' The Orthodox View of the Bible '...

The orthodox view of the Bible is untenable, according to philosophic tradition.

It is really a collection of books written in different centuries by men on different levels of inspiration.

It mixes half-history with myth, and legend with allegory and poetry.

The tribal memories of the Hebrews are put on the same level--which is a mistake--as the inspired revelations of their seers and the Mystery teachings they learned in Egypt and Chaldea.

The orthodox view of Jesus is equally dispelled by philosophic insight.

The man Jehoshua, who was the real figure behind the legendary one, lived a hundred years before the supposed date.

Although much of the teaching associated with his name in the New Testament is actually his own, not much of the life there given is actually historical.

The narrative in its pages is partly an allegory depicting a disciple's mystical journey ending in the crucifixion of his ego and partly an excerpt from Jehoshua's biography.

There was no violent death, no physical crucifixion in this biography.




-- Notebooks Category 17: The Religious Urge > Chapter 5:
Comments On Specific Religions > # 77 Paul Brunton