 as one of the methods of getting to heaven.
Tolerance is not one of Christ's principles. In Matthew 11:20 he upbraids the cities where most of his work was done. He threatens many of them saying they "shall be brought down to hell."
If Christ, in person, was not able to influence these cities it speaks ill of his divine ability; and his then threatening the cities for not doing as he told them smacks of childish intolerance. Later Christ says: "For I am meek and lowly in heart."
In the 12th Chapter of Matthew he excuses his disciples for plucking corn on the Sabbath, but in other preachings he enjoins his followers to obey strictly the rites and rituals of the Old Testament.
Did Christ speak well of the people following his own commandment to speak well of people who spoke evil of them? No, in the 12th Chapter of Matthew he refers to the people of his times as "a generation of vipers."
Was it a sign of courteousness and friendliness when his mother and brother came to see him and he refused to recognize them, as related in the 12th Chapter of Matthew? Is it a philosophy of returning good for evil when Christ says of the people who did not follow him, that the Angels would come forth and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: "There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
Throughout Christ's preachings is the threat of hell fire -- eternal hell fire -- for those who fail to follow him, but at the same time he exhorts his followers to follow the teachings of the rabbis.
Another example of childishness, suspicion, and petty hatred is Christ's cursing of the fig tree mentioned in the 21st Chapter of Matthew. Christ was hungry and when he found no figs on the tree he cursed it, that it might never grow fruit again. It is childish to curse inanimate objects, and the tree certainly did not know that it was expected to have fruit for Christ that morning. As it was not the season for bearing figs, what advantage would it be to anyone to spitefully cause the tree to be withered because it was barren?
In the 23rd Chapter of Matthew, Christ, speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees, ordered his followers, -- "All, therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do." But at the same time he denounces them for their acts, violates his own commandment to -- "speak well of those that hate you."
It was perfectly proper for Christ or anyone to criticize hypocrites and the religious leaders, but endeavoring to preach one thing and practice another is only an indication of the ridiculousness of the conflicting and garbled Biblical commandments.
Christ predicted that during the generation in which he was preaching, the sun would be darkened and the moon would not give light, the stars would fall from Heaven and the powers of the heaven would be shaken and the son of man would return and reign over the earth but, of course, this vain boast was never fulfilled.
There Are Grave Doubts
Whether Christ Ever Lived
Many eminent authorities claim that no such person as Christ ever lived, any more than such gods as Mars, Isis, Woden, Siva, Zeus, Jupiter, Juno, Baal, and a host of other reputed gods ever lived. Their lives have all been based on myths. Why the Christian believes in one myth rather than another is hard to determine.
They say that there is practically no evidence of the life of such a person in the writings of the contemporary historians.
The story of Christ closely parallels the story of the Hindu Krishna.
Krishna, reported to have been born 1000 years before Christ, was born of a virgin mother in a cave; he was worshiped by wise men; his father like Joseph had come to pay taxes; the tyrant who ruled ordered all children born that night to be slain; but Krishna's father, like Joseph, had had a dream and fled with the child; Krishna was a second person in a trinity; he was crucified; descended to hell like Christ; freed some saints; and ascended to Heaven in the flesh.
The story is very similar to the Christ story and it is very reasonable that the latter was copied from it. It was much easier in the days of ignorance and il