Video: Did Christians exist before Christ?
posted at 4:55 pm on December 4, 2007 by Allahpundit
You know I wouldn’t subject you to two in the same day if it wasn’t something really special.
They’re talking here about Epicurus, who lived around 300 BC. Credit Sherri at least with a canny attempt at a save near the end, segueing effortlessly from when Christianity began to when Jesus himself “began” — a much finer theological point.
Not her first stint as the subject of viral video, incidentally. I wonder who she favors in the Republican primary.
Blowback
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…apparently nothing existed before 0 AD…at least in Sherry’s book…
MadisonConservative on December 4, 2007 at 4:56 PM
that can’t be real.
amend2 on December 4, 2007 at 4:58 PM
Damn. This show is getting as bad as Jerry Springer. Dumb Americans.
Agrippa2k on December 4, 2007 at 4:59 PM
Christians before Christ… ok next.
amend2 on December 4, 2007 at 4:59 PM
I cant view youtube at work
but from what allah posted, is she saying that before Jesus Christians didnt exist?
offroadaz on December 4, 2007 at 4:59 PM
It’s a religious/historic Who’s On First Routine…without a joke at the end.
Bryan on December 4, 2007 at 5:00 PM
Wow! I’d always heard that there was no such thing as a perfect vacuum. Obviously no one ever checked these gal’s heads.
Oldnuke on December 4, 2007 at 5:00 PM
Um what about the Mesopotamians, Assyrians and a whole plethora of civilizations before the Greeks? These old bats cant be this freaking stupid.
kiakjones on December 4, 2007 at 5:01 PM
well.. I guess if she’s right there were Jews before God.
amend2 on December 4, 2007 at 5:03 PM
There’s a punchline Bryan. It’s just more sad than funny.
The Apologist on December 4, 2007 at 5:03 PM
Did any real Christians exist before The High Reverend Mike Huckabee?
MB4 on December 4, 2007 at 5:05 PM
I thought I did, but apparently I only just recently popped into existence.
Frozen Tex on December 4, 2007 at 5:08 PM
and this is where a large part of “Americans?” get their news and knowledge. sheesh
-
The IQ of lint.
abinitioadinfinitum on December 4, 2007 at 5:08 PM
Yeah, ‘cept they were called “Jews” at the time. Duh.
Tony737 on December 4, 2007 at 5:09 PM
You’re giving them way too much credit there.
Oldnuke on December 4, 2007 at 5:10 PM
But what is “existence” really but a series of sensory stimuli interpreted by our brains?
Enrique on December 4, 2007 at 5:10 PM
Dear God Almighty, the ignorance on display in that clip is truly staggering. Where did that woman go to school? I want to send that clip to her history teachers.
Dudley Smith on December 4, 2007 at 5:10 PM
Your so lucky.
abinitioadinfinitum on December 4, 2007 at 5:13 PM
Of course there were Christians before Christ was born. That was the whole point of the Old Testament sacrifices from Adam onwards.
Sebastian on December 4, 2007 at 5:14 PM
Not smart. Not funny. Not pretty. Not talented. Why is she on TV? Is she related to someone famous?
ronsfi on December 4, 2007 at 5:16 PM
Since Christians believe that Jesus and the Father are one, it is reasonable for Christians to say that the Jews prior to Jesus were in some sense Christian.
http://www.dennisbeard.org/word-of-god.html
After Jesus Christ lived, the term becomes more specific to those who acknowledge that person as their Savior.
pedestrian on December 4, 2007 at 5:18 PM
Of course there were Christians from the beginning. I’m just glad I didn’t watch this imbecile–judging from the comments here, I’m saving myself some grief.
Vanceone on December 4, 2007 at 5:19 PM
The various views of the ignoranti, presented in various levels of ignorance. Most males would be the same.
BL@KBIRD on December 4, 2007 at 5:20 PM
offroadaz, She says that Christianity predates classical antiquity. Whoopi tries to bail her out, as usual.
Bad Penny on December 4, 2007 at 5:20 PM
Well unless you are for “not ‘punishing’ the children of of the ‘undocumented’”, then I am sure that The High Reverend Mike Huckabee would not consider you to be a real Christian (or a real American either).
