The God Who Wasn't There
Former fundamentalist Christian Brian Flemming places the core concepts of his former religion under the microscope in a documentary that attempts to do for religion what Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me did for the fast-food industry. In his bold quest to seek answers to the difficult questions that few are willing to pose, Fleming is joined by Deconstructing Jesus author Robert M. Price, renowned historian Richard Carrier, and The End of Faith author Sam Harris.
From the ignorance of many contemporary Christians as to the origin of their religion to the striking similarities between Jesus Christ and the deities worshipped by ancient pagan cults and the Christian obsession with blood and violence, this faith-shaking documentary explores the many mysteries of the Christian faith as never before.
This documentary argues the "mythicist" case in the historical Jesus debate. This position says that Jesus of Nazareth wasn't a real person but a fiction based on Jewish scriptures and mystery religions of the Roman Empire. It doesn't make sense to talk about a "real" Jesus - there wasn't any. This documentary has good information but could have been better produced - any high school student could have done a better job.
Wait, we should question vicarious punishment/redemption via human ritualistic sacrifice predated by animal sacrifice to appease an imaginary being for something two imaginary people did that wasn’t really all that bad after being deceived by a talking serpent?
Why or rather he coukd s loving merciful God send the majority of his creation to a eternal damnation. Omnipotent God knowing the future that man couldn't follow his commands knowing full well the outcome..
A jealous blood thirsty cruel God.
Ok, anybody that's going to tell ME, GOD and JESUS CHRIST, ARE ALIEN'S?! And ANYONE who believes in, THIS NONSENSE, YOU NEED HELP!!
My comment is "awaiting moderation"??????
So much for the free exchange of ideas in the 21st century. Be afraid....very afraid
Paul doesn't know anything of the life of Jesus besides three events??
All the Gospels besides Mark are derived from Mark?
Paul didn't believe Christ was a real person?
Please...........
You do know Paul was a aware of a tradition of Jesus that none of the Gospels mention. It is Paul and Paul only who quotes Christ's saying "It is more blessed to give than receive" Acts 20:35
You do remember that Paul received the Gospel years before connecting at all with the Jerusalem Church but when he did, he was in full agreement with them!! Gal. 2:1-10 and Acts 15
Paul didn't think Jesus was a real person? Laughable....1 Corinthians 15:17
If there are myth makers, surely their names are Price, Carrier and Harris.
Religion ain't the problem. Supernaturalism (religion as known) IS the problem. True, valid ethical religion MUST be 100% true. All supernaturalism is knowably and consistently mistake, bogus, wrong. Get rid of the poison supernaturalistic part(s) and everything worx and is aOk by every measure, all things considered, for all good intents and purposes. It's not religion but aeriously erroneous and flawed suppernaturalism that is the cause and culprit in all cases of bad religion(s).
Organized religion is a mental illness !!!
Hell is an outrage on humanity. When you tell me that your deity made you in his image, I reply that he must have been very ugly! ;Victor Hugo
Life can be so delightfully simple. By all means, be spiritual. Walk into nature and experience the holiness of it all.
Religion? Now there is trouble with a capital 'T'. Steer clear of it.
Don't pray to their God and don't pay their Taxes. They are evil to the core. They will kill you eventually or one of their competitors will.
There are many of them for it is a lucrative business.
Peace be with you.
Karl
Despite all of the requests here and elsewhere for any proof of any religion at all, not one iota of proof has ever been produced. People still "believe" and have "faith". Both of those meas "accepting as true that for which there is no supporting evidence and even much contrary evidence." How intelligent is that?
It might be evidence that evolution in intelligence has not been equally effective.
The fact that people actually "BELIEVE" this Bible Jesus Christ stuff is shocking indeed.
To "BELIEVE" you must accept without having a direct connection with the truth. Thus you are accepting something while being located at a distance from the actual truth. Thus if you stick to your "BELIEFS" then you stick to being located at a distance from the truth, and do so forever. Thus in the long run, the truth loses since everyone avoids it by permanently staying away from it.
Thus any religious believers in turn by being believers condemn the truth thus condemn God.
The proof of this is that if you present true proof of the existence of God to such "BELIEVERS" they will spit at it and shun it in every way possible. Truth is condemned by them.
If you google "Bible Code Introduction 156 462" without the quotes, you can find the proof of Jesus Christ.
If you find it, click on the flashing words "Watch / Listen", and let the webpage take you on a webpage tour of such proof.
