It ain't necessarily so...

Ok, most of you know how much I like to poke fun at people who throw their religion around like a bludgeon. Most of them have no real understanding of their own religions, preferring instead to march to the beat of some master drummer who manipulates them to his own purposes... Hilarious and tragic at the same time.

Bubbling to the surface at this moment is the "Newly discovered" Book of Judas. Nothing new about it, nor its discovery. it has been around for, well, every bit as long as all the other biblical books but since it is so "inconvenient" for the organized christian sects it has been swept into the vault until recently, due to its highly uncomfortable picture of Judas and Jesus scheming together to confront the authorities in the events that led to Jesus's execution.

The book of Judas is just as valid as any other gospel, but while it tidies up a lot of questions about the events leading to the cross, The book of Judas ruins the cherished plot line. Organized religion loves nothing more than a villian, and to take away their most prized human villian would ruin the simpleness of their tragedy and screw up passion plays all over Christendom.

If Judas did not betray Jesus, Milton's grand purgatorial scene of Judas's eternal damnation is highlighted as the transparent lie that it really is for anyone who actually thinks about it anyway.

I like what Judas says about Jesus, who becomes much more intelligent when seen through the eyes of the Judas gospel...much more the protagonist as opposed to the hapless victim...The revolutionary in full plot as the righteous underdog.

For me, a more believable figure, tragic in a scheme gone wildly wrong. Judas's suicide, a reaction to the seeming failure of their life's mission and the devastating loss of his best friend.

Of course this will be rejected out of hand by church leaders, who will celebrate the resurrection of jesus tomorrow, instead of today as their bibles actually indicate...Late this afternoon actually.

But this is a really fun celebration no matter how incorrect or distorted. I get high on life and chocolate bunnies and laugh at people who will alter their schedule to see a sunrise once a year, thinking it is more special than the others.

I see every single one of them as a miracle.

Peace,

Steve


Further reading

...the word Easter is derived from an ancient Teutonic goddess of fertility named Estere whose feasts were celebrated in the spring by her pagan adherents. Typically, the Estere celebration occurred in April at which time the pagan goddess demanded sacrifices from her followers.
Going back even further into antiquity, Easter can also be traced to the ancient goddess Ishtar, and is associated with the deification of women goddesses...


Easter history