MB4 on December 4, 2007 at 5:22 PM
Is this before or after the world became flat?
lorien1973 on December 4, 2007 at 5:23 PM
No, I doubt Huck would approve of my positions on those and many other matters. Not that I care.
Frozen Tex on December 4, 2007 at 5:28 PM
What did they mean by, the Greeks came first?
Weight of Glory on December 4, 2007 at 5:32 PM
What is more disturbing is that the crowd didn’t burst out into laughter.
Weight of Glory on December 4, 2007 at 5:34 PM
Deep
Valiant on December 4, 2007 at 5:35 PM
They’re all related, so were their parents.
-
This is the reason cousins shouldn’t marry.
abinitioadinfinitum on December 4, 2007 at 5:35 PM
Don’t know if this is off-topic, but when I was teaching English in Saudi Arabia, my students (all of them I ever asked) hotly affirmed that Islam existed well before either Mohammed or the Koran. Kinda confused me at the time.
thejackal on December 4, 2007 at 5:35 PM
What do you call a black woman who acts like a dumb blonde? Is there a cute word or phrase to describe that? If there’s not, there should be!
aero on December 4, 2007 at 5:36 PM
You are a phony Christian, Mr. Frozen Tex.
Repent before it is too late!!!
Or when I become
High Priest of Norte AmericaPresident you will be excommunicated!!!- Regards, The High Reverend Mike Huckabee
MB4 on December 4, 2007 at 5:36 PM
The lint in my pocket has asked that I register a complaint on their behalf, they feel that it is degrading and humiliating to be compared on an intellectual scale to the bimbos on the view…
doriangrey on December 4, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Egad! I’d better run away to Canada’s far north before it’s too late… oh, wait, I’m already there…
Frozen Tex on December 4, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Dude. Really. What is the deal with “The View” clips?
I gotta know.
My prior theory had you deeply smitten with Elizabeth Hasselbeck, mooning over your unrequited love every afternoon. But that theory just doesn’t work with Whoopi.
I’m fascinated. Seriously. What is it about this particular show? There’s other shows with a greater concentration of stupid (see, for example, MSNBC’s entire line-up). If you just want to mock the housewife set, Dr. Phil is ripe for the plunder. So’s Oprah. (But without today’s allusion to nekkid Oprah, please).
But it’s always this one show. A show I don’t think I’d ever even heard of until HotAir introduced it to me.
So what’s the secret? Is it juicy? Does it involve Leonardo DaVinci and the Illuminati?
I know it’s good, whatever it is.
C’mon. I won’t tell.
Professor Blather on December 4, 2007 at 5:40 PM
How ’bout “The IQ of the litter stuck between my cat’s toes”?
Frozen Tex on December 4, 2007 at 5:40 PM
Is the one who thinks Christians came before Christ the token conservative?
Sue on December 4, 2007 at 5:41 PM
No. Not according to
GodChuck Norris.Professor Blather on December 4, 2007 at 5:41 PM
hmm.. Blondabee ?
amend2 on December 4, 2007 at 5:42 PM
You give their studio audience too much credit.
geckomon on December 4, 2007 at 5:42 PM
I don’t know, my cat is sitting here giving me a dirty look after I asked her which one was smarter, the bimbos on the view or the litter stuck in her toes…I’m getting the distinct feeling she is suggesting that the litter is smarter…
doriangrey on December 4, 2007 at 5:44 PM
This is just a guess, but I think it has to do with the fact that Muslims believe that it was Ishmael, and not Isaac, that was the chosen son of Abraham. And since no division exists within Islam, such as the one that came about to separate Christianity from Judaism, then they could say that Islam existed before Mohammed. Again, just a guess, but the lack of a theological or covenantal difference allows for a kind of continuity.
Weight of Glory on December 4, 2007 at 5:44 PM
Your cat’s probably right; the litter knows not to comment on subjects it knows nothing about.
Frozen Tex on December 4, 2007 at 5:46 PM
“nothing pre-dated Christians” Nothing??
“Jesus came first” maybe she is thinking about Adam?
ctmom on December 4, 2007 at 5:47 PM
When Christ was a baby?
If we’re arguing semantics, the term “Christian” came long after Christ died.
If we’re arguing pure common sense, John the Baptist was the first Christian. He was prominent before Christ was prominent, but he still preached after Christ became an adult.
