This is the second article in the Batman & Jesus series. I was supposed to publish this quite earlier, but you know things happen and sometimes, not all goes according to plan. So after weeks of going through contingencies, here is the second in the series with the hope of more to come soon.
We feel pained from within the moment we hear someone say, ‘I don’t agree with you,’ or ‘While you may be right in your own way, I choose to think otherwise.’ The thought of having people disagree with us and hold viewpoints different to ours is quite a difficult one to bear and one that brings with itself lots of hurt and disappointment.
Whenever we nurture a certain belief or start supporting a certain viewpoint, most of us become too attached to that viewpoint, often to the extent that we feel betrayed if someone chooses to think otherwise, especially if that someone is a person you love and care about deeply. For instance, I know if I ever told my family I have friends who are gay or I am thinking of converting to another religion, I will be honored with insults and abuse, even slaps. This may sound far-fetched, but I am 100% sure I would be banished from my family if I did not let go of my viewpoints or any of my beliefs that do not align with what my family believes in. Fortunately, nothing of this sort is happening right now as most of my core beliefs are similar to theirs and that’s not because I am scared of having an opposition stand strongly against me; it's mainly because I choose to believe in those things and am firm in my core values and principles.
That being said, whenever I try bringing up a new concept or even a mild approach to handling and managing an existing issue, I am faced with a lot of backlash, in particular by the elderly of my family. Our elders mostly are of the opinion that if a certain norm has been set, it must not be opposed even if you have all the proof in the world against it and even if that norm is making your life miserable- you must abide by it at all times and only if you do that, you will earn respect, happiness and success. Oh what a truckload of crap this is!! I usually refrain from using even such words, but right now I feel quite upset by all the people and their viewpoints that make it difficult for anyone to have a discussion on any issue they want to delve deeper in and clarify.
Having a Discussion is Even More Difficult than Climbing Mount Everest
Whenever I have to describe the intense and challenging nature of a task, I compare it to climbing Mount Everest since I find doing that quite tough and challenging. I mean, I know I wouldn’t be able to pull that task off easily at all. I am not saying I cannot do it because I strongly believe in anyone having the ability to do absolutely anything he or she wants provided he or she sets his or her mind to do it and is truly compelled to achieve that goal. However, I know I won’t be able to trek on Mount Everest easily and find myself happily dancing on its peak. Sadly, having a discussion with people on a crucial and more importantly, a controversial topic is even more difficult than having the guts to climb the said mountain. You can eventually climb to the very top of the peak after days and months of pursuing this goal. However, to have a meaningful and peaceful discussion, you need to be patient enough to the ideas of others and you need to make sure you walk out safe of the room after you have told people you do not agree with them. This, I believe is often quite difficult to achieve especially in my country.
Discussing different viewpoints and approaches with people on a controversial topic, especially one with a hint of religion in it is never easy, and if you do find yourself doing that with someone, 99% chances are you are going to have a heated debate with that person or people and may even reach to the point where they strongly decide to cut off their ties with you. This is precisely the reason why many people are scared to question the authenticity of their religious beliefs and find out whether or not what they have been told is true.
This is why people who do not believe in the authenticity of Jesus of Nazareth often find themselves suffocating from within whenever they try to be their genuine self or nurture beliefs they feel align with their core values.
The historical evidence to support the existence of Jesus Christ so far is widespread as well as long established. Jesus Christ has been mentioned by the Roman and Jewish historians and in scores of Christian writings too. Compare this with King Arthur who is believed to have live sometime around 500 AD. The prominent historical source for events corresponding to that time do not even mention King Arthur since he is first mentioned in writing about 300 to 400 years after he lived. The evidence to prove the existence of Jesus isn’t limited to later folklore as are the accounts corresponding to Arthur.
That being said, there is evidence that does hint that Jesus of Nazareth may not have any substantial existence at all. Okay, to all those with firearms, guys calm down, this isn’t my viewpoint and I am not insinuating anything so please don’t start stalking me and hunt me down because I have a son to raise and a husband and family to love. Jokes apart, writer Michael Paulkovich claims that there is hardly any substantial evidence to prove that Jesus Christ did exist. Jesus of Nazareth is believed to have lived from 7BC to 33AD in the Roman Empire, but sadly Paulkovich found no mention of the messiah in the 126 texts he found that were written in the 1st to 3rd centuries. There is only one spot where Jesus Christ is mentioned in a book written by a Roman Historian ‘Joseph Flavius’, but that account too is believed to have been added by the editors to prove that Jesus Christ is not a mythical being.
Then again, another important thing to note is that the two popular historians who have written the most against Jesus Christ and his existence are atheists. So this means they are bound to lean more towards points that prove God and His messiahs do not exist and to believe that faith is stupid. Hence, one cannot be 100% sure whether or not to believe their argument. At the same time, a recently conducted survey shows that a staggering 40% adults living in England believe that Jesus Christ was not an authentic historical figure.
As we can see, there are lots of aspects and points to consider for both the sides and if one starts digging deeper into things, a lot of evidence will come up that proves that Jesus Christ was a messiah of God and the Son of God as the Christians believe and did exist, and there will also be found proof to nullify that. However, to be able to do that, to be courageous enough to dig deeper into a matter so delicate and controversial, to be strong enough to delve into a matter that may shatter our beliefs for good, we need to first cultivate the patience and strength to enter into a discussion with people who support our argument and those who oppose it. We need to open our hearts to the idea of being proved wrong and need to strengthen it to withstand any criticism or judgment that may come our way.
This is another good lesson I learned from the documentary I talked about before ‘Batman & Jesus.’ This documentary touches the very delicate topic of Jesus in a manner that does not seem objectionable, at least not to me, and it encourages you to think deeply too. It brings forward the idea that whatever your belief is, whether it's a religious one or an ethical one, it can be wrong and there can be and probably are many people who are already thinking differently. You may not always be right and even if you are right, you may not always have all the facts to prove you are right. In all those times when we feel challenged, we need to be more open and accepting to the idea of having a discussion and instead of fearing it, we should embrace it, for discussing things is a good way to open more windows in a dark room and bring in more light.
If only we start discussing things and not debating on them, I think we will open a lot more windows for hope and will start to move towards resolving things instead of exacerbating them. What do you think? Looking forward to your thoughts on the subject.
Love and light,
Sharoon.
If you missed the first article, read it here:
@sharoonyasir/batman-and-jesus-why-do-we-not-question-the-legitimacy-and-authenticity-of-things
P.S. This article does not mean to in any way evoke any sort of resentment or ill feelings in anyone and if it did that in any way, I sincerely apologize for that.
If you would like to know more about Batman & Jesus and the works of Kings Tower Productions, do visit their website: http://www.spadeheartclub.com/
I am a part of the wonderful @ecotrain which is trying its best to make this world a better place.
