Building a mythic hero

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

True. The main difference is that there are know political or judicial commandments(other then "be a good citizen" and "enforce internal order") and no cultic ones(other then Baptism and Communion). Torah was meant for the organization of a nation, not a universalist religion.

What about "Blessed are the cheesemakers?".

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

What about "Blessed are the cheesemakers?".

I don't remember any commandment regarding cheese. Other then that most Jews don't eat meat with dairy which sounds like kind of an extreme extrapolation but whatever.

If you are however referring indirectly to "blessed are the peacemakers" that was referring to all relations rather then simply political ones which commoners in an autocratic empire would have had little say in in any case.

But "be a good citizen" is implied in "render unto Caesar." And "enforce internal order" is implied in a couple of instances one of which was where Paul rebuked a Church for going to magistrates instead of arbitrating themselves, and another where Paul ordered someone banned for incest and adultery.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

I don't remember any commandment regarding cheese. Other then that most Jews don't eat meat with dairy which sounds like kind of an extreme extrapolation but whatever.

If you are however referring indirectly to "blessed are the peacemakers" that was referring to all relations rather then simply political ones which commoners in an autocratic empire would have had little say in in any case.

I could have been referring to "The heroes deeds/message become warped in the retelling".

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

I could have been referring to "The heroes deeds/message become warped in the retelling".

You could have meant that. But that would be uninteresting, because there is no more discussion to be made on that point, unimaginitive because that claim is brought up by every hack-historian, and because it is an arbitrary assertion which cannot possibly be disproved as any possible contrary evidence can be claimed as a fake. And just plain wearisome because if you believe you have to deny that claim and if you disbelieve you have to accept it and there is no more to be said. And the details of a given story are more interesting then whether a given person believes them in the context of this thread.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

You could have meant that. But that would be uninteresting, because there is no more discussion to be made on that point, unimaginitive because that claim is brought up by every hack-historian, and because it is an arbitrary assertion which cannot possibly be disproved as any possible contrary evidence can be claimed as a fake. And just plain wearisome because if you believe you have to deny that claim and if you disbelieve you have to accept it and there is no more to be said. And the details of a given story are more interesting then whether a given person believes them in the context of this thread.

It might have been uninteresting but at least it was short.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

It might have been uninteresting but at least it was short.

That is a only a virtue in Sparta.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

5. He is also reputed to be the son of a god.

Change that to:
5a. He is the subject of a prophecy.
And you rope in Anakin Skywalker, Neo from Matrix and Harry Potter, to name those that immediately come to mind.

Originally Posted by jason taylor

1. Quite rare. More common for heroes to be divine bastards. I can't remember any virgin births other then Jesus and Darth Vader. I suspect that Ancients found celestial kinkiness more arousing.

Mithras, at least, and there are others I've heard of.