What Did Jesus Really Say – How Christianity Went Astray – What To Say To A Born Again Christian Fundamentalist But Never Had The Information
No dogma please. And hold the mustard. For something to be called Christianity, it should be based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Jesus never said he needed to die for our sins so we could be "saved." Only Paul and John make this claim. Christianity has therefore become a form of Paulism and Johnism that emphasize the Savior aspect of Jesus.
But Paul had never met or heard Jesus teach, and John tells a story that's so different from the other disciples that we must seriously question him as a source.
Did you also know there are two different biblical stories about how Judas dies?
And Mary Magdalene wasn't a prostitute until the Pope made her one in the sixth century.
Pope Urban II even made killing non-Christians acceptable in the eleventh century.
Born Again Christian, President George W. Bush, also believes in the "Rapture" and the "End of Times." See why this should be alarming.
Other subjects include ancient Buddhist records about Jesus traveling to India and studying Buddhism. Jesus may even have studied and practiced Kabbalah.
Subsequently, What Did Jesus Really Say is an easy to read introduction that also reflects on God, Karma, Buddhism, Kabbalah, Reincarnation, Politics, and even Astrophysics.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars I found this book very interesting and well-written.
I found this book very interesting and well-written. I encourage anyone reading this book to listen to what Cayce has to say. I've also done some research and checked some of the author's sources. Cayce is both consistent and informative. He also tends to reinforce his arguments throughout the book for emphasis. The reoccurring theme is that the New Testament has flaws and that Paul and John may have gotten it wrong. Regardless, Jesus' message still seems to come through. For Born Again Christians who are either in denial or who have an unwillingness to face the New Testament problems that Cayce presents, this book may be upsetting. His logic is often hard to argue with. Cayce simply does a good job of looking at Jesus without all the fluff that Christianity has bestowed on him. Cayce's points are reasonable and his conclusions seem well-thought out. Definitely worth reading.
4 Stars Interesting material. A good presentation.
I heard a radio interview with Peter Cayce and liked what I heard. I then
decided to order the book and was equally impressed. Easy to read. Succinct. Clearly written. Interesting points. Easy to understand.
During the interview, Mr. Cayce explained how his book could be read in part or in whole. "Read one chapter (or individual chapters) or read the entire book," he said. "Read as little or as much as you want. Like the New Testament itself."
I have to agree. I initially read two of the chapters I was most interested in. I then went back and read the whole book. I'm now reading the book second time and am still finding interesting information.
I also like the fact that Jesus is never denigrated. Some Born Again Christian web sites have claimed that this book is anti-Jesus and should not be read, but this is untrue. Peter Cayce's book is actually pro-Jesus. Mr. Cayce actually shows a good deal of respect for Jesus. His book simply points out that Christian Fundamentalists have gotten it wrong by using the overzealous interpretations of Paul the Apostle and the disciple John. Unfortunately, 50% of the New Testament was written (or ascribed to) by Paul and John, yet Paul had never met Jesus, and John tells such a different account of Jesus that we must seriously doubt his accuracy.
For example, if you have 4 witnesses in a court of law and 3 of them tell the same basic story, and one does not, then you should probably give less emphasis to that 4th witness since his story is so different. Mr. Cayce points out that the New Testament basically has four Gospel "witnesses" (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). 3 of these "witnesses" tell the same basic story. One does not.
Matthew, Mark and Luke are the 3 "witnesses" that tell the same basic story. John is the "witness" that does not.
So we need to seriously question the reliability of John. And once again, Paul had never even met Jesus. Yet most bible quoting Christians today are always quoting from the New Testament books of Paul and John.
Interesting material. A good presentation. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Jesus but who might have problems with the teachings that the church has been force-feeding us since childhood.
4 Stars This book is definitely worth reading.
This book is definitely worth reading. I've read a lot of books on this subject and have to admit that some of these authors have a tendency to be sarcastic. Cayce doesn't approach Jesus this way. He has a healthy respect for the individual called Jesus. Nevertheless, he remains neutral, without a negative agenda, and tries to respect the religious convictions of Born Again Christians even while disagreeing with them. Quite simply, Cayce has a genuine scholarly interest in Christianity and in Jesus. It is also unlikely that Christian Fundamentalist will read this book with an open mind, but a lot of Born Again Christians could find it enlightening. The gospels were written decades after the death of Jesus and it's unlikely that they represent first-hand accounts of Jesus' life. There were also many different variations of early Christianity and numerous gospels and writings circulated at that time, reflecting a wide range of interpretations of who Jesus was. These writings show the different theological interests and competing agendas of early Christians. The four New Testament gospels also contradict each other, significantly at times, and no originals have been found. Most interesting is how the gospels and other writings of the New Testament were altered by scribes over hundreds of years. Some changes were accidental while others were likely deliberate. Cayce's book discusses many of these issues while still acknowledging and recognizing the basic message of Jesus. I highly recommend it. A good read.
4 Stars An interesting book
I've had a few friends who became Born Again Christians. Unfortunately they've been trying to convert me as well. I've got nothing against Born Again Jesus people. I actually have a lot of respect for the individual called Jesus. Just leave me out of this born again stuff.
This book gave me just the right bit of information to keep my overzealous Christian friends at bay. After reading this book, I now also understand why my friends are so fanatical about converting me. Fortunately, they now tend to leave me alone since they don't have answers to my questions (questions that I got from Cayce's book). Thanks for the information Mr. Cayce.
This book is actually quite good and is different from other books of this genre in that it is less about boring biblical analysis and more about 'What To Say To A Born Again Christian Fundamentalist, But Never Had The Information.'
4 Stars I was very impressed with the author's insight
I was very impressed with the author's insight, wisdom and knowledge. Like many others, I find it troublesome that so many Christians believe their way is the only way (the "correct" religion) and that everyone else has got it wrong. In contrast, Buddhist practitioners are very open and accepting of all religions as long as they are based on love and compassion. Jesus also taught about love and compassion, but those who profess to be Christians often lack this love and compassion. Christians can even be quite judgmental.
Jesus wanted us to love one another. He wanted us to know that we could find God within. By doing this, we can have the presence of God in our daily lives and experience the peace that comes with this relationship. In other words, Jesus taught that we are endowed with the light and love of God. We simply need to look inside and nurture it. "The Kingdom of God is Within Us".
Mr. Cayce's book is very well written. It is insightful. It's actually a good book to share with friends. It's also a good book to re-read every so often. Cayce's way of looking at Jesus might just be what's missing in Christianity today. The only drawback is that I wanted more, but that's the sign of a good book. Isn't it?
I therefore recommend this book and look forward to more insightful material from Peter Cayce in the future.
Related posts:
- What Did Jesus Really Say – How Christianity Went Astray What To Say To A Born Again Christian Fundamentalist But Never Had The Information
- Born Fundamentalist – Born Again Catholic
- Born Fundamentalist Born Again Catholic
- Born Divine – The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God
- Lord Jesus Christ – Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity
- The Aryan Jesus – Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi Germany
- Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews – A Jewish Life and the Emergence of Christianity
- Christian No More | On Leaving Christianity – Debunking Christianity and Embracing Atheism and Freethinking
- Christian Fundamentalist News Roundup
- The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus – The Definitive Collection of Mystical Gospels and Secret Books about Jesus of Nazareth
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