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The Christ Enigma – The Jesus Myth and the Gospel Code (Illustrated version) by James Lynn Page.
For years now, scholars have come to see how much of the Christian Bible is the stuff of myth. But just how much of it is myth? This book comprises a brand new and controversial look at the New Testament - how it was really written, when and why.
In short, everything you thought you knew about the Jesus story is wrong. The Christ Enigma examines the work of scholars and archaeologists to show that we’ve taken too much for granted. There never was any birth in Bethlehem, Judas, or Mary Magdalene. Not even a Crucifixion in Jerusalem. And that’s merely the tip of the iceberg. What if Jesus himself never existed?
The Christ Enigma also reveals the existence of the Gospel Code. Though Bible scholars of the second and third centuries A.D. knew all about it, today it’s known only to a discerning few. For the gospels are much more than the life-story of the Man from Galilee. They are a repository of Hermetic, Gnostic and secret magical teachings.
In this fascinating study of all the recent evidence you’ll discover:
* Why the Da Vinci Code (and its source) is wrong
* How the Turin Shroud was really made
* What evidence exists for a mythical Jesus
* How the gospels are full of coded messages for ‘those in the know’
* And how the Church maintains its ignorance about Jesus to this day
Author James Lynn Page has been studying theology, ancient history and the New Testament for the past twenty years. It’s a quest which led to his discovery of the Gospel Code. This is his ninth book on ancient beliefs and practices.
- Sales Rank: #1149494 in eBooks
- Published on: 2012-12-11
- Released on: 2012-12-11
- Format: Kindle eBook
Most helpful customer reviews
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Important book for those seeking Truth
By Gary L
In recent years many authors have extrapolated the sketchy biblical accounts of the life of Jesus of Nazareth in an ongoing search for the "real Jesus." For instance, some authors have speculated as to whether it was Jesus who was actually crucified; or if it was him, perhaps he somehow survived the ordeal, and then went on to live out his life in India - or was it France? - after fathering a child with Mary Magdalene. Was he a magician? An occultist? Did his bloodline pass to the Knights Templar?
These authors start from the premise that Jesus of Nazareth was an historical figure, a "god disguised as a man" who actually lived in First Century Palestine. With notable exceptions - Timothy Freke and Earl Doherty come to mind - very few have taken the next step and questioned whether this man actually existed. That is the bold conclusion author James Lynn Page offers in his powerful new book "The Christ Enigma: The Jesus Myth and the Gospel Code." This scholarly book is best described as a detailed, systematic deconstruction of literalist Christianity, leading the reader step-by-step to the logical conclusion that the entire story is mythical, built upon symbolism and allegory, with origins in Pagan and Greek legends. Be prepared for an exhaustive, critical analysis of the traditional Gospel story...and be sure to bring an open mind.
"The Christ Enigma" is probably not for those who have no desire to move out of their religious "comfort zone." Undoubtedly the book will be ridiculed, as others of this genre have always been. It will simply be ignored by many others. It is written for that much smaller, discerning segment of the population who seeks the truth, can handle the truth, and is not afraid to follow the truth no matter where it may lead. Depending upon where these people are in their own spiritual journey, they will find it to be either a form of enlightenment, or a confirmation of the rightness of the path in which they are already on. It is that kind of a book.
The author's conclusions are based to a great extent on his understanding of the Pagan Mysteries. Now largely forgotten, the Pagan Mysteries flourished in ancient Mediterranean cultures centuries before the advent of Christianity. At the heart of the Mysteries were myths concerning a dying and resurrecting god-man who was known by many different names. Originating in Egypt, he was known as Osiris; in Greece, Dionysus; in Asia Minor, Attis; in Syria, Adonis; in Italy, Bacchus; in Persia, Mithras. The mythical tales told about these god-men varied from region to region, but they were all essentially the same. They shared many attributes that in later centuries were adopted by Christianity. For instance, here are just a few characteristics of the Egyptian god-man Osiris:
"He is God made flesh, the savior, and "Son of God." His father is God and his mother is a mortal virgin. He is born in a cave on December 25 before three shepherds. He offers his followers a chance to be born again through the rites of baptism. He miraculously turns water into wine at a marriage ceremony. He rides triumphantly into town on a donkey while people wave palm leaves to honor him. He dies at Eastertime as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. After his death he descends to hell, then on the third day he rises from the dead and ascends to heaven in glory. His followers await his return as the judge during the Last Days. His death and resurrection are celebrated by a ritual meal of bread and wine, which symbolizes his body and blood."
