Jesus, the first rebel with a cause, and John, the first terrorist. Man oh man my vision of the holy family was surely rocked this week. I have decided from here on out per Professor Sillimans request I will block off what I have learned growing up about the holy family, and open my mind to this new historical information.

But before I completely block out what I've learned I really want to know how the history of Jesus went from the first rebel with a cause to an entire religion based around him and his family.

Professor Silliman was talking about how the stories were created because he was so important. Which I understand, but there have been other inspiring figures in history aka Gandhi, and there is not entire religions based on him. Hopefully we go into this the further we get into Crossan's book!

Wow. Jesus A Revolutionary Biography is unlike anything I've ever read or heard of before. While reading it I had a difficult time understanding what Crossan was trying to have come across with his comparisons, and at some points became slightly offended. But after Professor Silliman explained the meaning of gospels as a story rather than history it sort of alters the way I perceive everything I've been told to believe.

I've been thinking about is the concept of the Virgin Mary. We talked about it a little bit in class, Professor Silliman stating that she in fact was not a virgin. Which would make sense...she was married to Joseph, no? I'm just curious why soooo many people believe that Mary is a virgin, it just seems so unrealistic.

In the society I grew up in the only religion I ever truly learned about and understood was Christianity. Reading the Gita really opened my eyes to a completely different stand point on a religion. Or as Professor Silliman, has pointed out who is to say what religion is anyways?

There are so many different gods in Hinduism, none of which are seen as an abomination to worship which is the complete opposite of Christianity. Worshiping another god other than God is seen as a Christian crime.

There is such a difference between the way the two "religions" see things its going to be exciting to compare them as we move forward in the reading. Heaven, hell, God, Jesus, Gunas, gods, brahman, atman!

On Thursday in class we were discussing becoming a Sannyasan and how it isn't necessarily a negative decision, which I agree with, but then I started creating more questions after thinking on this later.

Would you be able to end your cycle of reincarnation if you didn't choose the path of becoming a Sannyasan but choose becoming one with god on your own.  Do you have the option of living your life and being at peace and one with you Atman without abandoning your world possessions?

Or, if this was so would you by default choose the path of becoming Sannyasan?