Firstly - i realise that i'm coming to the discussion a while after it began but i'm from Australia and it may amuse you to know but the program that began the discussion does not air on australian tv until tomorrow night (that is the 25th of June 2006) so i realise it is unlikely my post will get read but hey i like to add my 2cents worth anyway...
To begin, although i was brought up a catholic i do not list myself under any real religious heading. i care about facts scientific and historical. it is my belief that Jesus was a revolutionist for his and our time and the only thing i care about are his teachings and morals (but am uninclined to believe that he was the son of god who rose from the dead after 3 days of death to ascend to heaven and save mankind). one of the main things that angers me - particularly about the topic of conversation and previous posts - is that many avid "christians" completely ignore the life and teachings of christ and focus only on his death and supposed resurrection. there is to much hypocrisy in the christian faiths, so much judgement on people who disagree with them. this is not what jesus was trying to teach, this is not why "he died for us".
I am wondering why the new gospels of judas are causing such consternation for some, it would be my conclusion that this gospel adds further proof to your beliefs, that it dispels what dan brown was trying to say. That Jesus had foreknowledge of what needed to happen to him to set in motion a chain of events to change the world and he had his "best friend" judas begin the "betrayel"
Further, i would like to add that in many of the previous posts there is a continual idea that books/films like dan browns etc. exist simply to hurt/challenge specific christian religions/beliefs. To begin with the life of christ does not belong solely to the christians. it is still a part, and a very fascinating part at that, of history. It is not the first section of history to be hollywoodised (and made in part historically inaccurate for "artistic lisence") and it will not be the last. films and documentaries on this subject matter are made for people interested in it - not to hurt people that are not.

To begin, although i was brought up a catholic i do not list myself under any real religious heading. i care about facts scientific and historical. it is my belief that Jesus was a revolutionist for his and our time and the only thing i care about are his teachings and morals (but am uninclined to believe that he was the son of god who rose from the dead after 3 days of death to ascend to heaven and save mankind).

I too grew up Catholic and care about the facts so I'm with you on this but have to ask a question here. If you care about his teachings then why don't you believe he rose from the dead? He taught that he would rise from the dead. He kept telling his disciples this would happen. He also said he was the son of God even saying he was God himself (John 8:58).

that many avid "christians" completely ignore the life and teachings of christ and focus only on his death and supposed resurrection. there is to much hypocrisy in the christian faiths, so much judgement on people who disagree with them. this is not what jesus was trying to teach, this is not why "he died for us".

well said. I agree. I think that the reason why the resurrection is so prominent is because without that there is no Christian faith. It all crumbles. The whole bible from the get go was that one would come (Jesus) and bring life to a dying world by dying in our place to take the judgment upon himself. He took the place of Adam who brought sin into the world. He offered us a way out and came to show it.

We really must not focus on men but on God. We should seek out those that are leading us to him not from him. There are many wolves in sheep's clothing and we need to be able to discern the difference and the only way we can do that is to know the Shepherd's voice and listen.