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'''Acharya S''' is the [[pen name]] of '''D. Murdock'''. A proponent of the [[Christ-myth hypothesis]], she has authored two books and operates a website called [http://www.truthbeknown.com "Truth be Known"]. Her contention is that all religion is founded in earlier myth and that the characters depicted in Christianity are the result of the plagiarizing of those myths to unify the [[Roman State]]. |
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Acharya S is the pen name of dorothy Melne Murdock. |
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==Books== |
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She is an American Critic of Christainity who operates a website, "Truth be Known" in which she contends to reveal the truth, that Jesus CHrust is a fictional person, and a plagerised pagan myth stilen by the early Chruch and supposed as an actual personso as to unify the Orman State. |
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Her 1999 book, ''The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold'', is a development of part of her website. A follow-up book, ''Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled'', discusses her views further. It is largely written to address criticisms of her former book. In it, she comments on the [[Hindu]] story of the life of [[Krishna]], as well as the life of [[Buddha]] (Siddhartha Gautama). She claims parallels to the life of Jesus, presenting this as evidence that the story of Jesus was written based on existing stories, and not the life of a real man. |
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==Claims about Christianity== |
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She claims many impressive things abotu herself, billing herslef as a Historian, mythologist, rleigious scholar, and linguist, as well as Archeologist. |
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Acharya denies the [[Historicity_of_Jesus|historical existence of Jesus Christ]], describing the New Testament as a work of [[myth | mythic]] fiction with an historical setting. The story of Christ, she maintains, is actually a retelling of various [[paganism|pagan]] myths, all of which represent "astro-theology" or the [[solar deity|story of the Sun]]. She asserts that the pagans understood these stories to be myths but that Christians obliterated evidence to the contrary through the destruction and control of literature once they attained control of the Roman Empire. |
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Hosever, in relaity she seems to hold only a masters of Liberal arts form Frankin University. |
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This purportedly led to widespread illiteracy in the ancient world and ensured that the mythical nature of Christ's story was hidden. Scholars of other sects continued to oppose the historicizing of a mythological figure. Where no evidence exists, Acharya claims that this is because the arguments were destroyed by Christians. However, Christians preserved these contentions, she states, through their own refutations. |
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Acharya compares Jesus' history to that of other "saviour gods" such as [[Mithraism | Mithra]], [[Horus]], [[Adonis]], [[Krishna]], [[Quetzalcoatl]], [[Odin]]—claiming that the similarities result from a common source, the myth of the sun-god. |
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Her book, "The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story dever Sold" is an expanded verison fo her website, and both have been heavily critisised for their lack of use of primary soruces, diliberate obtuse and obviosuly biased remarks, lack of formal reaosning, and promenant use of secondary soruces, which themselves ar often suspect. |
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In ''"The Christ Conspiracy"'' she describes this theory, noting for instance the [[Allegory | allegorical]] parallels between the story of Christ, and the story of the solar deity: ''"The sun 'dies' for three days at the winter solstice, to be born again or resurrected on December 25th"'', and ''"The sun enters into each sign of the zodiac at 30 [degrees]; hence, the 'Sun of God' begins his ministry at 'age' 30."'' |
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such as Barbara walkers "womens encyclopedia of Mysh and Secrets" and "The worlds 16 Crucified Saviors" by Kersye Graves. The latter beign the pimary soruce ofr her book, which relies heavily on quotatiosnform others to generate an artificial air of authority for the work,which if examined wants you to beelive thwt Jesus did nto exist as an actual person because the author has found people who say he didnt. This beign the primary weakness of the book, which sems geared to sales rather than scholarship, dispite its claims. |
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==Claims about other religions== |
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Acharya S is highly critical of certain aspects of [[Judaism]], in particular [[Hasidism]]. She writes online about the possible creation of a [[theocracy|theocratic]] [[New World Order (conspiracy)|New World Order]] which would impose the [[Noahide Laws]]: |
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<blockquote>If the Hassidic Jewish Movement has its way, the so-called Noahide Laws would be followed to the letter, as would many others found in the "Old Testament," prescribing capital punishment for abortion, euthanasia and "sexual deviation" such as adultery and homosexuality. The punishment, in fact, for breaking any of the Noahide Laws is decapitation |
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[http://www.truthbeknown.com/theocracy.htm ].</blockquote> |
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In another online essay, she quotes allegations by conspiracy researcher Mae Brussell that the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] smuggled [[uranium]] to [[Australia]] "for future use when it would attempt to obtain [[Global domination|world conquest]] and single world government.... The rumor was... that the Mormon Church had arranged to assist [[Israel]] in bringing off [[Armageddon]]." [http://www.truthbeknown.com/mormonism.htm ] Her criticisms have also been directed against [[Islam]] and [[Buddhism]]. |
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==Criticisms== |
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Critics have claimed her work is based on poor scholarship, with little primary research and heavy reliance on outdated or fringe sources, and shows ignorance of the topics on which she writes, in particular of the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Mainstream scholars have paid little attention to her work. |
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[http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/rev_murdock.htm Robert Price] shares her view that the [[Gospel]] accounts are borrowed from pagan sources, but considers her work so poor as to constitute an embarrassment to the case. He writes: |
