In this week’s Parade magazine, Elton John shares his thoughts on Christianity, and yes they’ve caused a bit of an uproar
“I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you’re as good as dead.”
It should be interesting to see how this plays out, and if there’s really any backlash. I think most religious organizations have learned that ignoring this kind of hot button stuff is the best policy, otherwise by condemning it you end up creating a snowball effect. But it’s not like the Catholic Church has been quick to learn from its mistakes.
Enjoy an interesting look at the relationship between Jesus and Judas.
From National Geographic:
The Gospel of Judas gives a different view of the relationship between Jesus and Judas, offering new insights into the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Unlike the accounts in the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in which Judas is portrayed as a reviled traitor, this newly discovered Gospel portrays Judas as acting at Jesus’ request when he hands Jesus over to the authorities.
Penn & Teller’s Bullshit gives a unique take on the Bible, showing (in a pretty hilarious way) some of the inaccuracies, inconsistencies and wackiness.
It’s not meant to be a scholarly study (or all that self-serious), so whether you believe in the Bible or not, the program is pretty funny and worth watching.
Documentary about the Spanish Inquisition… and no, Mel Brooks does not make a cameo
Official Description:
Its very name conjures up horrific images of torture, persecution, and corruption of power. We’ll unravel the twisted history of “The Inquisition”, a special court established by Pope Gregory IX in 1231 to root out heresy. We’ll also see why, for the first time ever, the Vatican is conducting its own inquisition into The Inquisition.
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