The Nativity Story - Fact or Fiction?
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The Nativity Story - Fact or Fiction?
| Sat, 12-02-2006 - 5:50pm |
There's been a lot of buzz about the movie "The Nativity" which has pulled in a C+ from the critics. Have you seen or are you going to see it?
What do you think about the story? Believe it happened that way? Or is it fabricated for effect?
** Remember, this is just for lively discussion and everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether or not you agree with it!
Bink
Not really into Siggees...
Not all who wander are lost.
(J.R.R. Tolkien)

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It is whatever we believe it to be. You believe I'm judgemental, that's none of my business (because it's YOUR belief). I believe you give up easily, and it's none of your concern (because it's MY belief.) There's nothing we can do about each other's belief yet we are free to express them all the same. What is inescapable is that there is human reasoning at some level behind anyone's choice of belief, a keyword is choice.
Whatever you believe, that exactly what you WILL get.
And.... by others stating without you calling them on it - that the nativity story is folklore and fiction is demonstrative of acceptance and validation of each other's journey that we strive for on this board? Let me get this straight, we strive to be accepting of one another's journey EXCEPT if they are Christian or Catholic Christian? Do you consider that the challenging of Christ's birth as fact or fiction stirs or is in the spirit of acceptance? Or was the question deliberately setup to stir a spirit of debate, encouraging the nay sayers, bring forth defenders of the belief in Christ's birth, life, death, AND resurrection - which by the way may be the backbone of people's entire belief system, their own JOURNEY if you will. Bink, look at YOUR subject title. It begs for controversy on the board. Are you really saying that as long as it's traditional Christianity it's a free-for-all? Where's the acceptance/validation of each other's journey? Sounds a little like discrimination to me.
-Mimi
The discussions in this thread are interesting and certainly timely and it's a thread we'd like to keep open.
I just read through this thread, and would like to respectfully point out that Abraham Lincoln was born and died at a time when history was recorded in a timely fashion. From what I recall learning in my (Catholic) high school religion class(es), Biblical accounts were written well AFTER they actually occurred. That to me is the difference...
And with that being said, I'll also point out that I'm not arguing about whether Jesus truly lived, just the difference between Lincoln as a "historical figure" and Jesus as a "historical figure". One is far easier to "prove", "confirm", etc because history was actually recorded as it happened, rather than being passed down orally and then written down many years later.
http://www.barr-family.com/godsword/books.htm
http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20030227.html
So what you're saying is simply that one is easier to prove than the other. Ease of proving. That is true. Would you agree that being "easy or hard to prove" does not make something true (or untrue)? OJ Simpson is a perfect example.
Oh well, enough about that.
Stream of conciousness moment.... and I'm definately not asking anyone to disprove or defend..... Funny how you NEVER hear people challenge whether Noah, Moses, King Solomon, or Esther, for example, really lived being from the Old Testament. No one ever tries to challenge whether cavemen lived. Nor Buddha, nor anyone from ancient China. Even the 12 apostles and Mary mother of Jesus get a "yup they were real" pass. Heck even aliens from outer space get that pass. Interesting that the one person who's life on earth is EVER chosen purposefully to cast doubt about is Jesus Christ himself. The star of the show, who changed the ENTIRE world. The reason people all over the globe get to take time off on Dec 25th and Easter Sunday. (Funny how nobody gets ticked off that they have that time off either.) It's not that anyone would actually dare say with all their heart and mind that he did NOT live, not really, it's really more a concerted effort to cast doubt, just that, cast doubt.
Doubt is the kissing cousin of fear. And both doubt and fear are the opposites of hope and love.
Along my own journey this is just another observation or.... things that make me go "Hmmm."
Edited 12/10/2006 1:24 pm ET by finding_mimo
I didn't see a single post that would remotely suggest that anyone thought Jesus never lived or wasn't a real person.
Funny how you NEVER hear people challenge whether Noah, Moses, King Solomon, or Esther, for example, really lived being from the Old Testament.
I have to disagree Mimi... I have heard argument that the whole Noah-and-the-flood story was made up.
because the teachings 30 years later in Jesus' life are the important part.
And equally valid whether you believe in his divinity or not.
Some things I have found helpful when dealing with sensitive subjects on boards that are not board related are:
Agreeing to disagree
Owning my belief and path ( I believe this--not this is absolute fact)
Courtesy
Realizing that the names on the screen are real people
Edited 12/11/2006 6:55 pm ET by finding_mimo
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