There is no proof that Jesus existed

[Dill]

(07-12-2018, 12:38 PM)Benton Wrote:
The early books are mostly allegorical, and are borrowed from another religion to help followers make sense if the NT. If people 2,000 years later jump into a story about a guy being the living embodiment of God and that he was expected in the other religion, it wouldn't make a ton of sense. The OT also helps set up his intent of showing his people that they — in the long run — do damage to themselves mostly because they stop listening to what he's told them.

Speaking directly to people: "Do all this stuff." [Jews do it for a while, stop doing it and have calamity]
Speaking to Moses: "Here, I dumbed it down. Take these 10 laws, do them." [Jews do them for a while, stop doing it and have calamity]
Speaking as Jesus: "Ok, look, I came here to give it one last try. Forget the long lists. Forget the Big 10. Just love each other. Can you try that?" [The answer was, no. No, we can't.]

Like your condensation of the messages.

As far as "allegory" goes, it is not clear at all that the OT was written as allegory where modern readers want it to be--e.g., the days of creation or Adam's rib, though books like Ezekiel were clearly allegorical to first readers.

Also, to echo you, Benton--neither the OT nor the New appeared one day fully formed and wholly original. Both are reworkings of earlier (non Jewish and non-Christian) religious narratives, re-arranged and fitted together, adapted to current circumstances, and constantly edited over hundreds of years before any decision was rendered on canonical versions.