Esthier on December 4, 2007 at 5:48 PM
“Your cat’s probably right” – Tex
Where’s Cypher’s collie when ya need him?
Tony737 on December 4, 2007 at 5:49 PM
Just as a Christian might claim that even though Christianity per se didn’t exist before Jesus, Christ in the trinity has existed since the beginning, sooo….
Just one of those minor problems with most religions – if it’s true, it’s always been true and everything else is wrong.
peski on December 4, 2007 at 5:50 PM
Maybe she should read the book before giving her report. Just a thought.
- The Cat
MirCat on December 4, 2007 at 5:52 PM
I said it in the last clip you showed of these 4 stooges, and I’ll say it again… don’t American women deserve better than these 4 idiots every morning?
greggish on December 4, 2007 at 5:53 PM
And this is the smart one.
peski on December 4, 2007 at 5:54 PM
Technically, since God and Jesus are one and the same, Sherri is correct.
By the way, what was the context of this latest prattle?
geckomon on December 4, 2007 at 5:55 PM
Alright then, if God didn’t exist before Christopher Hitchens…
thejackal on December 4, 2007 at 5:55 PM
History can’t melt steel.
Limerick on December 4, 2007 at 5:56 PM
Let me clarify with /sarcastic rationalization
geckomon on December 4, 2007 at 5:57 PM
History can do almost anything as long as you have a good eraser.
peski on December 4, 2007 at 5:59 PM
Who’s the brunette next to the ignorant black woman? She seems kinda hot.
Travis Bickle on December 4, 2007 at 6:08 PM
I don’t know what’s worse…the fact I watch these segments agape, or the notion ABC finds these hags to be worthy of airtime.
Black Adam on December 4, 2007 at 6:08 PM
Amazingly, the jew never mentions that jews came first.
She had an extra bowl of stupid this morning for breakfast.
Black Adam on December 4, 2007 at 6:15 PM
Upon reflection, do these adle brained women ever suffer from embarrassment from the stupidity that comes out of their mouths? I truly do not know how they show their faces every day on that show. Barbara Walters has come off as utterly stupid as the rest of them. What’s worse are the nimrods in the audience clapping for them. The “duh factor” must be really astounding in New York. Of course, that is the state that elected Clinton and Schumer.
katieanne on December 4, 2007 at 6:18 PM
People tend to have a poor grasp of the linear graduation of geology, history anthropology etc.
I suspect it is because we are taught things in chunks.
This type of thinking is pervasive in our society and precludes us from higher thought.
TheSitRep on December 4, 2007 at 6:20 PM
If man could be crossed with the cat, it would be to the improvement of man but to the detriment of the cat.
- Mark Twain
MB4 on December 4, 2007 at 6:29 PM
best laugh I’ve had ALL DAY!
JustTruth101 on December 4, 2007 at 6:29 PM
Yes, but in that case, you’ll have to call present-day Jews Christians as well, but that doesn’t make any logical sense.
The word Christian has a meaning.
Esthier on December 4, 2007 at 6:30 PM
There were only Ians for ions, Christ wasn’t around yet. The Ians ran the religious gigs. Christ made the scene, he got with the Ians and formed a new group called the Christ-Ians. Over the centuries, the hyhen was dropped and formed the word Christians.
I’m pretty sure that’s how it was…
right2bright on December 4, 2007 at 6:33 PM
Actually, I’m the Alpha and the Omega. Not.
meandchi on December 4, 2007 at 6:40 PM
Were there Americans before America? Why, yes, according to amnesty/La Raza types.
SouthernGent on December 4, 2007 at 6:41 PM
If you stand alone in the woods and say you like The View, does a tree fall on you?
thejackal on December 4, 2007 at 7:00 PM
If it doesn’t, it should.
Frozen Tex on December 4, 2007 at 7:02 PM
Who’s the quiet one who isn’t all … gross?
Jaibones on December 4, 2007 at 7:16 PM
When evaluating reports, always consider the source.
Watching “The View” is a form of mental suicide.
landlines on December 4, 2007 at 7:17 PM
Any more clips from The View and I’m going to travel to Sudan, buy a Teddy Bear, name it after “The Prophet” and ask to be flogged 200 times…possibly this will help relieve the pain of watching this stupidity on display!
