The Jesus Conundrum: Searching for Truth Beyond Dogma

Jesus presents our materialistic society with a conundrum. Although his name is on our lips, we frequently do not know how to integrate his message into our lives. It has become overlaid with dogma and mysteries that we can no longer relate to in our materialistic-scientific society. The Jesus Conundrum, written by a physician, explains why the New Testament is literally Greek to us. Our translations fail to cover the rich meaning which is conveyed in the original language. Key terms are, therefore, explained which makes even some of the most puzzling utterances ascribed to Jesus, such as "love your enemy," understandable, meaningful, and important.

The four gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the epistles of Paul, and the Apocalypse are treated separately for their informational content because the purpose for which each of these documents was written differed. They are subsequently put in the context of first century intellectual and spiritual life as well as the then existing mystery cults. It is shown that the term Judeo-Christian tradition is misleading. Jesus' message is closer to Buddhism and Stoicism than Judaism. The vital implications for us, as individuals and our society, which require personal choices, are presented.

Ernst Rodin MD was trained in Neurology, Psychiatry and Clinical Neurophysiology at the Mayo Clinic. He has published extensively in medical literature and is internationally known for his work in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology. In semi-retirement, he has published three books on socio-political issues and maintains a website, www.thinktruth.com.