Just want to chime in and say it was a great show.
From my late childhood/early teens I've wondered what was the deal with Rome and Christianity, not only because I was raised a catholic but because of the great relevance of both to the world, and this research really connects some serious dots!
I did not have a strong emotional reaction to the idea that Jesus could be/was Caesar, I think because after a few years of learning about lies and the probable truth behind them I kind of got used to expecting more of it. Of course I had no idea about it, but found it very interesting. What kind of surprised me though was the amount of material already available once you are aware that such connection exists.
It was fortunate that this discussion arose just after I finished HoM, since I was particularly interested not only in the gods as comets theme but also in the connections that Laura made about Jesus and the stoics.
What did elicit some emotional response, of the positive kind, was thinking that now we can know the true history of Christ, and even read the words of Christ himself, even though the myth is most likely a syncretism, as Laura pointed out.
The potential implications of this cover up are astonishing, although I can barely imagine the deep repercussions. I mean, the modern western civilization was built having Christianity at its foundations, was it not? And I've read that about one third of the world population is christian, it is like taking away the religious cornerstone of more than two billion people!
While this research shows this most revered religious figure being a Roman general (although a remarkable one, it seems), I find it amusing when I think of the elders of my family that religiously - literally - pray to the idea of him as this poor sandal-wearing miracle man from the desert. Maybe if I begin by telling them that the part about the sandals is true I have some chance of getting through? Mirth intended, I would not try to burst their cozy bubble, external considering and all.
It will take some time for the books to arrive from amazon but I'm following what I can on the web, although I much prefer reading on paper. And many thanks Laura for recommending the books!
Edit: I forgot to say that it is a very new perspective, for me at least, to know that a man was considered sacred, divine, by his political actions. Very different from a king that says 'I'm divine and you shall obey me'. To consider that Caesar was made divine by the people, by his actions to benefit the people. And such was his following that it molds us to this day, two thousand years later. Truly impressive and eye opening.
