In his novel Accidental Christ, Lon Milo DuQuette suggests that perhaps Jesus of Nazareth was a magician of sorts, a member of a mystery cult. Ultraculture reports that in 2008, French archaeologists unearthed an bowl inscribed with text referring to Jesus as a “magician.” Could it be that Christianity mistakenly condemns the path of the magician?
The bowl, which is dated to the period between the late 2nd century B.C. and the early 1st century A.D., reads:
“DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS,” which has been interpreted by the excavation team to mean either, “by Christ the magician” or, “the magician by Christ.”
First Historical Record of the Real Jesus Describes Him as a ‘Magician’
In his first novel, bestselling author Lon Milo DuQuette tells a remarkable tale of what could be the true story behind the legend of the man known to history as Jesus Christ. Written in his trademark style of thorough scholarship mixed with wit, humor and honesty, Accidental Christ – The Story of Jesus (As Told by His Uncle) is a fun, enjoyable book sure to educate and entertain as it raises eyebrows, blood pressure, and the question long avoided by most Biblical scholars: Could it all have been one, big misunderstanding?
Thanks to James Gordon for the tip!
What? No mention of professor Morton Smith’s
(1915-1991) classic work of scholarship, “Jesus The Magician”? Quoth the publisher– “This book challenges traditional Christian teaching about Jesus. While his followers may have seen him as a man from heaven, preaching the good news and working miracles, Smith asserts that the truth about Jesus is more interesting and rather unsettling.
The real Jesus, only barely glimpsed because of a campaign of disinformation, obfuscation, and censorship by religious authorities, was not Jesus the Son of God. In actuality he was Jesus the Magician. Smith marshals all the available evidence including, but not limited to, the Gospels. He succeeds in describing just what was said of Jesus by “outsiders,” those who did not believe him.
He deals in fascinating detail with the inevitable questions. What was the nature of magic? What did people at that time mean by the term “magician”? Who were the other magicians, and how did their magic compare with Jesus’ works? What facts led to the general assumption that Jesus practiced magic? And, most important, was that assumption correct?
The ramifications of Jesus the Magician give new meaning to the word controversial. This book recovers a vision of Jesus that two thousand years of suppression and polemic could not erase. And–what may be the central point of the debate–Jesus the Magician strips away the myths and legends that have obscured Jesus, the man who lived.”
thanks for the added deets! one of the perks of being involved in this blog is learning MORE than we teach!