--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "John" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > > <snip> > > > I know that many people don't like to consider this, > > > and find some comfort or inspiration in believing > > > that Christ was NOT human, and that he was somehow > > > "divine" and the literal Son Of God. > > > > Actually, Christian doctrine is that Jesus was > > *both* fully human *and* fully divine, not one > > or the other. The belief that he was purely divine > > and not human is one of the oldest heresies, > > called Docetism (a later variant was called > > Monophysitism). > > Judy, you are correct regarding the Christian doctrine about Jesus > being both human and divine. > > For some reason, I can't help thinking about the status of Krishna in > theological terms, assuming he was indeed a valid historical figure. > Since he too was born of a human mother, it is possible to say the > same thing about Krishna. But, upon reading the Shrimad Bhagavatam, > I would hazard to guess that the Krishna devotees would consider > Krishna to be divine only. > > Nonetheless, I remember reading that Prabhupada believed Krishna and > Jesus were one and the same. From the Hindu point of view, it is > possible to consider Jesus as another incarnation of Krishna.
What's the line from the Gita, "To protect the righteous and destroy the wicked, I take birth again and again"? Something like that. I'm not actually a believer in either Hindu or Christian theology. I'm inclined to think that a human bean who has achieved his or her full potential is likely to be so extraordinary that religious people will *assume* he or she is divine. > > I don't find > > > that inspiring. Where is the impetus for someone > > > to follow his example if Christ only got to where > > > he got to, consciousness-wise, because he was > > > "special." I find inspiration in the idea that > > > he was Just Another Human, just like me and you. > > > If he could do the things he did *as* a human, > > > then so can we. If the only reason that he could > > > do them was because he was "special," then we > > > *can't* aspire to doing those things. > > > > John 14:10: > > > > He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he > > do also; and greater works than these shall he do. > > Bravo! You do good research. Thankew! That saying has always stuck in my mind, though, so except for the chapter and verse numbers, I can't really call it research (although at my age, calling something to mind is often as much work as research).
