Judas Saves; Why the lost gospel makes sense (Christopher Hitchens)

slate ^ | Ap 13 06 | Christopher Hitchens

[churchillbuff]

Also, the idea that containment can't keep a dictator in check is belied by Reagan's policy toward the Soviets. He defeated them by containing them, not by invading them.

[Alexander Rubin]

Moses is just overseeing that the terms of Abraham's contract continue to be met. ;)

[nosofar]

Judas as saint makes sense if that's the worldview you wish to justify. If you choose to adhere to the most authentic and reliable documents, though, Judas is no saint. Funny how there is a continual effort to justify and rationalize the actions of Judas as being a good thing. It was certainly part of the plan, but that doesn't make Judas any more forgiveable. We could claim any crime was ultimately part of some plan to justify that crime.

[Old Professer]

Hitchens' mastery of the written word, coupled with his stentorial, though often slurred, oratory gives the lie to the cliche, "God-given talent."

[Fiji Hill]

...until approximately 30 years after 1945, when the Vatican finally acquitted the Jews of the charge of Christ-killing.

One of the basic tenets of Christianity is that Jesus had to go to the cross to atone for our sins. Doesn't that make all of us Christ-killers?

Died he for me? Who caused his pain!
For me? Who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Charles Wesley, 1739

[nosofar]

Let's bring back Gnosticism and call it Hitchenism.

What do you mean 'bring back'? It's been here all along.

[Old Professer]

Because windmills are scarce in this sotted age.

[churchillbuff]

Catholicism is Christian. To suggest the two are different is insulting to Catholics"""

Yes, Catholicism is Christian, but Christianity is bigger than just Catholicism, and Hitchens seems to hate both the larger body of Christianity as a whole, and the Catholic Church within that body.

[Petronski]

He defeated them by containing them, not by invading them.

He defeated them by putting Pershings in Europe and launching the SDI program. The Reagan Doctrine was a direct rejection of containment and the Brezhnev Doctrine.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

That's exactly what it sounds like.

[Antoninus]

Poor Christopher. He seems like a good guy, but he's just asking to fry.

The question is, will his haughtiness survive right up until the point of his death. For many, it doesn't.

Pray for him.

[Nathan Zachary]

Sure you can.

If you think the moon and star banner was Islamic, You'd be wrong. Muhammad adopted many local pagan rituals and symbols into his new cult. The moon God was worshipped long before Muhammad showed up. In fact that's where the name "allah" comes from. It's a contraction of "al-ilah `ta ala" which means "The god most high". Contrary to journalistic error, "allah" is not a word for God. it''s the NAME of the Islamic ilah(god) As you can see, and is repeated over 54 times in the Kran, "ilah" is the arabic word for god.

[churchillbuff]

He defeated them by putting Pershings in Europe and launching the SDI program. The Reagan Doctrine was a direct rejection of containment and the Brezhnev Doctrine."""

Yes, a military buildup. No invasion, however. They lost without us firing a shot. (Unless you count Grenada, which was basically a weekend-long rescue operation)

[nosofar]

Isn't it one of the rules of writing that a person should write on topics that he knows something about?

Only for people you disagree with. There are way too many people of all political and philosophical pursuasions that write what they don't know about, but how do you know they don't know about it if you don't know about it either? And how do you know you know about something; maybe you just *think* you know. It all comes down to whether you agree with it or not.

[Antoninus]

Hitchens' mastery of the written word, coupled with his stentorial, though often slurred, oratory gives the lie to the cliche, "God-given talent."

No it doesn't. God provided the talent. Hitchens chooses to misuse it in the service of evil. He said "non serviam" to God, just like his master.

[steve-b]

The Judas gospel would make one huge difference if it was accepted. It would dispel the centuries of anti-Semitic paranoia that were among the chief accompaniments of the Easter celebration until approximately 30 years after 1945, when the Vatican finally acquitted the Jews of the charge of Christ-killing.

Oh, puh-leeze. The Gnostic doctrine that the Old Testament "Jehovah" was, at best, a "sorceror's apprentice" demi-god or, at worst, a demon, is as anti-Semetic as the worst elements of orthodox Christendom.

[churchillbuff]

Hitchens does have amazing talent as a writer. Eloquence such as Milton gives Satan, in Paradise Lost.

[steve-b]

IOW somwone 1500 years ago came up with a cool forgery which was discredited.

However, Dan Rather and Mary Mapes still vouch for its authenticity.

[churchillbuff]

BTW, Hitchens' brother, Peter, is a conservative Christian (Anglican or Roman Catholic, I can't remember which)

[Antoninus]

Hitchens does have amazing talent as a writer. Eloquence such as Milton gives Satan, in Paradise Lost.

Sure he does. There is no shortage of people in history who used amazing talent and abilities in the service of evil.