An excellent analysis that is promising and applicable to not only the subject matter at hand, the start of Christianity, but to other areas of historical study. The methodological approach here is presented in a somewhat awkward fashion if you are expecting a 'light read', but the application of this approach to the subject results in a fresh new approach that I enjoyed. Many of the reviews of this book focus on Mr. Zuesse's 'bluntness' or, somewhat ridiculously, his lack of love or compassion for attempting to ferret out the truth behind the creation of the most influential religious framework in the history of the world-- Christianity. I suppose that this is to be expected as he does put forth an excellent case for the false basis of Christianity and demonstrates how factual evidence can trump faith. The sad thing is that these comments demonstrate the belligerent, emotional, and unscientific attacks of those that will defend their "faith" at all costs, whether it is unsupported by scientific enquiry or through basic moral analysis. It is really no wonder that the majority of the world's problems today can be attributed to mythological beliefs-- reading comments like these should enlighten those that perhaps are straddling the worlds of faith-based belief and the real world.
One negative in this book is the constant insistence that the type of methodology used to analyze the New Testament, legal/forensic, not only stems from and is based upon a "court of law in a democracy", but that this must be a precondition for careful and reasoned analysis of the evidence in a court of law. This statement is found innumerable times throughout the book. It may be the case that this methodology grew over time at a time when democracy was also becoming more prevalent throughout the world, but it is false to assume that democracy is a pretense for evidentiary based analysis of historical documents with no prior-assumptions or no 'professional' scholarly opinion littering the mind of the person doing the analysis. Democracy is nothing more than mob-rule of a majority of people that live in a geographical area and has absolutely nothing to do with successful analysis of the best evidence when undertaking scientific enquiry. I respect the analogies to a court of law, and the source of this institution for a basis of this analysis, but it is important to understand that "democracy" is a political organization that has nothing to do with truth and fact. A "court of law in a democracy" is composed of a judge and frequently prosecution that work for the government that happens to be in power in the jurisdiction in which the trial occurs. In many cases this same government has influenced on the jurors throughout their lives via propaganda, education in government run schools, and culture. This is hardly an environment in which to discern truth of things. Truth needs to remain independent of not only faith, but political manipulation as well. A court of law in a democracy doesn't necessarily provide this.
This minor quibble aside, Mr. Zuesse, please give us more of this type of forensic analysis-- the world needs it!
OR
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