[alphabassettgrrl]

KatieSue, I agree with you on the "bible as literal fact" thing. I think it's much more useful as mythology, as stories that illustrate something than as historical fact it could ever be. Not to mention like you said, translations, copies, and intentional errors in service to a particular political agenda.

NA, I'm with you here that it *is* interesting that people want so desperately to believe. Personally, I find it quite plausible that Jesus married, had kids, etc, though I don't know that the line would be traceable today. The church suppressed a lot of writings, both at the time of Christ through today. There was a major purge around AD300? 600? Something like that. The bishops got together and literally decided yes or no to many writings, what would appear in the official new bible.

Some of these writings were probably more favorable to women. I think there was a purge, because if women have power and influence (and were among the disciples) men would have less power and influence, and this new church was all about male power. Thus we get rules about women being unclean, about women speaking in church, rules about women not being allowed to teach others about the religious writings.

As far as the movie goes, churches train their followers to believe uncritically in the church. Ok, fine. Now they see the movie, and will believe it uncritically. It's what they've been taught.

I like the more rational members of the churches, who are holding discussion groups and speaking about what they actually believe. Let's cut the hype.