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Jesus Had a Twin?

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The Greatest Controversies of Early Christian History

Written and read by Bart D. Ehrman


Listening to Bart Ehrman deliver these lectures is a joy in itself: his soft, slightly ironic timbre makes the material as engaging as the content itself. The way he presents the controversies of early Christianity is so engrossing that even the chapter titles alone are enough to spark curiosity:


- Was Jesus born in Bethlehem?

- Was Jesus’ Mother a Virgin?

- Did Jesus Have a Twin Brother?*

- Was Jesus Married?


*And oh my Pluto, he did! That chapter was my absolute favorite.


The Most Interesting Parts:

  • Jesus as an Apocalyptic Prophet: Jesus preached the imminent arrival of God’s Kingdom during his own time, expecting the end of the current age and the establishment of God’s dominion within his lifetime — not centuries later. This reframes how we see his mission and words, grounding them in the context of a rapidly approaching apocalypse that, of course, never came.

  • Development of Christology: The evolution of beliefs about Jesus’s divinity feels like religious Darwinism. Ehrman contrasts “low” Christology (where Jesus is a human exalted to divine status after his resurrection) with “high” Christology (where Jesus is a pre-existent divine being who becomes human). Watching these concepts battle it out across centuries is fascinating — like theological natural selection at work.

  • Formation of the New Testament Canon: How certain texts made it into the New Testament while others were excluded is a story of power, politics, and persuasion. The debates and decisions behind the biblical canon are a masterclass in understanding who held the reins of early Christianity and what narratives they wanted preserved.

  • Historical Accuracy of the Gospels: Ehrman digs into the Gospels’ reliability as historical documents, laying bare the discrepancies and variations between them. It’s like watching the construction of a narrative through a cracked lens: illuminating and unsettling all at once.


The Irony Hits Hard

One of the most ironic moments is when Ehrman quotes Tertullian, a famous early Christian writer from the 2nd century AD. Tertullian laments how Christians were scapegoated for everything: “If the Tiber rises to the city walls, if the Nile fails to flood, if the heavens give no rain — the cry is, ‘Away with the Christians to the lion!’” Christians were even accused by pagans of drinking babies’ blood.

Does that remind you of anything? Who, in turn, became Christianity’s main scapegoats all the way to the Holocaust? There’s a Russian rhyme that mocks this dynamic: “If there’s no water in the tap, the Jews have drunk it, no cap.” And thanks to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, we all know what kind of drink Jews were supposedly partial to. Yes, Christian babies. Naturally.

It’s both educational and darkly entertaining to realize how these narratives never truly disappear. They’re like a flu: someone always catches it. Sometimes it’s a full-blown epidemic, sometimes it’s just a contained outbreak. But there’s never been a time when it didn’t exist.


The Takeaway

Christianity is an amalgamated religion, forged from fragments of earlier philosophical and religious traditions and tempered during its first three centuries to serve societal and political needs. You may identify as an agnostic, a skeptic, a God-denier, or even a satanist, yet the fervor with which one might reject Christianity reveals its enduring imprint. Like it or not, your psyche, your values, and the foundation of your life have been shaped by Christian principles. To live in Western society — whose very fabric is intertwined with Christianity — is to carry its legacy, even in resistance.


The Ultimate Marketing Model

Christianity is the perfect model to study marketing. It is, without question, the most successful enterprise of the last 20 centuries. Business owners, whether small or large, should pay attention. Here are the lessons we can derive from it:


  • Adapt or Die: Early Christianity evolved with the times to survive. Your business must too. Stay relevant.

  • Own the Narrative: Control your story like the Church controlled the biblical canon. Perception is power.

  • Build a Loyal Base: Early Christians focused on community and loyalty. Treat your customers the same way.

  • Turn Critics into Fuel: Opposition only made Christianity stronger. Learn from critics and grow.

  • Create a Purpose: People rallied around Christianity’s message of salvation. What’s your business’s higher purpose?

  • Expand Strategically: Christianity spread by merging with local traditions. Blend your offerings to attract diverse audiences.

  • Stay Resilient: Christianity endured persecution and thrived. Handle your setbacks like a pro.


The Twist

Well, obviously, Jesus was a mushroom. Don’t take my word for it — read the (in)famous book “The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross” by John Allegro. And the trick of turning water into wine? Try diluting your water with Amanita muscaria and see what happens — wink wink.

So no brainer here: read this book with a splash of Amanita in your capsule. You can order it here.

Thank you very mush for reading it to the very end.


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