The Pagan Mysteries served a definite purpose: The myths, commonly referred to in the ancient cultures as the "Outer Mysteries," served as the vehicle that led selected candidates into the more profound, secret "Inner Mysteries" where spiritual enlightenment, knowledge, and fulfillment were revealed to those who completed a powerful process of mystical initiation. The myths of god-men like Osiris and Dionysus were understood to be spiritual allegories encoding deep spiritual teachings. They were not meant to be taken literally. Timothy Freke and others have suggested that Christianity was actually an attempt to bring the Pagan mysteries to Jewish audiences in the First Century. Thus the Jesus story in its original formulation was also not meant to be taken literally. The literal interpretation evolved much later, and then spread rapidly after Christianity had been adopted as the official religion of the Roman Empire.
As Mr. Page relates in "The Christ Enigma," the earliest Christians were known as Gnostics: mystics and free-thinkers who shared many characteristics of initiates of the Pagan mysteries. They believed in reincarnation, honored the goddess Sophia, and were immersed in the mystical Greek philosophy of Plato. They believed that their secret teachings had the power to impart "Gnosis" - direct experiential knowledge of God. The Gnostics were not concerned with the historical Jesus and alleged bodily appearances, but rather with supernatural visions of Christ. They interpreted the Jesus story in the same way that the Pagan philosophers viewed the myths of Osiris and Dionysus: as allegories that encoded secret mystical teachings.
Mr. Page presents the convincing theory that St. Paul was actually an early mystical Christian Gnostic, and, as such, did not perceive of Jesus as an historical person nor the events of his life as historical occurrences. He writes that it is impossible to read Paul's epistles, written shortly after the supposed death of Jesus Christ, and not conclude that he was a Gnostic. A large segment of the book is devoted to establishing this important point, and it may very well be its dominant theme. This Gnostic view is then an accurate representation of how the earliest Christians viewed Jesus Christ. It is a more reliable representation than the historicized Jesus of later decades. In Mr. Page's opinion, the contrast between Paul's Gnostic mystical Christ and that of the historical Jesus found in much later Gospel versions is profound and essentially unbridgeable. He expands on this theme throughout the book and concludes that the New Testament accounts of Jesus are entirely symbolic. At one point he quotes an author who says: "You can't read the New Testament unless you are Gnostic," implying that otherwise it just won't make sense. The Gnostic view of the ahistorical Christ is developed further in an interesting discussion of the symbolism found in the Book of Revelations, where Mr. Page mentions that, "It is looking more like the Gospel Jesus is the anomaly, not the supernatural Christ we find elsewhere."
The Jesus story as presented in the Gospels is not the biography of a historical Messiah, but rather is myth built on symbolism and allegory found in Pagan, Hermetic, and Greek legends. If the central figure is mythical, then so must be all the peripheral stories and characters related to him. In the course of developing this idea, which he applies to the entire Bible, the author leaves no stone unturned, shredding such foundational Christian concepts as the Christmas story, the virgin birth, and Jesus as a carpenter who was from Nazareth (a town not in existence at that time). Other legends dismissed by the author include those of the Sermon on the Mount (which has its origins in Pagan philosophy); the New Testament miracles, which surely were meant to be symbolic in nature, including the walking on water, the raising of Lazarus, and changing water into wine; the entire Passion story, including the Last Supper, the Agony, the Crucifixion, and Resurrection. Biblical personages such as Joseph of Arimatha, the apostles, Judas, Mary Magdalene, Barabbas, and many others are also exposed as mythological.
The author comments on the complete lack of external, non-biblical contemporary evidence for the historical Jesus, citing the works of Josephus, Seneca, Tacitus, and other secular historians and Jewish writers from the period. Surely if Jesus was an historical person working miracles and raising himself and others from the dead someone would have noticed! Instead, we are met with total silence. He cites the numerous inconsistencies, inaccuracies and unhistorical passages found in the Gospel narratives, calling their credibility and reliability into account. Nothing is spared in his devastating tour through the Gospels, and by the end, little is left of traditional Christianity. He offers the interesting possibility that the Gospels were based on the original Gnostic, mystical view of Christ, but in later decades were expanded and embellished as a form of dramatic literature, similar to the plays of Euripides. He notes that most of the Gospels accounts, rather than reporting on historical events, were written with the idea of fulfilling the Old Testaments prophesies (the concept of Midrash). Even the story of Eden has origins in Greek mythology found in the story of Prometheus. Along the way, interesting chapters are devoted to exposing as myth Christian stories like the founding of the true cross, the Shroud of Turin and the Suderium, and discussions of the Bible code.
