Who is Jesus Christ to you?

[Brian2]

A guy who lived and died over two thousand years ago and about whom very little can be known with certainty.

It was less than 2000 years ago that He died.
The gospels give us a lot of information about Jesus.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Jivanmukta: One who has won over life (Lit. Life-free). One who is enlightened and free of the burden of (bad) 'karmas' and as a result of which will not need to be born again.

In the world, ye shall have tribulations; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.

-John 16:33

I do completely understand why a Hindu from India would be deeply suspicious of Abrahamic religions.
But neither Jesus nor Mohammad can be justly held accountable for the what others may have done in their name.

 

[Aupmanyav]

But neither Jesus nor Mohammad can be justly held accountable for the what others may have done in their name.

What do we know (historically) about Jesus? And what we know (historically) about Mohammad is not very pleasing.

 

[Kooky]

He was some guy, sorely misunderstood, his alleged message instrumentalized by Empires to justify countless atrocities and crimes against humanity. I don't believe in purpose.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Who do you see Jesus as?

What are your thoughts about Him?

What do you believe his purpose was?

Please be reminded this is interfaith discussion and not a debate thread.

1. I guess biblical authors saw him as a teacher and guide to their god. Maybe their prophet.

2. It says to bring believers back to the creator though him who gives instructions given to him by his god.

I have no personal view of Christ as a person. He's someone someone else written about. I know a little about Jesus but if Jesus existed I know nothing of him personally

 

[Kooky]

And what we know (historically) about Mohammad is not very pleasing.

He doesn't seem all that terrible compared to his rivals. Recall that he faced multiple instances of persecution in his life, yet when he returned as conqueror of his former home, he made peace with his former enemies, and helped incorporate them and their beliefs into his new religious community.

The Qaaba was an issue of contention, as Mohammad and his followers refused the customary worship; that nowadays, millions are coming to Mecca to experience it is a result of compromise between him and the defeated lords of Mecca.

 

[Windwalker]

Who do you see Jesus as?

What are your thoughts about Him?

What do you believe his purpose was?

All of this depends upon with which set of eyes I am looking. I can look at Jesus through a critical analytical set of eyes, or I can look at Jesus symbolically, through the eyes of faith. As for the former, I rely upon more modern scholars with the tools of modernity at their disposal to shed light upon the details of history.

As for the latter, that depends upon personal spiritual maturity. Everything we see in Jesus, is really a reflection of something within ourselves, either latent potentials, or unchecked evils. We can tell a lot about the person, by how they imagine God. Some see God as unconditionally loving, and by contrast some see God as an authoritarian ruler who expects absolute obedience under the threat of eternal damnation.

For me, I see God as Love, and Jesus, symbolizing the incarnation of that Love, encouraging the rest of us to awaken that same Love within ourselves and become children of the Divine. The goal is Oneness with God, to "know even as we are known." The goal is Light, Life, and Love, or put another way, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Not heard of that angle in Hinduism. There will always be nice, realized people to help others. That is why the sky is not falling. It is something that Samyakasama Buddhas (like Gautama) do.

To me, it's a logical conclusion. Krishna, in the first part of chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita tells Arjuna that he has passed the knowledge of karma and jnana yoga to gods and others before Arjuna and has returned to teach Arjuna. I see no reason who others who have achieved Self-realization could not do the same.

Perhaps not a mainstream idea, but I doubt there are many that would call my views mainstream.

 

[fantome profane]

It was less than 2000 years ago that He died.
The gospels give us a lot of information about Jesus.

The gospels give “information”, but I can not consider it all reliable. Some of it is probable, some improbable, and some impossible.

You may consider it differently, and this is not a debate section. Just sharing my view,

 

[Brian2]

All of this depends upon with which set of eyes I am looking. I can look at Jesus through a critical analytical set of eyes, or I can look at Jesus symbolically, through the eyes of faith. As for the former, I rely upon more modern scholars with the tools of modernity at their disposal to shed light upon the details of history.

As for the latter, that depends upon personal spiritual maturity. Everything we see in Jesus, is really a reflection of something within ourselves, either latent potentials, or unchecked evils. We can tell a lot about the person, by how they imagine God. Some see God as unconditionally loving, and by contrast some see God as an authoritarian ruler who expects absolute obedience under the threat of eternal damnation.

For me, I see God as Love, and Jesus, symbolizing the incarnation of that Love, encouraging the rest of us to awaken that same Love within ourselves and become children of the Divine. The goal is Oneness with God, to "know even as we are known." The goal is Light, Life, and Love, or put another way, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.

Seeing through faith in Jesus can be more enlightening than through saith in the opinions of others even if they are meant to be modern scholars shedding light on Jesus.

 

[Brian2]

The gospels give “information”, but I can not consider it all reliable. Some of it is probable, some improbable, and some impossible.

You may consider it differently, and this is not a debate section. Just sharing my view,

Nothing is impossible with God.

 

[Brian2]

I see him as somewhere between mostly myth and entirely myth.

In the Gospel accounts, Jesus comes across as articulate but quite likely mentally ill, IMO.


I don't think we have any reliable way to say.

They say He is either a liar, insane or the Lord.
But if people have been taught that the records about Him are not true then..............

 

[Brian2]

I feel about him exactly as I have written. I am sorry that I am no friends with him or any starter of other Abrahamic religions. All stories in scriptures are either totally false or heavily embellished.

No doubt you are looking at them through the eyes of an atheist.

 

[Brian2]

If someone wrote something false or heavily embellished stories about me, would you feel the same way about me?

I can’t, in good conscience, condemn another based on what someone says they did for which there is no actual evidence other than some stories.

And there would not be any reason to condemn Jesus for what He did if the stories are true.
Thanks would be more appropriate.

 

[Windwalker]

Seeing through faith in Jesus can be more enlightening than through saith in the opinions of others even if they are meant to be modern scholars shedding light on Jesus.

I believe both a critical analytical perspective, and a faith perspective, are complementary to each other, and not competitions to each other. I believe we are benefited spiritually and intellectually by being open.

 

[SalixIncendium]

And there would not be any reason to condemn Jesus for what He did if the stories are true.
Thanks would be more appropriate.

Thanks for your opinion.

 

[shunyadragon]

In Christianity a Roman God. In history a Messianic Jew that preached in Palestine in the first century claiming to be the King of the Jews and fulfilment of the prophecy for the Messiah. Condemned and crucified under Roman Law for claiming to be the King of the Jews.

In my belief , the Baha'i Faith, the messiah of the age in the theme of progressive Revelation for all of humanity.

 

[Vinayaka]

To me, it's a logical conclusion. Krishna, in the first part of chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita tells Arjuna that he has passed the knowledge of karma and jnana yoga to gods and others before Arjuna and has returned to teach Arjuna. I see no reason who others who have achieved Self-realization could not do the same.

Perhaps not a mainstream idea, but I doubt there are many that would call my views mainstream.

In my view, here is no such thing as mainstream in a vast topic like Hinduism. It's like asking what's the mainstream course of study at universities? Yes, some are more common that others.

 

[Brian2]

I believe both a critical analytical perspective, and a faith perspective, are complementary to each other, and not competitions to each other. I believe we are benefited spiritually and intellectually by being open.

Yes it is good to be open to truth from other areas also.

 

[Polymath257]

I see Jesus as a wandering Jewish preacher, of the sort that existed in abundance at the time, that was put to death for insurrection (perhaps mistakenly). His message was altered into a Roman religion and went worldwide

He thought his purpose was to deliver the message of an impending kingdom of God.