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Pullman risks Christian anger with Jesus novel

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:15:04 +0000

OXFORD, England (Reuters) – Bestselling British author Philip Pullman risks offending Christians with his latest book, a fictional account of the “good man Jesus” and the “scoundrel Christ.”

Entertainment | People

The 63-year-old, an outspoken atheist, angered some members of the Catholic Church with a thinly veiled attack on organized religion in his hugely successful “His Dark Materials” trilogy, the first of which was turned into a Hollywood blockbuster.

But “The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ” is a far more direct exploration of the foundations of Christianity and the church as well as an examination of the fascination and power of storytelling.

In the novel, Jesus has a twin brother called Christ who secretly records and embellishes his brother’s teachings.

Speaking about the book to an audience in Oxford on Sunday, Pullman acknowledged that it was likely to cause offence.

When one man said Christians would be upset to hear Christ referred to as a “scoundrel,” Pullman replied:

“I knew it was a shocking thing to say, but no one has the right to live without being shocked. Nobody has to read this book … and no one has the right to stop me writing this book.”

In the book, Christ is lured into betraying Jesus by a mysterious stranger who wants to use the controversial preacher and his beliefs as a focal point for a new religion preserved and controlled by a powerful and wealthy body called the church.

Christ is attracted to the idea of embellishing and manipulating the truth at the same time as realizing he is undermining Jesus’ most fundamental beliefs in doing so.

“This is the tragedy,” Christ reflects at the end of the novel. “Without the story, there will be no church, and without the church, Jesus will be forgotten.”

SECURITY DETAIL

Pullman, who has received angry letters from people accusing him of blasphemy even before the short novel hits the shelves, was accompanied by security guards to the Oxford event to publicize his book.

“The world is a strange place and getting stranger,” he told reporters afterwards when asked about the security measures. “These are the times we live in and it’s very regrettable.”

Pullman said he sympathized with Jesus more than Christ in his story, although the latter shared his passion for stories.

And Jesus spoke for the author when he said “the devil would rub his hands with glee” if the church came into being.

“It isn’t long before they start drawing up lists of punishments for all kinds of innocent activities, sentencing people to be flogged or stoned in the name of God for wearing this or eating that or believing the other,” Jesus mused.

Pullman read various versions of the Bible when researching the book, as well as Paul’s epistles and some gospels that are not part of the Biblical canon.

“It didn’t change my mind,” he said. “I am an atheist. The difference between Jesus and Christ in my story is that Jesus was real and Christ was a fiction,” he added.

He did not find it difficult to “find an explanation that could work two ways for most of the miracles,” he said, adding that the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection left “a great deal of room for the speculation that has been there for 2,000 years.”

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ is published next month by Canongate as part of its Myths Series for which it has invited writers like Ali Smith and Margaret Atwood to rework favorite legends.

(Editing by Dominic Evans)

Pat Weaver

admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:39:13 +0000

Pat Weaver

welcome folks, this time my hands want to quote interesting news about Pat Weaver, I found some sites especially entertainment sites and news discuss about this, well, here some short summary you might interesting to read.
Pat Weaver – : Patricia Weaver Patricia A. Weaver was greeted at the gates of heaven by Jesus on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. She was born July 29, 1931, to Glenn and Kathryn (Overmyer) Reed in Culver, IN, and raised in Ora, IN.
Patricia Pat Weaver, 1931-2009: welcome folks, this time my hands want to e interesting news about Pat Weaver, I found some sites especially entertainment sites and news discuss about this, well, here some short summary you might interesting to read.
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Do you need more information about Pat Weaver ?

Carrie Underwood Engaged

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:36:14 +0000

Carrie Underwood Engaged

welcome folks, this time my hands want to quote interesting news about Carrie Underwood Engaged, I found some sites especially entertainment sites and news discuss about this, well, here some short summary you might interesting to read.
Carrie Underwood Engaged – : While I’m ambivalent at best about her music, it seems that country music purists have strong opinions following her debut at the Country Thunder Festival, sharing the bill with Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert. I don’t know what your perception is of Jessica .Anon, I refuse to engage in ad hominem arguments. (Although if I did I would say something lame like if you’re going to call someone out for spelling you shouldn’t hide behind an ‘anonymous’ screen name).
Celebitchy Blog Archive Jessica Simpson Country Crossover: And later that year, the NY Post claimed the amnesia-ridden Jessica became furious after hearing engaged Eva Longoria had dared to be friendly and polite to then-ex Mayer, and went on a name-calling rant through New York. Some gossips say the shirt had nothing to do with fuzzy wuzzies or pro-fur campaigns, but was meant as a message to Jesus fan and Tony Romo ex, Carrie Underwood. Underwood won the group’s infamous Leno-monologue-staple Sexiest Vegetarian title back
Jessica Simpson Adds Pamela Anderson To Long List Of ‘Bitches’ And: Two Playboy Club blonds help to comfort Kenny Chesney last night after he lost the EOTY award to Carrie Underwood. Always nice to have a bunny’s shoulder to cry on. On a side note, I questioned whether either of these two ladies could be Amy Colley (rumored to be I agree he is not married or engaged to our knowledge. I hear Kenny is quite the flirt when he drinks. That being said he is just having fun. IF he leaves with another girl and ditches Amy, then he is an a$$.
NashvilleGab – Nashville News And Country Music Gossip: I Can’t: My first request is Carrie Underwood’s So Small video look because it’s my favorite make-up look ever for Carrie. My second request is Christina Aguilera’s Nobody Wants to be Lonely video look because it’s a natural, yet sexy 38 sultry look for her. My third 38 last request is since I’m a Wicked fan, I want to see if you can recreate Glinda’s engagement ball scene 38 her bubble dress look. I’m glad that you got all my pictures I gave you through my e-mail.

author Mr lavat

Oral Roberts Funeral

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:54:48 +0000

Oral Roberts Funeral

Oral Roberts Funeral – : jeffery history intouch j.vernon mcgeejames deloach james kennedy jeruselamjohn macternan john walvoord law logos publishing national association of evangelicals oral roberts southwestern assemblies of god university southwestern
No Truce, Israel’s State Sponsor Terrorism In Gaza Continue – Over: humbard also adopted the theatrical faith healing of preachers like oral roberts, who filled donation baskets by claiming to rid people of ailments that modern medicine couldn’t cure. it was all carnival scams, says james randi,
Jesus For Sale: oral roberts beat kansas 78-71 in lawrence last night. a lot of things went wrong at once for the jayhawks. they went just 11-of-21 at the line, posted an underwhelming 44.8 effective fg pct., and, just like in their first-round loss to
Wisconsin Has A Shotif They Can Shoot Today I At Long Last: Chironna ( The Master’s Touch International Church ), Richard Roberts ( Oral Roberts University ), Marilyn Hickey ( Marilyn Hickey Ministries ), Bishop Paul S. Morton ( Life Center Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral ), Dr.
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