This is something which I've spent a lot of time thinking about, I once asked in what was unfortunately a disrespectful manner which probably robbed what I was saying of any meaningfulness a Jesuit about it too, if they found "the bones of Christ" would there be any Christianity or any Christians?
Tolstoy in his Gospel in Brief, I think it was, said that the gospels decided for him how he ought to live and questions about an afterlife were mute to him really, it was how to live now that mattered rather than what comes next or questions about eternity, I have a lot of sympathy for that position, all the scare tactics of the various evangelists about eternity where or eternity when and stuff like that, none of it phases me, none of it resonates with me at all, I care not a jot about it, I hope that love conquers death and I can meet all my ancestors and family and friends and, importantly, my dogs and goldfish which have perished already but its not a decider of my faith.
The actual life and ministry of Jesus to me are so significant that if it were all he wrote then I think it'd be sufficient, his life, ministry and interpretation of jewish traditions, seeming negative theology but which did not deny or dismiss a supernatural dimension, all resonate strongly with me. I've read some fantastic literary takes on the tale, like Kahil Gibran's, which dont say a lot about an afterlife and resurrection.
What is your thinking, also could you say whether or not you a believer and whether or not the whole conquered death thing is that important or not to you.
Tolstoy in his Gospel in Brief, I think it was, said that the gospels decided for him how he ought to live and questions about an afterlife were mute to him really, it was how to live now that mattered rather than what comes next or questions about eternity, I have a lot of sympathy for that position, all the scare tactics of the various evangelists about eternity where or eternity when and stuff like that, none of it phases me, none of it resonates with me at all, I care not a jot about it, I hope that love conquers death and I can meet all my ancestors and family and friends and, importantly, my dogs and goldfish which have perished already but its not a decider of my faith.
The actual life and ministry of Jesus to me are so significant that if it were all he wrote then I think it'd be sufficient, his life, ministry and interpretation of jewish traditions, seeming negative theology but which did not deny or dismiss a supernatural dimension, all resonate strongly with me. I've read some fantastic literary takes on the tale, like Kahil Gibran's, which dont say a lot about an afterlife and resurrection.
What is your thinking, also could you say whether or not you a believer and whether or not the whole conquered death thing is that important or not to you.