: Yeah, and that ain't all. While Lark's analysis is consistent with the pragmatic meaning of the term 'pharisees' as it is used in modern Christian teaching (i.e. taken to mean "overly rule conscious", "hypocritical" "illegitimate authority" etc.) the ACTUAL Pharisees were a moderate branch of Judaism at the time, and like Jesus, anti-Roman. They were comparatively cosmopolitan, liberal. They believed in applying the law in a reasonable manner. The ones who were inflexible, fundamentalist and nationalists were the priestly caste,
the Saducees.Oh, yeah, sure, I was just using the term 'Pharisee' in a general sense, apologies to all Jews present, in the same fashion as some people bandy about the term 'liberal'.
: Jesus' teachings echo a part of a third sect of Judaism, the Essenes, but Jesus was almost certainly not one. Essene writings were apocalyptic and militaristic (like some of Jesus' teaching) but also narrow and bigoted (and there are very few examples of Jesus being bigoted--Matthew 15 being one, but he changed his mind). Historians think John the Baptist to have been an Essene and if you know anything about John the Baptist, you know that he was one wild sumbitch.
I really like the Essenes teaching, I've been to see the dead sea scrolls, what the exhibition left out though was the discovery of scrolls that seem to suggest that a Mr.Christ turned up a few days after having floated up into the sky and lived with them for a while before leaving.
: Jesus' betrayal and subsequent crucifixion represent a very rare example of cooperation between the Pharisees and the Saducees. The contours of their arguments could be and example of what Freud called "the narcissism of small differences", a lesson which has immense applications in the Capitalism room.
You are a smart man, dude, I think I could learn from you.
: Cheers Lark.
You know me? Who are you Friend? Are you a comrade or a friendly opponent? I assume your not an outright enamy?
: P.S. Have you gotten a copy of "The Gnostic Gospels"? I'm anxious to hear what you think
Oh, are you the guy who recommend me that book? I've not got it yet, it's on order but I wait in anticipation for the arrival of my copy in the Uni bookshop.
