Gospel of Barnabus apparently heralds the death of Christianity

[OriginalGeek]

http://www.devicemag.com/2012/05/25/discovery-of-ancient-religious-text-will-kill-christianity-claims-iranian-press/

Christianity is going to collapse, claims Iranian press. The reason? The writings in a recently unearthed religious text written on animal skin that dates back to the fifth century.

The text which is believed to be an authentic version of the Gospel by Barnabas, a disciple of Jesus, is presently with Turkish authorities as they have confiscated it from a group of smugglers who were taking away antiquities.

According to Iranian media, the book has the power to collapse the foundation of Christianity and shake the politics of the world with its claims that Jesus was never crucified.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Most people who believe in the death and the resurrection are not going to give them up based on

this new text. And even then there are plenty of people who are Christians who already don't believe in the death and the resurrection (or the virgin birth.) For some it's more about the examples he set in life than in death.

I think science has had more of a hand in the death of religious belief than anything else?

[OriginalGeek]

2. Yep. I thoguht it was wishful thinking

on the part of the "Iranian Media" (No idea who comprises the Iranian media though. I'd love to find out).

Though many have dismissed the claims as laughable and anti-Christian propaganda from Iran, Iran press claims that the book will cause the downfall of Christianity.

According to Iranian press, the book foresees the coming of the last Islamic messiah and proves that Islam is the final and righteous religion.

It also wouldn't hurt my feelings to see a real, unbiased translation and discussion of the text. I've heard about the Barnabus gospel for years but never anything actually in it. And if it was written in the 5th century, whose work did they copy? (Assuming it isn't being claimed that Barnabus was a 5th century guy).

As you can probably see I'm not well educated in the "hidden" gospels but I'd like to be. I am not sure I would trust Islamic or Christian scholars to provide me with unbiased examination though.



eta: If folks wanna rec just for the cute hedgehogs, that's OK by me. lol.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Cute hedgehogs are great! :^D

[Bad Thoughts]

3. Not to mention there are plenty of Gospels that aren't accepted

How many Gospels of Whatsisname are there that Christian authorities consider to be heresies or worse? It will be filed next to the Gospels of Thomas, Mary, etc., as intellectual curiosities.

[daaron]

6. Ayup. I'm one of those Christians who is -->

more interested in such intellectual curiosities than that morbid, moribund, selectively edited compendium of balderdash known as the Holy Bible.

My faith has been shaped far more by the Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hammadi texts, commentary, heresy and insights of alchemists and mystics than any of the 'orthodox' miscellany compiled by the councils at Nice. But yeah, the usual Christian isn't interested in these, so why would they care about Barnabus?

[cbayer]

5. Apparently there are still questions regarding authenticity, but agree

that it would be an interesting read. This is the first I have heard of it.

[Leontius]

7. Interesting, that's true but it doesn't take long to see why so many of these "gospels"

were rejected for inclusion in the canon.

[laconicsax]

8. Why the scare quotes?

The Synoptic Gospels weren't included because they were more true than the others but because they were more popular and more in-line with the views of those making the decision.