December 18, 2021
Dear editor;
I often enjoy Charles Coddington’s writings, but I just had to answer his fantasies about the origins of Christianity in The Voice December 3 (https://thevoice.us/historical-context-explicated-of-evangelical-christians) and 17 (https://thevoice.us/birth-death-miracle-of-jesus-some-facts-examined). There is no evidence that Saul of Tarsus was a Zealot. I believe Chas wrote the articles to get a rise out of Christians.
The myth that Christianity borrowed from the different cults such as that of Mithras does not compute. Chas asks questions whether Jesus existed historically. I don’t think the 2.3 Billion Christians in the world, or the 1.8 Billion Muslims who see Jesus as a prophet, have anything to worry about. There is more evidence that Jesus existed than did Julius Caesar.
Chas implies that the idea of 12 Apostles was created as a doctrine. Who should we believe? Someone who lives in the 21st Century or eyewitnesses? Four of the Apostles wrote New Testament books: Peter, Jude, Matthew, and John. Mark was Peter’s secretary. Other sources are the Roman writers: Tacitus and Pliny and the Jewish historian: Josephus.
Chas, I recommend that you read a best- selling book: The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel who was an investigative reporter for The Chicago Tribune. Strobel, as an atheist, got upset when his wife told him she was going to be a Christian. He used his abilities to prove Christianity to be superstition and wound up becoming a Christian.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.
Gerald Lubshina, Aurora