[Cal]

Originally Posted by zeek

Of course. Basically you are supporting your contention that Jesus is incomparably higher than any figure in history with your evaluation that Jesus is incomparably higher than any figure in history. There's a vicious circularity to your argument that should be obvious to any objective person if not to you. Your "registration" is informed by your opinion. Not surprisingly, they agree.

Not at all. I'm waiting for an indication that you are even open to the argument. I can tell you why I think Jesus is superior. But the fact is you should know already yourself. You were in the LCM right? Or am I mistaken? Don't you know how Christianity is different?

Your opinion of quality is not necessarily quality either. What's it based on?

It's based on the overall impression I get from observing the persons and their stories. What else am I supposed to go by? What do you go by? For example, no other of these people claimed to love humanity so much that he was willing to come and suffer and die to redeem them back to a loving, but righteous God. These others don't even touch the idea that God is so righteous that a perfect substitute for us in judgment was necessary. That's totally off their radar. They didn't think of it. All other religions are about working your way to God or nirvana or whatever. Only Christianity is about God coming to us because we are unable to get to him.

But like I said, you should already know that. I shouldn't have to tell you.

What an exercise in futility that would be.

Well, if it's futile then why are you even here? I mean if we can't come to some conclusions about these guys other than to, as you do, say there's no real difference then what is the point? Are you really here to argue that they are all basically the same. Is that your purpose here?

In each case, tell us why Jesus' saying is incomparably better.

They are better because of the overall context shown the Bible, that is in the light of other things Jesus said. Jesus presents himself not only as a teacher of truth, but as the unique enabler of living it out. Sure, there are some parallels between human morality in religions and philosophies, but that just shows that these basic truths resonate with our consciences. But all the other teachers are basically saying "go out and do this with your own willpower." Only Jesus presented himself as the very power to produce what he taught. Buddha knew some of the rules because he was a thoughtful, seeking human being with a conscience, as we all should be. But Buddha could offer no real hope of living up to the precepts he taught. Jesus not only offered hope to achieve a proper living, he said that he himself was that hope. No one else did that. That alone puts him in another league. Add to it that millions of his followers have truly experienced that power in their lives and you have something special.

So when Jesus speaks a basic human truth that is seen in other philosophies, he is doing it in an entirely different way than others are. That's why the Jews marveled at him. Because he taught with confidence and assurance, as someone having authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees or, one can assume, Buddha did.