Didn't know that Murdoch is Australian... and Jackson from New Zealand; I guess this explains partly why he chose this as the shooting location for LotR.
Murdoch isn't Australian anymore, he's American. He took out American citizenship and had to renounce his Aussie citizenship in order to buy various media companies in the US (apparently foreigners can't own more than a certain stake). Anyway, he's yours now. You're welcome!
Haha... I put a few naturalized citizens on my Stupid Americans quiz and got all sorts of grief for it, but when it comes to Murdoch you guys are all too happy to recognize a change in citizenship! Figures...
Jesus was reportedly born Bethlehem which is now part of the autonomous Palestinian Authority recognized by some nations as simply Palestine. In either case its not Israel.
This is true. The Bible has it that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, which is in Palestine. However, archaeological evidence (or rather a lack of it) shows that there was no town in Bethlehem in Judea when Jesus was born, in which case he may have been born in Bethlehem in Galilee, which is in Israel. Then again, he may not have been born in any Bethlehem and his place of birth may be a later invention to ensure his story coincides with the prophecy in the Old Testament which said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Or, Jesus may not have been born at all and the whole thing may be made up.
^this. If Jesus was born at all it was likely in Nazareth since the Bethlehem story is obviously made up. Nazareth is also in Israel/Palestine, though, so hardly matters.
I'm wonder why "it's obviously made up". All the gospels that mention Jesus birthplace coincide in identifying Bethlehem and all sources from the first and second centuries agree. Of course a case can be made that it's too convenient, as it fulfils Micah's prophecy that the Messiah would be born in this town. I you are a non believer, there may be grounds to be suspicious. But I don't how it can be called an "obvious" fabrication.
Do some reading on the subject, roca. and not on apologist sites. Djilas points out one problem with the story... though.. this is not the strongest argument against it as that is just as probably a matter of the date of Jesus' birth on the Gregorian calendar being wrong as it is evidence that the story was fabricated.
There was actually a census: the Census of Quirinius. Which was in Israel. Circa 5 BC (the journey via man + donkey + lady would have taken several months, bumping it up to 4 BC on time of arrival in Bethlehem). In Israel. Issued by Augustus (the name being because Quirinius was in power in Syria at the time). Seems to match up pretty well. Here's a non-apologist site (although admittedly I don't get why you forbade those in your comment) discussing the topic: http://www.livius.org/articles/person/quirinius-p-sulpicius/?
The problem I've seen you raise most often (namely, Jesus lived in Nazareth so he couldn't have been born in Bethlehem) doesn't make any sense. You were born in the United States if I recall correctly. But I'm pretty sure you live in the Middle East now. It's not impossible for someone to be born in one place and raised in another.
Not surprisingly you have inferred something that I never implied. The Nativity story is made up, and for obvious reasons. If the Census of Quirinius is the one the Bible is referencing that's odd, then, because that means that King Herod would have been ordering the massacre of babies to protect his throne a decade after he died. And that's just one detail that unravels the whole narrative. I have said it's *likely* that Jesus was from and born in Nazareth, not that it's impossible he was from Bethlehem. The only evidence we have for him being born in Bethlehem is an obviously made-up story that can't possibly be accurate and conveniently helps this Jesus character retroactively fulfill a prophecy when his life was first written about decades after his supposed death.
Incidentally the fact that the anonymous people who wrote the stories in the Bible must have felt pressure to invent a story that would place Jesus' birth in Bethlehem (fulfilling messianic prophecy) is one of the main reasons that I believe Jesus to be a real person.
If he was totally made-up from scratch, then they could have easily just written his backstory as being a rabbi who was from Bethlehem. But if he was a real flesh and blood person who was known to be from Nazareth or somewhere else, then you have to make up the magical birth story with the parents who just happened to be traveling away from home or else people are going to point out that Jesus couldn't be the messiah because the prophecies didn't fit.
Another reason we know this story is invented: there was never a rule in the Roman Empire requiring people to return to the city of their ancestor's to answer a census. That doesn't even make sense.
This last comment, at least, is inaccurate. There is evidence that the Romans required returning to one's ancestral town during a census taken in the province of Egypt, some decades after the time of Jesus.
There are definitely plenty of people who consider Bethlehem part of Israel. So saying "in either case it's definitely not" is a little misleading. I spent Christmas Eve there last year.
Aesthus... could you *please* start looking up something.. ANYTHING.. before you post? Pretty please? It would reduce the amount of stuff you say by 95% and save me time.
There was never a Roman province of Israel. There was a Roman province of Judea, which in the 2nd century was incorporated into the province of Syria Palaestina.
Most don't realize this but his name is actually not an homage to Slim Shady, but a corruption of "Salim"... he's got Arab/Lebanese ancestry. Like Salma Hayek.
Why - because you know nothing of track and field? I've never met an Ethiopian who didn't know Haile Gebreselassie. And he's a lot less problematic than the old emperor.
I thought so! My piano teacher made me play that stuff until I quit. I remembered Romania but it bounced me. I loved this quiz tho! Never heard of a couple...Probably sports? Could not believe I never knew where Kofi Anan was from. Now I'll never forget.
It appears Bartók really isn't the best choice for Hungary. He was born in present day Romania, according to Wikipedia later lived in present day Ukraine and Bratislava, only at 18 he moved to Budapest. But on the other hand, all 3 places were part of Hungary at the time.
Oh so you have photographs of Jesus I assume? Even other Christians should be embarrassed by these comments. I know I would have been, back when I still believed.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which is in the Palestinian West Bank. He was not, therefore, from Israel. You need to be clear on whether you mean born or raised in.
It is about where they're from... Osama didn't exactly hang out all that much in Saudi Arabia in later life
If he was totally made-up from scratch, then they could have easily just written his backstory as being a rabbi who was from Bethlehem. But if he was a real flesh and blood person who was known to be from Nazareth or somewhere else, then you have to make up the magical birth story with the parents who just happened to be traveling away from home or else people are going to point out that Jesus couldn't be the messiah because the prophecies didn't fit.
Another reason we know this story is invented: there was never a rule in the Roman Empire requiring people to return to the city of their ancestor's to answer a census. That doesn't even make sense.
There was never a Roman province of Israel. There was a Roman province of Judea, which in the 2nd century was incorporated into the province of Syria Palaestina.