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<blockquote>I got a copy and read it for myself, and immediately I cringed... Writing at second hand, she is too quick to state as bald-faced fact what turn out to be, once one chases down her sources, either wild speculations or complex inferences from a chain of complicated data open to many interpretations. And sometimes she swallows their fanciful etymologies like so many shiny goldfish at a frat party. Worse yet, she just goofs here and there and betrays a lack of ability to weigh evidential claims... ''The Christ Conspiracy'' is a random bag of (mainly recycled) eccentricities, some few of them worth considering, most dangerously shaky, many outright looney.</blockquote> |
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Her [http://www.truthbeknown.com/firesponse.htm reply] began by repeating an unnamed acquantance's speculation that he has "professional jealousy", later adding: |
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<blockquote>Furthermore, while Price is oh-so-skeptical about this information, as an evangelist for some years--presumably as a willing adult--he evidently had no problem not only swallowing the absurd gospel fable but also spreading it around! Should we respectable mythicists be afraid of being associated with Robert Price because of his bizarre past?</blockquote> |
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[[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] [[James Patrick Holding]] has also [http://tektonics.org/af/achy01.html rebutted] her work, to which she replied, "This man, JP Holding, has no integrity, and his writings should not be given credibility." [http://www.truthbeknown.com/holding.htm ] |
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Another refutation, by Christian apologist Mike Licona, may be found [http://www.answeringinfidels.com/content/view/34/49/ here]. She [http://www.truthbeknown.com/licona.htm replied], and Licona wrote a [http://www.answeringinfidels.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=37 rejoinder]. His article includes correspondence with several scholars who noted inaccuracies in her work, in one case writing that she should take a Religion 101 class. |
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==Life== |
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Acharya S has been described, by her own books, and website, as well as the ''[[Paranoia Magazine]]'' website, as a historian, mythologist, religious scholar, linguist, archeologist;it should be noted, however, that these claims are not based on Academic merit, rather, her supporters claim she is these things based on her books, which cover these topics. She has no formal training in most feilds, and only moderate undergraduate experience in Archeology. Internet essayist [[John Kaminski]], as "the ranking religious philosopher of our era". |
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She has a [[Bachelor of Liberal Arts]] degree in [[Classics]], Greek Civilization, from [[Franklin and Marshall College]], and attended the [http://www.ascsa.edu.gr/ American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greece]. |
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She is a fellow of the [http://www.centerforinquiry.net/cser/ Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion], a division of the [[Council for Secular Humanism]]. |
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While preserving her privacy, she been interviewed on a variety of radio stations. In an interview she said she came from a moderate Christian background. Though not traumatic or "Fundamentalist", she described it as "boring" and said she ceased attending church regularly at age 12. |
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Her inspiration for exploring the [[Jesus_myth | Jesus myth]] theory was apparently Joseph Wheless's book ''Forgery in Christianity''. She then read other works, such as [[Kersey Graves]]' ''[[The World's 16 Crucified Saviours]]'', and Barbara Walker's ''The Woman's Encyclopaedia of Myth and Secrets''. |
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==External links== |
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Main site. |
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*[http://www.truthbeknown.com/ Truth be Known (Acharya S's website)] |
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General topics and interviews. |
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*[http://www.paranoiamagazine.com/acharayas.html Interview with Acharya S in ''Paranoia Magazine''] |
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*[http://www.paranoiamagazine.com/sunsofgod.html Paranoia Magazine review of ''Suns of God''] by Joan d'Arc |
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*[http://members.aol.com/kingdavid10/Letters/LetterJesusHorus.html An Email Exchange with the author.] |
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Reviews. |
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*[http://pages.ca.inter.net/~oblio/BkrvTCC.htm Earl Doherty reviews ''The Christ Conspiracy''], see [[Earl Doherty]] |
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*[http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/rev_murdock.htm Robert Price reviews ''The Christ Conspiracy''] |
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*[http://risenjesus.com/articles/index.asp?pagea=acharya-s&pagea2= "A Refutation of Acharya S's book, ''The Christ Conspiracy''" by Mike Licona]*[http://ebtx.com/dead/acharya.htm ebtx.com reviews ''The Christ Conspiracy''] |
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*[http://tektonics.org/af/achy01.html Tekton Apologetics Ministries reviews ''The Christ Conspiracy''] |
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[[Category: Religious philosophy and doctrine]] |
Revision as of 19:56, 12 March 2006
Acharya S is the pen name of D. Murdock. A proponent of the Christ-myth hypothesis, she has authored two books and operates a website called "Truth be Known". Her contention is that all religion is founded in earlier myth and that the characters depicted in Christianity are the result of the plagiarizing of those myths to unify the Roman State.
Books
Her 1999 book, The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold, is a development of part of her website. A follow-up book, Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled, discusses her views further. It is largely written to address criticisms of her former book. In it, she comments on the Hindu story of the life of Krishna, as well as the life of Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). She claims parallels to the life of Jesus, presenting this as evidence that the story of Jesus was written based on existing stories, and not the life of a real man.
