Human memory is a fragile thing. Experiences of a lifetime shimmer and blur with the passing of the years. Embellished and edited, sometimes fiction can completely replace fact, even in our limited span.
So why is it that roughly a third of the world’s population place their faith and actively worship on the basis on a 2000-year-old adventure story? Especially one that has been rewritten countless times to suit the individual author’s needs.
The Bible. Missionaries have sought to drive its message of the one God into the ‘savages’ of the world, believing that their own centuries-old ways of worshipping were pagan, only fit to be trampled and discarded to make way for the Truth.
Given the message of Brotherhood, wars have been fought, lost and won over its words. And even the Christian churches have been split into factions over the interpretations contained within its pages.
It’s difficult to understand why this is. The Old Testament reads like the collection of Brothers Grimm style folk tales it is, handed down over countless generations. And the New Testament? Either the greatest edit – or PR spin job – there’s ever been.
There’s no reason to doubt the existence of a carpenter’s son named Jesus. In the context of the Roman Empire, it’s plausible to imagine the rise of a charismatic, eloquent speaker, capable of inspiring and influencing a great following.
Given the growing threat to their governance in the Middle East, it’s equally credible that Pontius Pilate, perceiving the growing discord, authorised the crucifixion of the man to snuff out the threat of uprising.
So begins 2000 years of Chinese Whispers.
Whether by accident or by the design of dedicated disciples – allied to constant retelling or rewrites – the story of the life and death of Jesus has taken on mythical proportions.
It’s understandable why the great executed leader could not be allowed to die along with his dream. What better way to keep the fire alive with a convenient resurrection, explained away by elevating the status of the man to nothing less than the Son of God?
Interesting then, that churches have continuously glossed over Joseph and embraced Mary’s virgin birth, courtesy of the Holy Spirit.
Frankly, it’s difficult to think of another anthology with so many contradictions, plot holes and loose ends.
The truth is that extraordinary men can ignite a fervour and passion in ordinary people. The simple, but unpalatable truth to many Christians is that while Jesus Christ was such a man, he was just a man.
Two millennia on, Tony Blair and George Bush reportedly prayed to God together before launching their crusade as the War on Terror.
Meanwhile, a man called Osama Bin Laden continues to fan the flames of revolution in thousands in the Middle East, with the Western powers cast in the role of Rome.
One can only condemn the atrocities committed in Bin Laden’s name, but if these events had happened 2000 years ago, with the distortion of time, it’s ironic that Al-Qaeda may well now be the new Christians.
