Jefferson Bible

[Gwydion112390]

Has anyone read the Jefferson Bible--
Thomas Jefferson basically took the Bible, removed ALL supernatural elements (including Jesus' miracles, resurrection and other supernatural acts) and references to Jesus being the son of god , removed the Old Testament with all it's hate entirely, and left only the teachings and ideals of Jesus within--As he felt the philosophy of Jesus was great but disagreed with Christianity and the idea that Jesus was divine.

Would it be ok to believe Jesus' philosophies as only that--a life philosophy--and still be a Pagan?

[white_harmony]

I don't see why not. One of the best things to come out of Jesus' teachings was the "love thy neighbour". And to be honest, I have always felt that particular teaching best reflects what human kind should be doing - loving everyone. Not just family, close friends etc ... But everyone and everything.

If you can see a good philosophy in something - be it in Christian, Hindu, Islamic, whatever, or not even tied into religion at all, but something you feel is perfect for you - then by all means, incorporate that into your own life philosophies, your own thoughts and beliefs. Being Pagan does not mean you cannot believe any other teaching/philosophy of anyone else in the world who is not of a Pagan faith. Being Pagan is more about acceptance, tolerance, patience, love, kindness, respect, understanding. You are free to choose your own path, and live it as you see fit.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Pagan is a very broad term, and in general does not exclude the input of other faiths. Absolutely it's OK to believe in Jesus and be Pagan. When you start believing that only he can save you and in a more monotheistic "landscape," well, that's ok too, but you wouldn't necessarily be "Pagan." Jesus has been one of the figures who has taught me about healing. When you connect in to his energy, he is very powerful, very loving. There is a definite difference between Jesus and the generalized "Fundie Christian" Jesus (the one that kills kittens when you *ahem*), which I have found to be nothing more than the collective thoughts an energies of the masses. That is the energy that makes it hard to breathe in a church, and in some places, is invoked often.

I find also that, when you tap into Jesus as you would a god/goddess/guide/angel, he is a lot more Pagan than one would imagine. I think he falls closer to the realm of Buddhism, though. Even when you read the bible, his teachings are incredibly Buddhist.