Do you believe that 2007 will have the second coming of Jesus Christ?

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I hope not, as that would mean that me and most of my other friends are almost certainly doomed to hell.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

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Perhaps because, until recently, the western interest in the Islamic world was an esoteric intellectual taste?

Also note unlike Jesus actual known political history has been attributed to Mohammed; the rise of Islamic imperalism in the 100 years after his supposed death. Trying to explain that without reference to 'Mohammed' is rather difficult, no?

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Well, not in the same way I 'know' I am typing on the computer right now.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Also note unlike Jesus actual known political history has been attributed to Mohammed;

Though on the other hand (no... probably just a different finger) expecting to find known political history that was the direct result of the activities of the preacher son of a carpenter living in a largely illiterate society two thousand years ago is a little silly.

Err Yes, that is my point.

Bono compared the evidence for Jesus to the evidence to Mohammed, implying that the story of Mohammed is believed by Westerners (Whoever they are) not due to evidence but because of OMG POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OMG!!1111. I was merely refuting that. Anyway I tend to strongly believe that Jesus actually existed - even if the events of his life as told in the gospels are probably fabricated - since the alternative is to imply that someone made him up.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

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I know; what I got across from your post is that you believe Mohammed is given some reputation as 'untouchable' by western writers due to a supposed Islamic Sympathy? Or perhaps that was my imagination.

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True; but the expansion of Christanity was not a military event unlike Islam. Europe did not turn Christian under a force of arms; unlike say, Iran. In the Koran Mohammed leads conquests which almost certainly did occur; plotting the historical movements of troops on the globe is much easier to decipher than the early history of what was, an underground and much persecuted sect.

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I don't think my worldview is particularly commendable. All I report is how I perceive it (or at least I try to), bring other factors into it without skepticism just leads to worst kinds of absolutism. How can we judge one person's opinion on a nebelous human concept - 'religion', 'ethics', 'morality', etc - over another if both people are use external and unprovable forces such as god as justification.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

True; but the expansion of Christanity was not a military event unlike Islam. Europe did not turn Christian under a force of arms; unlike say, Iran.

Most of Europe did, actually.

Yeah, 300+ years after Christ's death. Not quite the same thing. Though I admit I probably should shut up now - my late-Roman Empire knowledge isn't great.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

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Oooopsss... (actually my imagination here perhaps proves my later point.. interesting. )

Anyway as I have already said I do believe that Jesus was a real person; even though as an agnostic I believe that most of his life stories as set in the gospels are fabricated (even ignoring the 'godly' stuff: How likely is it that Pilate would have met with Jesus before his execution? All that attention on a minor prophet - do you know how many of those there were in Judea at the time?)

Though I believe that the fabrication took place well before the gospels were written.

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Probably Culture. Though I'm just speculating here tbh. I admit when I say "I just don't know".

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Perhaps 'know' is too clunky a word. I have received knowledge that Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo and that knowledge is known to reliable and true as written in both primary and secondary sources. But I don't 'know' that in the same way, I know what I ate this morning. Damn English language.