Claims about Christianity
Acharya denies the historical existence of Jesus Christ, describing the New Testament as a work of mythic fiction with an historical setting. The story of Christ, she maintains, is actually a retelling of various pagan myths, all of which represent "astro-theology" or the story of the Sun. She asserts that the pagans understood these stories to be myths but that Christians obliterated evidence to the contrary through the destruction and control of literature once they attained control of the Roman Empire.
This purportedly led to widespread illiteracy in the ancient world and ensured that the mythical nature of Christ's story was hidden. Scholars of other sects continued to oppose the historicizing of a mythological figure. Where no evidence exists, Acharya claims that this is because the arguments were destroyed by Christians. However, Christians preserved these contentions, she states, through their own refutations.
Acharya compares Jesus' history to that of other "saviour gods" such as Mithra, Horus, Adonis, Krishna, Quetzalcoatl, Odin—claiming that the similarities result from a common source, the myth of the sun-god.
In "The Christ Conspiracy" she describes this theory, noting for instance the allegorical parallels between the story of Christ, and the story of the solar deity: "The sun 'dies' for three days at the winter solstice, to be born again or resurrected on December 25th", and "The sun enters into each sign of the zodiac at 30 [degrees]; hence, the 'Sun of God' begins his ministry at 'age' 30."
Claims about other religions
Acharya S is highly critical of certain aspects of Judaism, in particular Hasidism. She writes online about the possible creation of a theocratic New World Order which would impose the Noahide Laws:
If the Hassidic Jewish Movement has its way, the so-called Noahide Laws would be followed to the letter, as would many others found in the "Old Testament," prescribing capital punishment for abortion, euthanasia and "sexual deviation" such as adultery and homosexuality. The punishment, in fact, for breaking any of the Noahide Laws is decapitation [1].
In another online essay, she quotes allegations by conspiracy researcher Mae Brussell that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints smuggled uranium to Australia "for future use when it would attempt to obtain world conquest and single world government.... The rumor was... that the Mormon Church had arranged to assist Israel in bringing off Armageddon." [2] Her criticisms have also been directed against Islam and Buddhism.
Criticisms
Critics have claimed her work is based on poor scholarship, with little primary research and heavy reliance on outdated or fringe sources, and shows ignorance of the topics on which she writes, in particular of the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Mainstream scholars have paid little attention to her work.
Robert Price shares her view that the Gospel accounts are borrowed from pagan sources, but considers her work so poor as to constitute an embarrassment to the case. He writes:
I got a copy and read it for myself, and immediately I cringed... Writing at second hand, she is too quick to state as bald-faced fact what turn out to be, once one chases down her sources, either wild speculations or complex inferences from a chain of complicated data open to many interpretations. And sometimes she swallows their fanciful etymologies like so many shiny goldfish at a frat party. Worse yet, she just goofs here and there and betrays a lack of ability to weigh evidential claims... The Christ Conspiracy is a random bag of (mainly recycled) eccentricities, some few of them worth considering, most dangerously shaky, many outright looney.
Her reply began by repeating an unnamed acquantance's speculation that he has "professional jealousy", later adding:
Furthermore, while Price is oh-so-skeptical about this information, as an evangelist for some years--presumably as a willing adult--he evidently had no problem not only swallowing the absurd gospel fable but also spreading it around! Should we respectable mythicists be afraid of being associated with Robert Price because of his bizarre past?
Christian apologist James Patrick Holding has also rebutted her work, to which she replied, "This man, JP Holding, has no integrity, and his writings should not be given credibility." [3]
Another refutation, by Christian apologist Mike Licona, may be found here. She replied, and Licona wrote a rejoinder. His article includes correspondence with several scholars who noted inaccuracies in her work, in one case writing that she should take a Religion 101 class.
Life
Acharya S has been described, by her own books, and website, as well as the Paranoia Magazine website, as a historian, mythologist, religious scholar, linguist, archeologist;it should be noted, however, that these claims are not based on Academic merit, rather, her supporters claim she is these things based on her books, which cover these topics. She has no formal training in most feilds, and only moderate undergraduate experience in Archeology. Internet essayist John Kaminski, as "the ranking religious philosopher of our era".
She has a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in Classics, Greek Civilization, from Franklin and Marshall College, and attended the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greece.
She is a fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion, a division of the Council for Secular Humanism.
While preserving her privacy, she been interviewed on a variety of radio stations. In an interview she said she came from a moderate Christian background. Though not traumatic or "Fundamentalist", she described it as "boring" and said she ceased attending church regularly at age 12.
Her inspiration for exploring the Jesus myth theory was apparently Joseph Wheless's book Forgery in Christianity. She then read other works, such as Kersey Graves' The World's 16 Crucified Saviours, and Barbara Walker's The Woman's Encyclopaedia of Myth and Secrets.
External links
Main site.
General topics and interviews.
- Interview with Acharya S in Paranoia Magazine
- Paranoia Magazine review of Suns of God by Joan d'Arc
- An Email Exchange with the author.
Reviews.