This documentary did nothing to persuade me that Jesus Christ is anything but real...it was interesting...BUT it was nothing that would cause me or any other Christian I know to lose their faith...maybe I just missed the main point...I don't know...
Yeah, I'm not gonna rave about any opinion I have cause I'm relatively uneducated, and I think some other people shouldn't either. I would suggest studying the Bible and it's opposing side completely before getting all emotional over an epiphanic discovery about whether there is or isn't a God, or whether the Bible has no credibility, etc.
Probably one of the most important documentaries ever made.
I grew up Jehovah's Witness and the first time I heard the song, "Every Single Day" it was used in a video I found on youtube about 4 years ago. Someone made a video explaining all the reasons you should NOT become a witness. I remember someone commenting on the video and stating the song was from the this movie. Never had the chance to watch until today. Needless to say, I don't know what took me so long to view this video. As a person who was taught that critical thinking is a trait of the devil, it was the very trait that made him challenge God, this video put it in the perspective my mind could process! I think it's amazing how religion can challenge everything but when it's challenged using the same method (show me the proof) they claim faith as their trump card. This position always provokes an irresistible question, "So is believing in something enough to make it real? If so, how does Santa Claus fit in with this approach?"
I really enjoyed the documentary - even though the music score was pathetic.
I grew up in a family where religion was never mentioned nor was athiesm. It wasn't until my mid twenties when I discovered what some believe to be true, religion. One of my coworkers who I became good friends with was a "born again" devoted Christian. I could tell he was passinate about his religion but I could not understand why. This was twenty years ago, during a time of my live where I really wanted to fit in with people. He was very adamant about convincing me to believe in jesus. At one point, he said something that I will never forget during a hypothetical question on what he would do if asked by god. His answer, "anything" to includ taking his own newborn sons life. I am quite sure he was telling the truth. Sorry Frank, if you're out there reading this post, I'm steal the Heathen I always was...
Roger
I made it as far as minute 14 when the narrator, trying to sound like he is giving a critical academic perspective on Jesus' life, 1.) assumes without comment that Paul authored Hebrews, 2.) quotes Hebrews 8:4 completely out of context, and 3.) reaches a ridiculous conclusion from Hebrews 8:4 which contradicts numerous passages that scholars know Paul wrote.
This is the very definition of poor scholarship.
I made it until minute 14, when the narrator, giving the appearance that he is examining Jesus' life critically and academically, 1.) assumes without discussion that Paul wrote Hebrews, 2.) then quotes Hebrews 8:4 completely out of context, and 3.) finally draws a conclusion from that one verse that contradicts a hundred other things that scholars know Paul wrote.
It's one thing to look at Christianity critically. But this is a very unscholarly attempt to do so.
Could not get through the frist half hour of this documentary. I think by now, we all get the idea that alot of what religous instituions have done to, what we still think is factual ancient text is, manipulate them for some sort of personal gain and this narrator will have people of faith realizing that "we living a lie, or rather, believing a lie".
The narrator is fatcual, he has soucres which he attempts to adequately back up his agrument. I agree that Chirstianty is not entirely based on fact, alot of the biblical stories are theological however, and this is my question.
The simalarities between all these Gods up to 33AD is astonishing to say the least. Their believes clearly derive from the same source which is the planet. This is evidence of universal common understanding and aknowlegdement of the study of celetrial bodies - astrology. How is this that, that which seemed impossible at that time, understanding cycles and the measurement of time through the movement of the sun, presessions etc could have been so factualy correct?
We shouldnt be stratching our heads falsifying what manifested from such powerful information, in fact we should expect it.
this guy is a little frustrated...the narrator...
It's crazy what people will believe to feel comfort.
The first 3 and 1/2 minutes are pure junk, exposing the amateurish producing. This is absolute tripe.
This should be a must view for everyone afflicted with the virus of religion. This and the short George Carlin skit "Religion is Bullshit" might give pause to those brainwashed from birth as I was and make them realize how empty and fruitless mysticism and supernatural fairy tales really are. I happen to be Mensan with an IQ of 148 which gives me the wherewithal to evaluate and discern fantasy from reality which probably the vast majority with even intelligence of the average doctor at 120 and certainly the average prole with his 100 IQ would not have the mental machinery to accomplish. Religion really is the worst mind virus as Arthur C. Clarke said so well.
I have to say, this guy seemed to have a personal agenda...Not really trying to inform so much as to attack. I enjoy documentaries of various outlooks and viewpoints... But you can tell when a film is sincere. When its fairly displaying information or trying to force you to an opinion. I feel this is of the latter.