Did
Jesus Die, BBC4. Saturday. 11/9/04. 12.25
From eTEMSNews Issue 1 Magazine, Book and Documentary section.
I found this documentary
fascinating and if the suggestions are true then some interesting questions are
raised re. the development of Christianity. I recommend looking out for a repeat showing.
The programme starts by highlighting inconsistencies in the four gospels, and ponders the authorship and accuracy. It then looks at the methods of death, the cross being the method of death for treason by a slave. The duration of time Jesus apparently spent on the cross is discussed which
when averaged is about 6 hours as opposed to the usual three days. The account of who attended at the death is discussed and the inconsistencies of this event by the gospels is presented. As one said it is like four different events being described.
It presented various speakers with their reason for why the accounts differ and what motives might have been at play. The current teaching is discussed and how the laity are instructed to view Jesus and the resurrection, it then goes on to discuss the views of modern theologians who it is said no longer believe the physical reality of the resurrection. The
Cathars and their fate following their questioning of the gospels is mentioned and the the Templar role is
introduced with the idea that the Templars found the bones of Jesus near to the Temple of Solomon in the holy land.
Rennes Le château is then mentioned and Richard Andrew's (tomb of god author) presents his thoughts, this is followed by Theiry La Comp (sp?) who relies on Cedar trees as part of his proposed alignments.
Professor James Taylor looks to other possibilities and mentions that some of the gospels suggest deception to assist the escape of Jesus. Also of accounts that others have survived crucifixion and maybe the role of resuscitation in these cases and in the case of Jesus. Other conspiratists have suggested that the use of herbs may have been to feign death whereas this theme is that they are used to revive and keep alive. The roles of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus in this matter is contemplated.
Samuel Johnston and his writings in the 19 century re. this event is also mentioned.
The point is then raised that Jesus finding himself alive needs to avoid the Romans, Mary Magdalene is then mentioned and the question as to whether Jesus went with her to southern France
along with her brother Lazarus and sister Martha plus companions. Suggested that one of these may have been Jesus giving the Romans the slip.
1279, MMs bones found and placed in a crypt in a purpose built basilica.
The idea of the disciples hiding the fact that Jesus is alive and also expecting him to return led to the idea of a second coming. This version is demonstrated by reviewing bible texts said to suggest this was the intent of this statement.
Then the idea that he would have traveled east towards India to better avoid the Romans, this serves the idea that he may have gone in search of the lost tribes that were dispersed to east by the Assyrian's in the 8th century BCE.
Buddhism is then introduced to explain the story of the three wise men and how they had a habit of finding replacement teachers/ lamas when one died, they consult the stars and other omens and go forth to find a replacement. The question is posed, was he taken to India in his youth to be taught to be a priest of that belief.
Nikolai Notovitch, a Russian who during the 19 century discovered an ancient manuscript in a Tibetan monastery which talked of a divine child named Issa born in the first century from a poor family of Israel who came to India from the age to 14 to 29 to learn the laws of Buddhism. Nikolai Notovitch subsequently authored the book The unknown life of Jesus Christ.
The case is presented that the doctrine of Jesus matches better the doctrine of Buddhism along with the teachings and the miracles attributed to Buddha than the doctrine of Judaism. Several quotes are given to portray this idea.
The case is then made for Jesus having returned to India and a reference is made to a tribe in Kashmir who call themselves Ben E Israel and say they are descendent of the lost tribes. Here there are stories that in the first century Issa known locally as Yus Assaf meaning leader of the healed returned at the age of 30 to continue his ministry. Thomas is said to also have gone to India to build a church.
In a local temple called the Temple of Solomon there used to be an inscription that told of Yus Assafs' claim in about 50 AD to be Jesus. No reason was given as to why the inscription is no longer available.
