christians in the thread believe he was married... or not?

I'm not looking for "he might have been" or "it's possible, but it doesn't matter"

because Religion is about Faith, and Faith is about belief.
(I'll not agree with the proof stuff of his existing because... well.. we've done that to death.. his death prolly, poor bloke.. if he existed and IF he';s looking down, he must hate the interwebs!)

What do you BELIEVE? Do you believe, in your heart, that Jesus was or wasn't married?

Not .. did it make a difference... but do you think he was? or wasn't?

[Unique]

Yes, those two points are part of 19:19, but:

"neither shall there come upon on you a garment made of two kinds of material."

"neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee."

"'Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material."

"nor wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together."

"Never wear clothes made from two kinds of material."

are sending a pretty coherent message that is not really open to interpretation, right?

but without reading and translating the original text and understanding what was going on a the time it's easy to read something that looks clear and interpret it as meaning something completely different to what it meant originally. perhaps that is what it meant, but there was a reason behind it at the time, which is no longer relevant. perhaps it meant something completely different. if you take the other examples, they seem to make some sense, but that one doesn't, so it suggests there is more to it than simply following the instruction blindly. perhaps it was a common sense thing at the time that those materials didn't mix well or created problems, made you too hot in the heat when working, you never know

[kalniel]

So

Assuming that a bloke called Jesus, who may or may not have looked anything like a white man with a long beard... was wandering around 2000 years ago, mending up the sick, and being reborn in caves after his death...

Do the Christians in the thread believe he was married... or not?

I'm not looking for "he might have been" or "it's possible, but it doesn't matter"

because Religion is about Faith, and Faith is about belief.
(I'll not agree with the proof stuff of his existing because... well.. we've done that to death.. his death prolly, poor bloke.. if he existed and IF he';s looking down, he must hate the interwebs!)

What do you BELIEVE? Do you believe, in your heart, that Jesus was or wasn't married?

Not .. did it make a difference... but do you think he was? or wasn't?

I don't know.

[Galant]

If paintings didnt matter, then why so much effort made to display them ,as large as possible inside churches etc ( Many of which were done by the greatest painters of the day , and couldnt of been cheap )

Why were churches themselves designed to amply sound and littered with religious symbolism everywhere you looked ( in case you happened to forget where you were ) which even included having stained glass windows so you couldnt look out ?

Why was it too that churches where often the tallest buildings in the cities or towns ?

If art didnt matter or the power to use it to trap someones attention and impose a sense of awe or fear, Religion sure had funny way of showing it ..

m

How about beauty? Reflection? You're putting the cart before the horse. Art is art. It's uses are well known. Christian theology includes a focus on creativity and art. The creation of beautiful things is a good and worthwhile pursuit beneficial to humanity. Of course, it can also become a matter of greed or boasting - of bling! In the end, with art, people's motives for creating and displaying it may vary, just as people's approaches towards, use of, and response to art will vary. To say it's all bad is rather cynical. Is the patronage and creation and display of art always bad? If not, then that too will apply to different religious people and groups just as with any other.

[Galant]

He wasn't.

The Scriptures state that He had no home of his own. If that was the case where was His wife? Additionally, marriage is viewed positively in the Bible (despite the practises of some groups which have gone out contrary to Biblical teaching) and contrary to the practises of the era the New Testament, and especially the ministry of Jesus, gave a prominent place to women. It would have been no shame to have a wife in that time, it appears Jesus or the Gospel writers would have had no problem with it. Many other women are recorded in relationship to Jesus, and also as present at His crucifixion. Why would His wife not be there also?
Additionally, in theological terms, Christ's not pursuing a wife makes sense if He was who He said He was.

There is simply no reason to attribute a wife to Him without wanting to also push some other agenda.

[cam1986]

I am a catholic and say if he had a wife then so be it. I think all catholic priests should be able to marry.

[MadduckUK]

Why are you brining up tenants of Judaism in a thread about Jesus? Yes, the Isrealites had a lot of laws to follow. No, we don't need to follow them any more - read a bit further in the Bible and it explains why.

read a bit back in the thread and it explains why.

I am a catholic and say if he had a wife then so be it. I think all catholic priests should be able to marry.

Marry what? Young boys?

[melon]

How about beauty? Reflection? You're putting the cart before the horse. Art is art. It's uses are well known. Christian theology includes a focus on creativity and art. The creation of beautiful things is a good and worthwhile pursuit beneficial to humanity.

Art & Creativity is not hiring the top talent of the day to promote your business, thats advertising or propaganda - whether your pagan , catholic or something else.

Its even debatable whether some of that talent they hired were religious at all , but merely putting up niceties to win commissions so they could earn living - or avoid persecution , or worse.

Now if you were to use Tolkien or C S Lewis then Id see your point, but they are the exceptions not the rule ,or indicative of some legacy of Christian Theology or faith thats manifested itself as form of expression in the Arts.

Your statement Art is Art make no sense either , I could say the same for anything including Christian faith without someone there to create ,or use it, it is not something that exists without us to use it. ( Until we find other intelligent life who do the same )

Religion is a human interpretation and tool just like everything else - there was no Christian faith before man , but there were other faiths before Christianity with the same stories they later claimed as their own.

m

[TeePee]

So

Assuming that a bloke called Jesus, who may or may not have looked anything like a white man with a long beard... was wandering around 2000 years ago, mending up the sick, and being reborn in caves after his death...

Do the Christians in the thread believe he was married... or not?

I'm not looking for "he might have been" or "it's possible, but it doesn't matter"

because Religion is about Faith, and Faith is about belief.
(I'll not agree with the proof stuff of his existing because... well.. we've done that to death.. his death prolly, poor bloke.. if he existed and IF he';s looking down, he must hate the interwebs!)

What do you BELIEVE? Do you believe, in your heart, that Jesus was or wasn't married?

Not .. did it make a difference... but do you think he was? or wasn't?

Good question. The problem Christians have with this is that everything is in the bible. The religion relies on the bible as a single source of 'historical' information.

The true Zealots won't change one iota of their beliefs for any reason. They will instantly respond that he isn't, and say that because she isn't mentioned in their version of the bible she can't have existed.

[MadduckUK]

Perhaps when mine and kalniel I-V backwards religion thing takes off we can employ some creative talent to bulk up the background lore a bit, what do you think kalniely?

[Zak33]

He wasn't.

I don't know

any others?

[TAKTAK]

[MadduckUK]

[peterb]

All he is missing is the cape.

[MadduckUK]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19656649

Faith leaders across England in 'HIV healing' claims