I wonder if Athiests existed before God didn’t?
sabbott on December 4, 2007 at 7:24 PM
If a Bear poops in the woods, is Rosie still a clueless obnoxious lesbian?
sabbott on December 4, 2007 at 7:26 PM
I normally don’t take the Lord’s Name in vain but…
Jesus Christ Almighty, read a book Sherri; starting with THE BIBLE!!!!
::::makin’ sistas look bad:::
baldilocks on December 4, 2007 at 7:37 PM
That’s usually the case with these “The View” clips: no joke at the end. Just anger and bewilderment from us viewers.
Mallard T. Drake on December 4, 2007 at 7:41 PM
If you mean Behar, she’s Italian.
baldilocks on December 4, 2007 at 7:43 PM
Now Allah, there is no stupid question or stupid answer on daytime TV just blubbering idiots.
Drtuddle on December 4, 2007 at 8:13 PM
Weight of Glory had it partly right. Ishmael was supposedly the one that Abraham was going to sacrafice, and his hand was stayed by God. Instead of Judaism, Islam was ccreated through Abraham. The Jews and Christians are supposed to have twisted and perverted it, and ol’ mo brought things right again. This is part of why they consider Jews and Christians to be simultaneously ‘people of the book’ and so hated.
bikermailman on December 4, 2007 at 8:24 PM
If you mean Behar, she’s Italian.
baldilocks on December 4, 2007 at 7:43 PM
Isn’t Whoopie Jewish?
Tuning Spork on December 4, 2007 at 8:27 PM
Sorry, no credit. It’s pretty clear that she didn’t know what she was talking about when she said “they threw Christians to the lions” which certainly wasn’t happening in Epicurus’ time. Her “save” was presumably based on John 1:1,14 (“In the beginning was the word … and the word was made flesh and dwelt for awhile among us.”) but that is completely irrelevant to her other comments.
JackOfClubs on December 4, 2007 at 8:41 PM
Just when I thought I’d figured out the whole chicken/egg thing..
Ugly on December 4, 2007 at 9:15 PM
This little chat even made it to dlisted.com!
SouthernGent on December 4, 2007 at 9:57 PM
Well now, isn’t this classic (the view girls).
No, Christians did not exist before Christ. The word christian actually means Christ like. Christ’s followers were not called christians until after He died. In fact they were first called Christians at Antioch. (Acts 11:26). Please don’t confuse Jews with Christians. We have a different set of laws we live under. Christians do not believe in keeping the law of the Old Testement as they believe Christ’s death upon the cross fullfilled that law and then ushered in the New Testement law. Depending on the sect some Jews still try to keep some of the old law.
boomer on December 4, 2007 at 10:13 PM
Try Acts 11:26 should answerall questions but who knows. People fool around alot. he he
mjkazee on December 4, 2007 at 10:22 PM
My cockatoo says: “They’re dumb as a box of hair.”
rockbend on December 4, 2007 at 10:50 PM
Actually, I thought Whoopie’s generous comment of “not on paper, not on paper” was charming.
Tuning Spork on December 4, 2007 at 10:54 PM
OK, speaking as a former professional Christian theologian…. NO, of COURSE Christians didn’t exist before Christ. The sine qua non of the Christian faith is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 15, for instance).
That’s like asking, were there US politicians before the Declaration of Independance….
psrch on December 4, 2007 at 10:55 PM
Nope. It’s a stage name.
Dying. Absolutely DYING here. Damn, that was funny.
Meryl Yourish on December 4, 2007 at 10:59 PM
Every time AP posts a View clip, I decide not to watch. Then I read the comments and I’m GLAD I was so smart.
Thanks for keeping me out of the stupid room, folks. I appreciate it.
Bob's Kid on December 4, 2007 at 11:42 PM
Those that worship the Christ and do what He says are Christians in any time. I believe that Jesus was the God of the Old Testament, that He instructed Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, et al, to perform sacrifices in similitude of his future sacrifice on the cross. All of which pre-date that tribe of Judah. The High Priest of the first temple was anointed in similitude of the Christ on the Day of Atonement.
Therefore, all the Old Testament prophets and the Israelites were Christians because they worshipped God/Jesus, followed the commandments He gave, and looked to the day of His Atonment. True, they didn’t use the word Christian as that is Greek. But if I were asked, I’d say David, Samuel, Daniel, Isaiah, Elijah, et al, were Christian.