Abdullah Assiz Kashiniri of the university of Srinigar outlined how Kashmiri history books tell of Yus Assaf. The history tells how he came from abroad, that he was a prophet and a messenger and that he came from Israel to spread his teachings. He lived and died in Kashmir. Kashiniri finished by saying that Yus Assaf was Issa, he was Jesus. The meaning of Yus Assaf is The healer... another meaning is The Shepherd, the one who teaches others. Yus Assaf died around 80 AD, he was buried in Srinigar, a modest building is said to hold his tomb, the first shrine erected around the site was built in 112 AD. In the 15 century the Islamic holy man Siad Nazir Oudin (sp?). Although both gravestone face north south, the body of Yus Assaf is buried east west in the Judaic tradition. Being sacred exhumation is out of the question in order to check for crucifixion wounds however next to the tomb is a carving of the feet of Yus Assaf. These have signs of wounds and the programme overlapped the images to show that they could have been caused with a single nail.
Did
Jesus Die?, Article revisited.
From eTEMSNews Issue 3 Magazine,
Book and Documentary section.
The above documentary as reviewed in eTEMSNews issue 1 presents the idea that
Jesus Christ did not die by execution on the cross but spent the latter part of
his life in Kashmir. It also claims that the teachings of Jesus Christ perhaps
owed their origins more to Buddhist philosophy than Judaism and the programme
presented several examples to back up this claim. I recently came across a
website that I mentioned at the time on temsmail which also examines this and
many related themes. It can be found at http://www.atributetohinduism.com/Hinduisms_influence.htm
These ideas are not new and many writers both secular and religious
have written of the similarities of ritual and teachings. Unlike the
documentary, this website gives some thought to the migration of ideas in both
directions.
Quote: Volney, Constantin Francois de Chasseboeuf, comte de 1757-1820)
historian and philosopher and French scholar. His principal work, Les Ruines; ou,
Méditation sur les révolutions des empires (1791), which popularized religious
skepticism, was influential not only in France but also in England and the
United States; it went through many translations and editions and stimulated
much controversy. Volney of France was perhaps the first to propound in the 18th
century that "Jesus was a solar myth derived from Krishna' of Hindu
mythology." Buddhism existed at least four hundred years before
Christianity. Another French theologian, Ernest Havet, did the same in his study
of primitive Christianity published in 1884.
Quote: In 1842, two French missionary travelers to Tibet, Hue and Gibet, were
shocked at the close resemblances between Catholic and Lamaistic rituals. They
wrote, "The crozier, the exorcism, the censer with the five chains, the
blessings which the lamas impart by extending the right head over the heads of
the faithful, the rosary, the celibacy of the clergy, their separation from the
world, the worship of saints, the fasts, processions, litanies, holy water -
these are the points of contact the Buddhists have with us." (source: The
Legacy of India - edited By G T Garratt Oxford At The Clarendon Press).
The site has many other references and quotes that I think provide an
interesting insight into unexpected common areas of moral doctrines and
structures between religions when common wisdom might be that they are somewhat
at odds with each other. The invasion of India by Alexander in 327 BC resulted
in many expat Greeks adopting Buddhism and Indian ideas in general. By 200 BC
Buddhism had reached Palestine and apparently the writings of the Essenes, the
Mandeans, and the Nazarene sects are filled with Buddhist ideas.
Quote: Nearly five hundred years before Jesus, Buddha went round the Ganges
valley proclaiming a way of life which would deliver men from bondage of
ignorance and sin. In a hundred and fifty years after his death, tradition of
his life and passing away became systematized. He was miraculously conceived and
wondrously born. His father was informed by angels about it, and, according to
Lalitavistara, the queen (Maya) was permitted to lead the life of a virgin for
thirty-two months. On the day of his birth a Brahmin priest predicts his future
greatness. Asita is the Buddhist Simeon. He comes through air to visit the
infant Gautama. Simeon came by the spirit into the Temple. Buddha grew steadily
in wisdom and stature. Early in his career, he was tempted by Mara to give up
his quest for truth with promises of world dominion. His enlightenment was
marked by thirty-two great miracles. The blind receive their sight, the deaf
hear, and the lame walk freely. He set out to establish the kingdom of
righteousness. He has twelve disciples. Buddha has his troubles with his
disciples. Devadatta, Buddha's cousin, was the Judas among his followers. On the
last day before his death, Buddha's body was again transfigured, and when he
died a tremendous earthquake was felt throughout the world.
Further, based on recent TEMS talks the section The Vedas, Mithraism and
Christianity section at the website could also be of further interest!
© Mick J. 2005
