tebo@gatech.CSNET (Bill Thibault) (10/25/85)
Does anyone know the title/author of a book about the life of
Christ in India after the Crucifixion? I heard about it from a
couple of yoga-types and on a TV show, so it seems pretty
widespread. Apparently, Pilate was a closet Christian, but had
to deal with the bloodthirsty Jews under his rule. So, he con-
ceived a plan. He did all he could to delay the Pharisees, in
order that Jesus wouldn't get nailed to the cross until Friday
afternoon. Pilate hoped He could survive the few hours on the
cross--jewish law forbade crucifixion during the Sabbath (which
began at sundown Friday). Pilate then arranged to have Jesus
hustled out of town that weekend, saving Him from the mob.
Christ then returned to Kashmir province in Northern India (so
the story goes). He was accompanied by His disciple Thomas.
Jesus had visited Kashmir during his wandering years, and liked
it. There, Jesus settled down and gained reknown as an En-
lightened Master (not too uncommon in that part of the world, but
still quite wonderful). Thomas traveled throughout India,
spreading the Good News. The Gospel according to Thomas is read
by Christian sects in India that were founded by Thomas.
This all seems heretical. But fun. Are there any other in-
teresting heresies? Please post them to the net.raghu@rlgvax.UUCP (Raghu Raghunathan) (11/02/85)
> > Christ then returned to Kashmir province in Northern India (so > the story goes). He was accompanied by His disciple Thomas. > Jesus had visited Kashmir during his wandering years, and liked > it. There, Jesus settled down and gained reknown as an En- > lightened Master (not too uncommon in that part of the world, but > still quite wonderful). Thomas traveled throughout India, > spreading the Good News. The Gospel according to Thomas is read > by Christian sects in India that were founded by Thomas. > I don't know about Jesus in India; but Thomas is supposed to have traveled all over India. He died near Madras in southern India and is buried in a little hill called St.Thomas Mount at the outskirts of Madras. I've been there many times. One has to climb around (maybe) 300 steps to reach the top and on each step along the way the story of St.Thomas in India is carved in stone. I can't vouch for the validity of this, but every christian in India believes Thomas lived a good part of his life in India and died there. And the cemetery of St.Thomas is open for all to see. - Raghu.
mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) (11/03/85)
There are indeed legends concerning St. Thomas in India, and indeed, the
explorers from Spain and Portugal found Christian colonies in India during
their travels, although they failed to find the fabled Prester John. An
interesting book concerning this is
_The Quest for Eastern Christians: Travels and Rumor in the Age of
Discovery_
by Francis M. Rogers (U. Minn. Press: 1962)
I believe that it is still in print.
Charley Wingate