Godlorica

Of what aspects of the life of Jesus may we be certain? Stephen Spignesi's "The Odd Index" lists sixteen crucified saviors other than Jesus Christ. Examples of Christ legends appear to predate Christianity. Note that:

• There are many mythological heroes and gods -- such as Hercules, Osiris, Bacchus, Mithra, Hermes, Prometheus, Perseus, and Horus -- that have much in common with Jesus. All were said to have gods for fathers and virgins for mothers and births announced by stars. All were born on the 25th of December (solstice), had tyrants trying to kill them when they were infants, met with horrifying deaths, and rose from the dead.
  
• Statements exist in the New Testament that allude to several New Testament Jews, such as Theudas and Judas, who, just prior to Jesus, claimed to have received revelations and miraculous powers from God and who were killed and their followers scattered. (Acts 5: 36-37) Similarly, the false Jewish prophet Bar-Jesus of Paphos is mentioned in Acts 13: 6. Paul, while filled with the Holy Spirit, strikes Bar-Jesus blind.

More discussion can be found here and here.

Famous astronmer Dr. Sandage was born of Jewish background, but at age 60 became a Christian. He responded to the question, "Can a person be a scientist and a Christian?", with "Yes. As I said before, the world is too complicated in all its parts and interconnections to be due to chance alone." Read his essay here.

Most Christian and Islamic sects believe in an omniscient God who knows every future event. If this is true, can our will be truly free? And if we do not have free will, then how could we be morally responsible? Why would God punish us if we were bad, as he does throughout the Old Testament.

Theologians like Maimonides (Moses ben Maimon, 1135-1204), St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) and St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) believed that God is outside of time and can see all history at once. It is from our own limited perspective that we are making choices. But still, they are choices. However, if an omniscient God sees all time at once, does the future exist even now for him, and do you think our decisions are truly free?

I typed Heaven into Google and found this image by Sven Geier. He calls it "Heaven 2005." Can you find other images of heaven that you prefer?