Well this is fun: Today my fundie sister-in-law found out that my son's serious girlfriend comes from, um...um...um...

[NNadir]

..."Hebrew heritage."

This was in connection with planning an Easter family dinner at a restaurant, and making reservations. It happened when my wife explained that Easter Sunday is not a big deal in the Passover holidays, so my son would probably show up with the girlfriend.

It sounds as if her head exploded, prompting the remark about "Jewish heritage," as if no one could actually be a Jew now and here. (I have no idea if my son's girlfriend has any personal religious views, or what their nature might be. It's none of my damned business; I like the woman despite what she may or may not believe.) I assume, but did not ask if he had, that my son may have told her that I'm an atheist. It doesn't matter if he did or didn't.

If I were a mean guy, I might find this Easter an occasion to inform my sister-in-law, after more than 40 years as her sister's lover and husband, that I'm an atheist, but frankly, despite her constant proselytizing for her cult, and because I love the many nice things she's done and love her, in fact, despite my disagreements about faith or the lack thereof, I'll restrain myself, and remain a closeted atheist around her.

Some battles are just not worth fighting.

[pandr32]

1. Does your sister-in law know Jesus was of Hebrew heritage?

The stories of Jesus make it clear he spoke Hebrew and was Jewish.

[NNadir]

2. Probably. Trust me though; I have studiously avoided discussing...

Last edited Sun Mar 8, 2026, 01:27 PM - Edit history (1)

...anything at all involving accounts of the putative life of Jesus.

It could only go bad.

To me the Bible has very little historical meaning with respect to its accounts of real people. It's obviously a fantasy. It seems possible that a person described as Jesus existed, but I doubt he was particularly different than any other cult leader. The accounts are obviously highly inflated and we can in no way distinguish any reality in connection with the historical person, if, in fact he existed. The only non-religious nearly contemperaneous reference to him is some off handed commentary by the Jewish historian Josephus, who hung out in Rome around that time, and that did not portray him as godlike.

In the Roman culture of that time, people were ofen declared to be gods, and the declaration of Jesus as being one may be in effect a cultural borrowing.

Was there a historical Jew named Jesus? Maybe, but the consequences of his life are not connected with his reality but rather with the mythology built around him.

I think his main historical impact has been with respect to people who regard the Bible as history, which it isn't, often with pernicious effects.

I am very familiar with the Bible's contents having been raised by very religious parents, and think it to be by and large a very unfortunate document with many highly problematic cultural impacts.

[pandr32]

4. You bring up some good points.

Especially your second paragraph, and I agree. When Christianity had been officially adopted in 380 AD it had been hellenized pretty thoroughly. The stories of Jesus were chosen which favored Romans and portrayed devout Jews as problematic (they did not believe, they betrayed Jesus, etc.). This was deliberate because a new official religion needed to be accepted. Favorite holidays and traditions remained though renamed.
We now know, thanks to archaeology and other studies that many of the Bible stories could not have happened as told. No Exodus. No Noah's Ark. No Christians thrown to the lions, etc. In fact, it was the Jews captured and enslaved by Rome when they stormed Jerusalem in 70 CE and kept it under siege who were used to build the Colosseum.
To understand Jews at the time of Jesus until the fall of Jerusalem and the death of James the Just, also known as James the Righteous, it is best to study him. He was supposedly the brother of Jesus (if Jesus actually existed). James and his followers completely rejected Saul of Tarsus who became known as Paul. This is where Christianity diverts from it's Jewish foundation thanks to the agenda of Paul and his support by the Flavian court. Josephus was also supported by them. One could not roam around and publish anything without their support.

[czarjak]

3. Sounds complicated!

For not being rocket science?