# Jesus: I'm not impressed. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 11, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798 "2001-10-11T14:13:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/1 "2001-10-11T14:13:35Z")
So, many folks really, really, really like Jesus. Me, however, I am not impressed. Don’t get me wrong. I mean no offense. (or maybe I do?) Could anyone please point out something I missed? Or, if you like, join me in my “Who cares about Jesus” parade. Sorry, Jesus, but I’m realy not impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/2 "2001-10-11T14:23:09Z")
I look at that particular parade with nostalgia, but can’t join it anymore. Least not in a drum-beating fashion. Maybe I’m some guy hidden inside a float, propping up a bit of paper machie. The chicken wire and tape needed here is specificity. Even if all you want is a parade, it needs some organization, a road to follow. What about it doesn’t impress you? What’s your grasp of the arguments that do not convince you? And so forth. The SDMB has several extremely thoughtful Christians around, who do show up to talk about questions asked from legitimate interest, but I’m pretty sure they’ll need more than “impress me!” to go on. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/3 "2001-10-11T14:31:21Z")
• I don’t mean to insult the intelligence of Christians…but what kind of moron believes in Jesus? • I don’t mean to put down a belief system…but seriously, don’t these people who believe in Jesus have a brain? Yeah, the songs are kinda old by now…even the dance re-mix sounds trite…I’ll wait for the performance art version before I make my final judgment though… ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/4 "2001-10-11T14:32:04Z")
Even if you doubt the historical existance of the man, or the factual accuracy of his recorded words, I think you have to admit that there has never been another individual that has made more of an impact (whether you think in terms of scope or tenacity) on world history before or since. That alone makes him fairly impressive. Gp P.S. The question of whether the impact was good or bad is another issue altogether… ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/5 "2001-10-11T14:32:23Z")
What’s not to impress? The guy walked on water, turned water into wine, healed the sick, raised the dead, sent demons into pigs, was resurrected himself after dying, and didn’t do one talk show guest spot ever. It’s hard to imagine what _would_ impress you. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/6 "2001-10-11T14:35:00Z")
Plus, He inspired a great rock opera. ---
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/7 "2001-10-11T14:40:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grimpixie \* > \*\*Even if you doubt the historical existance of the man, or the factual accuracy of his recorded words, I think you have to admit that there has never been another individual that has made more of an impact (whether you think in terms of scope or tenacity) on world history before or since. > > That alone makes him fairly impressive. > > Gp > > P.S. The question of whether the impact was good or bad is another issue altogether… \*\* you see, that alone isn’t impressive b/c w/o Guetenberg where are the words of Jesus? In far less places. ---
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/8 "2001-10-11T14:44:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > \*\*What’s not to impress? The guy walked on water, turned water into wine, healed the sick, raised the dead, sent demons into pigs, was resurrected himself after dying, and didn’t do one talk show guest spot ever. > > It’s hard to imagine what _would_ impress you. > > - Rick \*\* I don’t know about that. If we want to get into the accomplishments of mythical figures, I’d say Hercules is much more impressive. So, I take it you actually believe Jesus did these things? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/9 "2001-10-11T14:44:44Z")
Did somebody give you the impression that ‘impressed’ is what you _should_ be **Lolo**? (Me, I didn’t think it was supposed to be about some sort of fantastical impact thing) ---
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/10 "2001-10-11T14:45:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Plus, He inspired a great rock opera. \*\* So did cats. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/11 "2001-10-11T14:46:33Z")
Oh dear, juxtaposition of ‘impression’ & ‘impressed’ = ungood. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/12 "2001-10-11T14:50:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*Did somebody give you the impression that ‘impressed’ is what you _should_ be **Lolo**? > > (Me, I didn’t think it was supposed to be about some sort of fantastical impact thing) \*\* I’d say the millions of hootin hollerin Christians gave me the impression I should be impressed. But I’m not impressed. So I was wondreing if anyone could tell me why they’re impressed… or something… ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/13 "2001-10-11T14:52:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lolo \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by grimpixie \* > > \*\*Even if you doubt the historical existance of the man, or the factual accuracy of his recorded words, I think you have to admit that there has never been another individual that has made more of an impact (whether you think in terms of scope or tenacity) on world history before or since. > > \*\* > > you see, that alone isn’t impressive b/c w/o Guetenberg where are the words of Jesus? > > In far less places. \*\* Maybe so, but no less impressive… Gp ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/14 "2001-10-11T15:07:59Z")
I hope you’ll pardon me if i’m way out of line here **Lolo**. but it sounds to me like you just _might_ be really saying “I don’t _want_ to be impressed” ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/15 "2001-10-11T15:13:49Z")
Grim: You evidently have not heard of Buddha. He was before Jesus of Nazareth and had a very large impact on world history. ---
**Author:** ![Lolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Lolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lolo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/16 "2001-10-11T15:15:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*I hope you’ll pardon me if i’m way out of line here **Lolo**. but it sounds to me like you just _might_ be really saying “I don’t _want_ to be impressed” \*\* No, I want to be impressed. I’d _love_ to be impressed, but when I read the words I’m not. I’m not moved. I’m not taken aback. I just don’t see the big deal. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/17 "2001-10-11T15:18:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Plus, He inspired a great rock opera. \*\* I really hope you’re talking about _Godspell_ **Lib**. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/18 "2001-10-11T15:19:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*Grim: You evidently have not heard of Buddha. He was before Jesus of Nazareth and had a very large impact on world history. \*\* Touche - moot point as to who has had the MOST impact though… Gp ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/19 "2001-10-11T15:20:36Z")
Maybe because it’s just words to you; to all the _hootin hollerin Christians_™, it’s _ **reality** _ Wouldn’t you be impressed if you accepted that everything in that book was true? (leaving aside for one moment the obvious question of whether this is a logically supportable POV) ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_The\_Bold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dale\_The\_Bold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_The_Bold)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798/20 "2001-10-11T15:23:21Z")
I think on the cross right after Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” There was a part that was omitted from the text because no one understood what it meant…until now. Jesus muttered “There, I hope Lolo is impressed. I gave it my best shot.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-im-not-impressed/86798.md?page=2)