The Flesh Is Willing (Part 3)

...in which the author, in part three of the series, discusses the nature and fate of Christ, and the series comes to an end and we get back to inane posts quickly.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (The Bible, John 3:16, King James Version)

I read that, and I see nothing about the need for a resurrection. In fact, what kind of gift would have it been otherwise? How can you sacrifice something if there is no real sacrifice? It would be like a man donating $10,000 to a charity, making a big show of it, and then getting that sum paid back by the charity a year later. Or 33 years later. What kind of magnanimous act was that? Sure, the $10,000 helped out the charity during those 33 years. And sure, the charity probably invested that ten grand and thus is still getting returns on the original principle to this day... And... wait. See? There was no need for the $10,000 to be given back; keeping it would not mean that it did not help the charity.

"Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
(The Bible, Matthew 26:38-39, King James Version)

Why was JC sad about death? Furthermore, why was he asking God for a reprieve? Why would he feel this way if he didn't face real, permanent death? Is this the way for an all-knowing deity to act? Shouldn't he know his fate, and not only not fear it but welcome it? He's saving mankind, for crissakes! Why is he acting human?

Ah. Maybe he was human. Maybe that's the point. Maybe, just maybe, his sacrifice (I'll forego the capitalization of the pronoun given my thesis) is that much more real, important, and meaningful given that he was making a real sacrifice and not simply performing some David Blaine style magic trick. And these examples, and many more, are actually found in the Bible. Imagine what didn't make the cut!

Now, if JC was human, wouldn't he partake in human activity? Hell, even as it is we see examples of him eating, drinking, sleeping... all innate human activity. Natural drives. If he was a deity, why the need to eat? Why debase himself so by taking in matter so needlessly, especially given the poverty of the time? Why waste food like this? If Christians accept that he ate and drank and slept, why do they for some reason draw the line at marriage and marital sex? Why is that human drive taboo while the others okie-dokie?

Furthermore, in a round about way the New Testament comes right out and says he was married by referring to him as "rabbi" (examples include John 1:49 and John 3:2) First of all, clearly JC was Jewish and well-versed in Jewish scripture. Marriage and even having children would have been known as mitzvahs, and this would be especially true for rabbis, where the obligation to marry and have children was even more of a stringent obligation (see this, et al, or just read your Talmud, dammit. Why must I do all the work for you?).

After all, Protestant clergy can be married. I assume the same is true in Islam. So why are so many people skittish about this when it come to Mr. Christ? Again, if you think this was "beneath him", then wouldn't eating be "beneath him", too? Even if you believe him divine, why couldn't he marry and have kids? The world's religions are replete with examples of gods and demigods who fathered children, and most of that out of wedlock. At least JC was married.

So, Jesus could have been married and the father of three, and he could have died on the cross and buried forever, or he could have survived the ordeal, or it could have never occurred in the first place. What would this change? Would his sacrifice be any less? (Again, I argue that it would be more). He still accomplished a great deal. Look at how many Christians there are now, and thanks to John most of them did not come from Jewish family trees, either. If you believe in that sort of thing, look at how many souls have been saved due to his martyrdom and teachings. How does this change if it turns out that some dude living in France is Yeshua ben Joseph's (great-great-great-great-great-great-great)³ grandson?

To me, it matters not one wit. Though, of course, if true that guy has a hell of a lot of book royalties coming his way from the sale of Gideon Bibles alone...