Let down again

[archaeobob]

Even though I was afraid (we've already had too many kitties poisoned and the loss of my shop to Christian Arson is a blow from which we have never recovered), I wrote a letter to the editor regarding bullying. They've been having a big series on it and a lot of political brouhaha about the topic every since some girls bullied a young lady in this

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[archaeobob]

The Unitarians are a world better (especially when they're both Unitarian and Universalist). I'd heard all the usual slander against them, but after going there a couple of times discovered that the exact same questions that had been bothering me about the Bible - they'd already asked and answered generations ago. I learned a history of the church that isn't taught in the other churches... and it's not pretty. The big-name "stars" for instance... well, Calvin gave a Unitarian theologian (Michael Servetus) a guarantee of safe conduct in order to debate with him... and shortly after he showed up in the country, had him burned alive at the stake for heresy. (If I remember right Calvin also denounced the "Lord's Prayer" as an instrument leading to hell.) Calvinists are STILL embarrassed at Servetus' murder - that is if they'd ever been told about it. Luther... became enraged when people said that forcing others to convert was a sin (that's why he persecuted the Anabaptists so severely). He wasn't at all friendly with anyone hinting at being Unitarian, much less Universalist. I also learned more about what Arian taught in the early church... he was Unitarian in a sense and I think far more likely to be onto the truth than those who demonized him (and those that agreed with him). The early Christians were actually more Unitarian in belief (the more mainstream churches have admitted to this)... the "Jesus is God" stuff came decades if not centuries later.

Personally, I like some of what Jesus said... and wonder if the things I don't like were put in his mouth. Many of the sayings attributed to him would NEVER have been said by a Rabbi of the time... and the things I like were being taught by other famous Rabbis of that period. I've wondered about the Miracles... and Sue said one time when we talked about it that it could be because he was so close to the divine. There was another famous Rabbi in the same time frame who also is said to have performed many miracles... and he taught pretty much a lot of what Jesus taught (but was never proclaimed "Son of God" and made more than human).

However, after the things we've been put through... I just can't accept Jesus any more, except maybe as a Jewish Rabbi from 2000 years ago (which is what he was after all).

[archaeobob]

I should add... centuries ago, one of the countries in eastern Europe became Unitarian... and was one of the first "Christian" countries to accept and practice religious tolerance. I've read in a couple of places about that... although it doesn't seem to be common knowledge.

Non-Christians were as a rule far more tolerant, although often suspicious of anything "new" (e.g. the Romans). I know that for many years Islam was highly tolerant of Jews and Christians, but quickly grew tired of the Christians of the day (starting about the second Crusade) and soon hostile. The Jews were far more tolerated there than people realize.