To: Acharya S
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 11:43:26 -0500
Subject: Talibans and Buddhist statues
From: BS

Islam is a depraved religion. In fact the other two Abrahamic religions are screwed up too. Do you think that the world will eventually be freed from religion? I hope so.

Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 15:56:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: DH
Subject: your website
To: Acharya S

It is obvious by the amount of time and effort you put in website that anything I say to you will probably not change you mind one bit. Belief in God by definition requires a degree of faith. I however sympathize with atheists who look out on the world and see all of the injustices and sincerely question the existence of God. The XTC song "Dear God" includes many truths.

Men have done much evil in the name of God. This does not mean that God does not exist.

I believe in Christ and that he is God’s son. I believe that God has granted to all men their agency to act freely. I believe God wants his children to become like him. This life is a proving ground. I believe that there is a devil who tempts man. I believe that all men will be judged based on their actions, the true intents of their hearts, and by what they have done with the opportunities afforded them.

Is it possible that all of the myths that you mentioned which share striking similarities to the story of Christ may be the corruptions of the Christ story rather than the other way around? I believe that Christ’s plan of salvation was agreed to before this earth was created and that the pre-mortal Christ created the earth. If this is the case, then Christ's plan has been known to mankind since the beginning and mankind has had ample opportunities to corrupt the plan.

As for biblical inconsistencies, I grant you there are many. Many parts of the Bible record have become corrupt, but there are many truths also. Early Christianity went awry, becoming a state religion and compelling men to believe. This is not the doctrine of Christ and I fear that their bad example has jaded you and many others. What is needed is a continuing spirit of revelation to interpret what God has revealed and to receive that which he reveals today. All of nature testifies there is a God, unfortunately, the actions of men can prejudice the observer.

Why is so important for you to change my mind? Are you that insecure in your beliefs that you need everyone else to believe them in order to make them "real?" Why should we have to engage in faith if such a god is so self-evident? And omnipresent, which means everywhere present - such a god would be unavoidable! If you think XTC's song contains so many truths, why do you insist that you know there is a god? Such belief is based on need, not knowledge. Actually, the unbelievable amount of evil done not only by men but also by "nature," "God" or "the devil" certainly would demonstrate that there is no such good god in charge of anything.

You believe in these typical notions because you have been programmed to believe in them. Your beliefs are not very sophisticated. As concerns the pagan precedents being magically based on Christ, rather than the other way around, this idea is also nothing new – the early Christian apologists claimed the devil had anticipated Christ and imitated his later advent. These arguments are unsatisfying for deep thinkers. The Bible hasn't "become corrupt"; it was corrupt from the beginning, because it was written by men with a particular agenda, which was to brainwash the rest of humanity in the goal of dominion. You are a pawn of that agenda. Nothing has "jaded" me – I simply know more than the vast majority of believers, and because I possess honesty and integrity, I cannot go along with such a hateful and scurrilous conditioning.

From: RH
To: Acharya S
Subject: Friendly mail
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 22:25:47 -0400

I just want to let you know your book, The Christ Conspiracy, was a great help to me. I'm starting my own web site on the Bible. I call it "The Unspoken Bible, What the Church Doesn't Tell You." It's registered as usbible.org, but not on line yet.

Anyway, in your book on page 212, you say that the gospel story took three weeks plus 40 days. I went through Matthew using the zodiac symbols. What I found is that the gospel can be broken down into twelve parts according to each symbol. It looks to me like the gospel story took one zodiac year.

What I noticed is that each symbol establishes its motif. For example, in Aquarius Jesus is baptized. In Virgo after harvesting is complete, Jesus is feeding multitudes. Libra is the time for settling debts. The pattern fits real good. I don't think I'm forcing it.

Religious creatures are obsessed with tradition. I've found that once you understand them, they are very predictable. I made a rough outline of what I found. I'm interested in your opinion.

From: AP
To: Acharya S
Subject: The Origins of Christianity
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 22:41:31 -0700

The Origins of Christianity and the Quest for the Historical Jesus Christ by Acharya S

Pitiful, ignorant, hopelessly falling on same kind of ears.

Under two laws, (1) The law of non-contradiction and (2) the law of rational inference, this garbage would be accepted only by the exceedingly ignorant.

There are millions of such waiting to hear your message. When you question these types they will tell you they think the Bible is a very dangerous book which separates people. When you question them further almost without fail your talking with people who have never spent even an hour reading what they condemn.

One thing I know. Truth must be found in a person before it can be found in a proposition.

I Am, the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. Jesus Christ.

Some day you will know what lies you believe. In that day I will be there to watch you explain yourself.

I see, so you can only mindlessly regurgitate idiotic passages from the Bible to "prove" your point, and are unable to engage in critical or original thinking, but I and the "same kind of ears" are "pitiful, ignorant," blah, blah, blah? Irrelevant "laws," ad hominems and apoplexy! Very convincing! I suggest you actually study the subject instead of repeating the brainwashing: Here are plenty of Christ Con links. These writers are far less ignorant and far more erudite than the typical Christian who merely parrots biblical pabulum. And your perverse and sadistic desire to "watch me explain myself," like some vicious schoolmaster who can't wait to beat the children, is pretty sick. Get over yourself.

Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 15:45:39 +0300
From: SM
To: Acharya S
Subject: Beautiful

I'd just like to drop a quick note of thanks for an excellent web site. As a researcher (of modest sorts) of psychology and a former history major, your website hits just the right note for me (I'm growing more and more amazed how little the facts presented on the site are debated/known in the mainstream). As for me, truthbeknown has given me hours of brain-tickling fun! Thank you and keep on keeping on the good work!

Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 09:58:57 -0700
From: TS
To: Acharya S
Subject: GREETINGS

Hello Acharya,

Checked out your web site last month. I like what you are saying. I am a student at Princeton University and I agree with you. I always knew based on intuition that the Jesus story was allegory. By the way, I have seen your photos WOW!! You are one hot honey!!…

Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 13:25:56 -0400
Subject: Origins of Christianity
From: DS
To: Acharya S

Acharya,

I visited your site on the origins of Christianity and enjoyed it very much. In regards to your comments concerning the documentation of the existence of Christ, there is historical evidence to show this to be false. I'm a little skeptical of the evidence and am interested in hearing your feedback if you have any. There were other writers of the first and second century A.D. who were not Christians but wrote about the existence of Christ. Some of these writers include Flavius Josephus (born A.D. 37), Cornelius Tacitus (born A.D. 52-54), Lucian of Samosata (a satirist of the 2^nd century), Plinius Secundus (Governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor who wrote to the emperor Trajan in A.D. 112), Tertullian, Thallus, as well as many references from Rabbis. These authors all denied that Jesus was the Messiah, yet they wrote about his existence. The Hellenistic Jewish historian and philosopher Philo, whom you mentioned, did live during the time of Jesus. His works consist primarily of philosophy and commentary on Jewish Scripture and religion as they relate to Greek culture and philosophy. To quote from the 15th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica article on Philo, "It is not unduly surprising that such a person should not pay much attention to an agitator sprung from the humblest of the people, whose doctrine, if he had one, had no connection with philosophy." Part of the New Testament's purpose is to record the historical account of Jesus. Other Christians from the 1st and 2^nd century A.D. also give record of the early church. These include Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Hermas. What's your take on all this?

You should be skeptical! The statement that "there is evidence to show" my contentions "to be false" is itself false, and has been demonstrated to be so for several centuries. Obviously, then, I am well aware of all of these apologist claims. They have repeatedly been shown to be worthless. My "Origins" essay contains mention of some of them, so anyone reading that would know that I am aware of these assertions. I suggest further study of not only my book The Christ Conspiracy but also my forthcoming book Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled, as well as my Christ Conspiracy links. The explanation for Philo's silence is just plain silly, when one knows the details of the history of the early Christian movement. A number of important Christian concepts were based on Philo's refinement of Plato's "Logos" (Word). If this Logos had miraculously appeared in Judea, in Philo's land, during Philo's lifetime, he would have been aware of it – in fact, he would have likely been the first in line to see for himself this Logos, about which he had written so much. Indeed, Jesus's advent would have proved Philo correct in some of his major pontifications, so he probably would have jumped for joy.

Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 18:06:54 -0400
From: RB
To: Acharya S
Subject: Willing to donate...

Hello,

I am so impressed by your work The Christ Conspiracy, that I would like to set aside $* as a donation to the Institute for Historical Accuracy as part of my charity work for this year. I hope that your work will have a major impact on the western world because it is all so well researched and referenced. One thing that I would love to see researched, is the truth of what really happened to St. Thomas who is said to have arrived in Kerala, India, in the (first century?), was martyred at Madras, India…and spread Christianity in India there long before it arrived in Europe. The Portuguese Roman Catholics tried to wipe out Thomas Christianity in India as heresy, but it has survived. Was the Jesus Mystery cult so powerful on its followers, I wonder, that Thomas sailed to India to spread it?

The Christ Conspiracy must have the most concentrated amount of biblical research I've ever seen collected in one book. Incredible work.

Thanks! I can always use the help. Re Thomas, I cover this a bit in Christ Con: He's an old god, Tammuz, Tamas, etc. I will also have some more info on that in Suns of God.

From: DO
To: Acharya S
Subject: New Testament material in dead sea scrolls?
Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 18:25:23 -0700

I've yet to find anything saying the Dead Sea Scrolls do or do not contain New Testament material. I mentioned this to a Christian, and the person said they did. Now, I know I haven't found anything suggesting the dead sea scrolls do have new testament material, I haven't found anything saying they conclusively do not. I can't believe nobody has any say on this or wouldn't bother mentioning an affirmation of denial of this fact. Do you know for a fact that there is no New Testament material in the Dead Sea scrolls?

It's just baloney. Some have attempted to claim that there is material from Mark's Gospel – a false assertion. If the DSS authorities had found such texts, they would have jumped for joy, because such texts would prove their purported antiquity. It didn't happen. What the DSS do contain is material and concepts that were later used in the creation of Christianity, showing a transition between the Zadokite Judaic sect and Christianity. I demonstrate more about this correspondence in the chapter "Essenes, Zealots and Zadokites" in Christ Con.