The publication on Nov. 12, 2014 of the book I co-wrote with Prof. Barrie Wilson, The Lost Gospel: Decoding the Ancient Text that Reveals Jesus’ Marriage to Mary the Magdalene, has caused a worldwide theological firestorm, including demonstrations in India. I was even the butt of one of Bill O’Reilly’s attacks and have challenged him to an on-air debate. So far, he’s demurred.
I think the reason for all this negativity is that the proof for the
historical marriage between Jesus of Nazareth and the woman known as
Mary the Magdalene has become overwhelming. Even before our findings,
everything — everything — pointed to a marriage, and nothing — nothing —
argued for Jesus’ celibacy. The only thing that continues to argue for
Jesus’ celibacy is 2000 years of theological bullying. This may come as a
shock to most people, but the fact is that none of the four Gospels say
that Jesus was celibate. The Gospels call Jesus “Rabbi” (Matthew 26:49,
Mark 10:51, John 20:16). Rabbis, then as now, are married. If Jesus
wasn’t married, someone would have noticed.
The greatest promoter of celibacy for Christians was Paul. On every
other matter of Jewish law — and Paul was a Jew called Saul at birth —
Paul was lax. He threw out Kosher laws, ignored Sabbath observance and
prayed that the hands of ritual circumcisers shake so that they cut off
their own penises when they perform circumcision (Galatians 5:12). Only
when it came to sex Paul was more severe than Moses and Jesus put
together. Why? The answer may lie in Paul’s background.
As everyone knows, “Paul of Tarsus” came from Tarsus, an area of modern-day Turkey. What people don’t know is that in the Tarsus of Paul’s day they worshipped a god named Attis. Perhaps not coincidentally, Attis was a dying and resurrecting god. He was called “the Good Shepard”, and his earliest depictions show him with a sheep across his shoulders. All these images were later incorporated into the iconography of Paul’s version of Christianity. Put simply, Paul’s Jesus looks a lot like Attis.
As everyone knows, “Paul of Tarsus” came from Tarsus, an area of modern-day Turkey. What people don’t know is that in the Tarsus of Paul’s day they worshipped a god named Attis. Perhaps not coincidentally, Attis was a dying and resurrecting god. He was called “the Good Shepard”, and his earliest depictions show him with a sheep across his shoulders. All these images were later incorporated into the iconography of Paul’s version of Christianity. Put simply, Paul’s Jesus looks a lot like Attis.
Read more here:
Jesus' Marriage to Mary the Magdalene Is Fact, Not Fiction | HuffPost
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