Daviy,

The gospels are spread throughoit place as well as time. Communities after the Oral Lore period wrote down there local versions. Thomas is a very early written account.

Opinioned2,

Assuming Jesus did exist, his early death could have been brought about by the presence of organic toxins released into his blood stream in response to a heavy beating some hours beforehand. I have I have read moden foresic reconstuctions of similar events from the Middle Ages.

Relatedly, Christians often depict Jesus carrying the full cross. That is unlikely. It would have weighed 150 kg. The Romans would have had a post in the execution grounds and Jesus would have carried the cross beam only. Most likely across his shoulders where he has been flayed

Hi Oliver

I was referring to the Gospels in the NT. Thomas, other Gnostic Gospels and Gospels from other sources I had lumped together as the 'vast range of early Christian material'
I am never certain where to draw the line on what is and what is not a Gospel. For instance do the 'Gospel of Mary' and 'The Gospel of Truth' quaify?
If these are Gospels does that mean I can write my version and call it 'The Gospel of Daviy'?
That rises the question as how a gospel written by someone other than God could be included in the Bible if the Bible is claimed to be the work of God? I suppose there is the 'guided' arguement, but that gets very close to New Age channeling. I could always claim that I 'channeled' God and so my 'Gospel according to Daviy' was the work of God.

Maybe that is how the Pope does it.

I never saw your reply to my query in another place about your thoughts on The Book of Enoch. Maybe you did reply but I missed it. Since there has been much discussion here about the OT the parallels seem relevant, particularly the Book of the Giants and the Watchers

Dear opinionated2,

I am doing some research before I comment further on the OT laws you cited. I want to be sure of my facts.

Hi Daviy,

You wrote: "I was referring to the Gospels in the NT. Thomas, other Gnostic Gospels and Gospels from other sources I had lumped together as the 'vast range of early Christian material'
I am never certain where to draw the line on what is and what is not a Gospel. For instance do the 'Gospel of Mary' and 'The Gospel of Truth' quaify?"

The four Gospels of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were canonised at Ephesus in 49 CE as recorded in chapter 4 of the Book of Revelation. They were symbolised by the riders of the four horses, white, red, black and green (the Greek word for 'green', 'chloros', is usually translated as 'pale') and the four 'living creatures' from Ezekiel, a lion, a calf, a man and a flying eagle.

Chapter 6 records how each of the Gospels and two Epistles, were unsealed and read. They were the new scripture for the Christianised version of Judaism and were studied at the Christian school for Diaspora Jews at Ephesus.

There were many other writings about Jesus and his followers, some of which have been labelled 'gospels', but there are only four which have been given the imprimatur of "The Lamb", i.e. Jesus himself.

Whatever ones view about the Scriptures etc, it is important to understand one's own heart and motives. It is important to deal with our negative and destructive attitudes. We were created to live in a quality human society. Because we fail we need to deal with our failures and our mistreatment of others by word and deeds. Christ's teaching brings us to the reality of the truth about ourselves and how we must recognise we need a spiritual awakening to live peacefully and lovingly in community. God gives us the image of what that idealism and purity is and supplies us with the desire of spirit to be renewed people to generously serve our community for their blessing and enhancement. If encouraging people to believe in better things gives strength and hope then that is a blessing. The ways of the spiritually dead person are to promote anger, fear, dissolusionment and hoplessness which currently characterises much of human reality today in our society - selfishness (how I spend my time and money) and mere personal survival and self justification (I'm better than him or her) fills most peoples conversational world.

Sympneology
Thank you for that information. I was actually thinking along on a more general lines. The four Gospels where canonized by the Christian church, but does this mean anything to anyone outside Christianity?
Did the Gnostics say 'Oh, Thomas is not a Gospels because the followers of Paul say it is not?'

If I started a Church (Not a difficult exercise) and Canonised the Gospels of Daviy, Mickey. Minnie and Pluto would they be any less Gospels than Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?

In my Church They would be the true Gospels and the four Christian Gospels would be nothing. That is apart from Matthew that seems to me to be more a Gnostic document than Paulian. I would certainly use the Sermon on the Mount stripped of its Christian distortions.
http://www.david-young.com.au/ezines/Sermon.html

So what is it that supposedly gives the Christians the authority to decide what is and what is not the word of God? Christianity is like any other club, such as the Brighton Women's Glee Club. It has its rules, regulations and its laws.

But for some unexplainable reason Christians (Jews, Moslems et al) claim that their little club has God as their President and therefore their rules and laws should be obeyed by everyone whether or not they are a member of the Club.

I am happy for the Brighton Women's Glee Club to do their thing in peace. I am happy for Christians to do their thing in peace between concenting adults behind closed doors. But I am tired of being continually assaulted by Christian propaganda at every turn.