This review barely scratches the surface of the many topics covered in exacting detail by Mr. Page in this important book. It is well researched, well written, and well edited. The author has an engaging style that holds the reader's attention from beginning to end. If you think you have an open mind, that notion will certainly be put to the test. Many will dismiss it as inaccurate and/or preposterous. To others, its conclusions will be far too unsettling. May I respectfully suggest to those who may be put off by the content to read the book and judge for themselves as to where the preponderance of evidence lies.
And to those of us who dare to ponder life's most profound questions, e.g., "Why are we here," "What is the meaning of life," "Is there a God, and, if so, what is his nature?" this book will serve as an indication that, although we may not as yet found the answer to these questions, we instinctively realize that we are on the right path. We have no vested interest in seeking these answers, only an unrelenting pursuit of the truth. For us, this book is welcome and belongs in the same class as other great books on this topic by Timothy Freke, Earl Doherty, and Burton Mack. Mr. Page is to be commended for writing such a thorough, scholarly, and convincing treatise as we find in "The Christ Enigma: The Jesus Myth and the Gospel Code."
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
A hidden treasure of wisdom
By Amazon Customer
Wow. Just wow.
I've been excited about the idea of Richard Carrier's super-book that's coming out next spring, "On the Historicity of Jesus," but this book got first punch. It covers almost everything I've ever heard about why the Gospels and Epistles are mythologies, and it covers them well. I don't know if I have any need to read Carrier's book after reading this one (but I know I will anyways).
James Lynn Page covers all of the New Testament, from the Gospels to the Epistles to Revelations. He takes them apart piece by piece, showing how the Gospels are just re-writes of 1st century pagan myths, how the Jesus referred to in the Epistles is nothing like the one in the Gospels, and how the Jesus in Revelations is a stranger as well.
I've had a struggle letting go of my anxieties over leaving Christianity, but this book was the most powerful kick to my old paranoia that I've found yet, and I've read a few things.
If you're Christian, stay away from this book. You'll be too confused to understand it. But if you're someone who has doubts, read it. It may save your life.
I really hope this book starts getting the recognition it deserves. Wow.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Fascinating debunking of Jesus myths and explanation of their symbolic sources
By Bob Makransky
The Christ Enigma is a scholarly investigation into the historical Jesus; and it makes a good case for the fact that no such man ever existed. Page’s scrupulously documented research debunks pretty much everything which has ever been written about Jesus (starting with the Gospels). But at the same time he points out the “hidden”, encoded symbolism which underlies the putative events described in the Bible: “My concern is not about belief in Jesus as a spiritual entity, but whether or not he really lived. Most people, religious or not, accept that he did, and the idea that he’s a fiction is mostly absurd. It is obvious that, with historical Jesus research, there’s just too little to go on. All we have are the four gospels, but these are pieced together from legendary motifs - sayings, miracles etc. - that betray their artificiality. As for the ‘real man’ behind them, we are left guessing. … I have tried to show how the gospels’ real value is in allegory and symbolism.”
In other words, The Christ Enigma is like a “real” DaVinci Code (which in fact Page alludes to humorously in his introduction); and most of The Christ Enigma is an exploration of the sources of this encoded symbolism. Page explains how pretty much all of the incidents in Jesus’ life had ancient pagan or Jewish origins; and he does a painstaking job of putting these myths into a philosophical context – interpreting the hidden, symbolic meanings behind the superficial occurrences. As Page points out, “Jesus’ crucifixion and death in Jerusalem can no longer be accepted as a ‘fact’ of history. And what if all of his actions did not happen, in fact? If Jesus had been a real person with an unambiguous message to convey, would all of the carefully contrived allegory and word-play in the gospels have been necessary?”
I found Page’s explanations fascinating and his logic compelling. This book is a must for anyone who considers him or herself to be a Christian – and even for those (such as myself) who don’t. It’s obvious that Page, like Jacob, is wrestling with something: “I’ve always felt that Christianity demands a great deal of its adherents – and this is putting it mildly. For many modern folk belief in miracles, the Incarnation of God, and a man who literally rises from the dead, is a remarkably tall order. Yet for those of us indifferent to all of this, the image of Christ’s Crucifixion as a symbol of God’s Will has always been puzzling. How can this representation be a suitable icon for human salvation? How can the crude death of some holy man in Jerusalem long ago have anything to do with life as it is now?” Reading Page’s book is a good way to begin answering this question.
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