The Jews, as a religion, rejected Jesus as the Christ which led to his crucifixion. So to that point Jews aren’t Christian because they reject Jesus and the New Testament. But as they still worship the God of the Old Testament, who is Jesus, they actually are still Christians, just out of date.
Make sense? Probably just offended all the Jews on the board. But then again, this is Hot Air, someone’s religion has to be getting offended.
Sebastian on December 4, 2007 at 11:47 PM
Why does she have to be a Republican?
She’s an idiot.
AprilOrit on December 5, 2007 at 2:23 AM
Behold the power of American Public Education!
Tzetzes on December 5, 2007 at 2:58 AM
Joy’s closing point reminds me of one of my favorite Emo Phillips jokes: “I always thought that monotheism was a gift from the gods…”
(My other, for the record: “When I was a boy, I used to pray for a new bicycle. Then I realized that’s now how it’s supposed to work. So I stole one…then prayed for forgiveness.”
Captain Scarlet on December 5, 2007 at 6:39 AM
Well, the woman is a little off on her world history, but as for the question posed as the header to this thread, it is actually the person asking the question about “Christians before Christ” who is displaying their ignorance of the Bible.
No one has ever been redeemed to God(saved) by ANY other means than by the blood of Jesus Christ, and that includes all the Old Testament saints. Prior to Christ, those who had a heart for God and who, by faith, trusted in His promise were the Old Testament equivalent to a Believer today. The difference being that the believer today places His faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross in his place, while the Old Testament believers trusted in God and trusted by faith in God’s promises to them, including God’s promise to send the Messiah to redeem them.
Another difference is that when Old testament believers died, they found themselves on the “other side” of this physical life, in the spiritual realm, in a place called Paradise, which at the time, according to Luke 16, was somewhere near Hades. There they awaited the coming of Christ, and the Bible reveals that after Christ paid the debt(a debt He did not owe for we who owe a debt we can never pay) on the Cross, He descended into Hell and preached to those trapped in Paradise. After conquering death, He then arose bringing those souls in Paradise along with Him(led the captivity captive). This was necessary because, as Jesus said, unless one is born again, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The Old Testament believers physically died, but were not born again yet because Christ had not become the sacrificial Lamb of God on the Cross yet, so they were “trapped” in Paradise until they received their Messiah when He came to them, and they then arose to Heaven with Jesus Christ at that time.
At this point in time, now in this age of Grace, when a person physically dies, they find themselves either “absent from the body and present with the Lord” in Heaven, where Christ is along with ALL redeemed believers from the beginning of time, or, in Hades awaiting their final judgement. And unfortunately, that final judgement has nothing to do with whether or not they merit Heaven or Hell, that was already decided when they physically died apart from the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ. No, that judgement is to determine where their place in the final Hell will be, according to their deeds, for eternity.
So, since Biblical Salvation has always been, and always will be, about Jesus Christ, as stated above in a post, yes, technically speaking there really WERE “Christians” before Jesus Christ walked the face of this earth, and yes, we commonly refer to those of them who lived under the Covenant of the Law of Moses, as Jews of the Old Testament.
And as for those here who feel the need to call this woman a fool or an idiot, God’s word has something to say to you too…
Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,[c]‘ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell…”
NRA4Freedom on December 5, 2007 at 12:12 PM
I dunno they’re both full of crap.
sanclemman on December 5, 2007 at 12:26 PM
My goodness, I usually skip any post pertaining to ‘The View.’ Today, I couldn’t help myself. What is it about history that creates total fools out of ordinarily intelligent and otherwise sensible folks? I’m surprised the story of Adam and Eve hasn’t entered into this discussion. I’m not the least bit surprised very little reality has entered into the vast majority of the comments.
I do believe Whoopi’s comment; “Keep in mind that probably when [Epicurus] was around, there was no Jesus Christ stuff going on.” is the most ignorant statement I’ve ever heard on television.
Griz on December 5, 2007 at 1:36 PM
Give Whoopie credit for the “wtf?” look on her face when they start getting confused by the concept.
paranoid on December 5, 2007 at 1:41 PM
They had the first youtube video pulled.
It’s GONE…
Damn, why don’t you have that much pull at youtube Michelle? Bryan? AP?
shooter on December 5, 2007 at 9:42 PM