Archie: The 'Gospel of Judas' ? written ? A. D. 180
DA Morgan: ? I've read ? the Coptic Language translation ? written in 180 A.D. ? original document ? older.
Okay, other estimates range from A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
Archie: The biggest single problem ? is Judas' suicide.
DA Morgan: ? I think it perfectly consistent ? behaviour ? when a charismatic leader, say a Michael Koresh or Osama bin Laden (when it happens and we all know it will), is lost. I find the consistency quite supportive.
That was David Koresh; unless you're speaking of another. The problem with your view is the leader wasn't 'lost'; at least not for more than a long weekend. It would be consistent for Judas to suicide if he thought all was lost; that he was a traitor. But this text says different; Judas was the only one who knew the secret handshake. He knew what was going on when no one else did. If he knew all that, then he had to know Jesus was coming out of the tomb on Sunday morning. No point in committing suicide.
DA Morgan: Keep in mind one very critical factor. IF Jesus was who modern-day Christians claim he was then the entire Jesus story could NEVER have happened without Judas. No Judas. No betrayal. No purpose to his life and no religion.
I see two errors of logic in this paragraph. One is that of Judas being indispensable in the happenings. The second is this claim, even if true, has no bearing on whether Judas was in concert with Jesus or not.
Jesus'
death was what was required, not Judas' treachery. Jesus preached in the Temple on a daily basis, it's not like the Pharisees couldn't have found Him without Judas. Just for the record, Peter's denial of Jesus at the night-time trial was a betrayal as well, but in different terms.
DA Morgan: Could a god or godess have set the wheels in motion? Virgin birth? Wisemen? Disciples? And not have worked out the entire game-plan in advance? Hardly. The actions of a god are not put at mercy by the actions of a primate.
I'll agree with you there. God works out His plans long in advance and they are not stopped or hindered or thwarted by primates or anything else.
