Jesus also said some rather disturbing stuff according to the NT, but most of it in the form of parables, so people can wiggle out if they make some mental gymnastics. At the same time these verses can be (and have been...extensively) used to justify violence.
Unfortunately people of all religions can twist sciptures to suit their own hate filled violent tendicies.
Well he (pops) allegedly allowed some dudes to nail him to a cross, just like many other people. Romans really liked to nail people to crosses; it was like a hobby for them.
I guess the apostles didn't focus on the "God punished His only son for being a sanctimonious prick" angle in the gospels. Doesn't play quite as well as "sacrificing His son for your immortal souls" when fishing for followers.
Sanctimonious? 2 At dawn he (Jesus) appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
First a side point that is irrelevant to the mythical Jesus character we have created over the centuries, but it's interesting nonetheless: This particular Jesus episode is very likely a later addition to the Gospel of John (which itself is a late addition to the gospel canon). It's missing from the oldest texts we have and its writing style differs from the rest of the gospel. So one of the best known and most quoted Bible passages is most probably a later addition. Secondly though, I always wondered about the theological implications of this passage. After all, Jesus makes clear that he has sinned before.
That is why I should not post after Newcastle #4 (usually my wife unplugs the keyboard). My apologies to YankHibee.
i wasn't going to respond to this, but i think it's worth a shot: a)i didn't imply that anyone in this particular thread made any specific statement about Jesus in the post you quoted. b)i didn't suggest that a majority of atheists think Jesus never existed. c)in the course of history, some people who have said that Jesus never existed are atheists. to suggest otherwise would be laughable. that's what i said, and it made sense...