Why do people love controversies and conspiracies?
At Bible study the other night, we had in attendance a man who had previously left our church but has recently come back. He began to dominate the discussion almost immediately. He was all over the place, quoting all kinds of scripture. That’s fine, I guess. Personally, I prefer our discussions to stay in the context of what we are studying and to look at the “Big Idea” as Haddon Robinson puts it.
However, at one point, this man brought up something that just had me spiritually scratching my head. He started talking about the letter J not being invented until the 16th century, and that Jesus’ name is really Yehoshua or something. I really had no idea what he was talking about. 16th century. Correct translation. I though he was going to get all KJV on me.
I quickly got us back on track but, but these past couple days I have just been trying to figure out what he was trying to say.
So I Googled “the letter J”
Un Be Lievable.
There are cults (yeah I said it) that teach that the name Jesus a conspiracy to get us to call on the wrong savior.
Look, we all know our English, Jesus is a transliteration of a transliteration of a transliteration etc. Whether you call Him Yeshua or Joshua or Iesous or Haysoos or Jesus, as long as you are referring to the Christ, the risen Son of God, I think you are safe.
Don’t you remember when you took Spanish and your teacher gave you your Spanish name? Was it a conspiracy to fool your classmates to invite a pagan sungod to Taco Bell? Probably not.
Yet apparently these cults want you to believe that Constantine had the Christ’s name changed to trick people into calling on Zeus.
It’s easy to blame 9/11 for your troubles. Gas too high? Blame 9/11. Economy bad? Blame 9/11.
Look at the church. Got a problem with Sunday worship? Blame Constantine. You don’t like banners in church? Blame Constantine. The poor guy is the 9/11 of the Christian world. Give the guy a break already. I know he had issues, but he legalized Christianity. He basically did for the early church what Cyrus did for the exiles.
Anyhoo its obvious Constantine had nothing to do with Insous.
I don’t mind that we silly Americans pronounce it Jesus.
He’s forgiven me for worse offenses.
Strong love, strange peace
Cults are relying on a graphic novel, albeit a very well illustrated one, as a scapegoat?