Blake Whitman
Meet the genius behind the myth. From the study of creativity and mythology
comes a startling new perspective on the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The
book adopts Joseph Schonfield’s thesis that Jesus stage-managed his own
crucifixion and resurrection, accepts the suggestion of a number of
scholars that there was a romantic relationship between Jesus and Mary,
and proposes that Lazarus’ resurrection was a publicity stunt to raise
interest in a flagging mission. But most startling of all is the book’s
new theology. Jesus’ goal was not to save the world but to liberate our
minds from superstition. His message was simple -- seek first the
Kingdom of Heaven and all else will follow, for within the Kingdom of
Heaven lies all the human heart could ever desire. Within the realm of
the mind through the creative process lies escape from despair. This is his 'good news'.
"The greatest hero is intriguing “not only because it suggests a different and original explanation of the critical events in Jesus’ life and death and resurrection (with Jesus still depicted as a good and heroic man), but because it embodies some very thoughtful interpretations of some of Jesus’ most puzzling pronouncements."
James R. Horne, Philosophy Professor, Rev. and author of Beyond Mysticism, The Moral Mystic and Mysticism and Vocation.
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"a talented poet who has acquired considerable knowledge of the history and philosophy of symbolic forms." (James R. Horne)
Blake Whitman is the nom de plume of a librarian at the University of Waterloo in Canada. He is currently responsible for researching and developing information services for the Internet.
An interest in mythology was stimulated by an experience as a young man in university. A crisis precipitated a life-changing psychological event. This type of experience is often called mystical or religious, but when all the hyperbole is set aside, it is no more than a natural human response to a challenge of adaptation. According to Arthur Koestler it is the creative act for solving a problem or challenge of adaptation that occurs when our existing knowledge proves inadequate to the problem at hand.
Studying Joseph Campbell’s The hero with a thousand faces, the author discovered parallels in the mythic tales that mirrored the events of his inspirational experience. In a manuscript, Meeting with the Goddess, he illustrates that the hero myth is emotionally equivalent to the experience of inspiration or revelation. Heroic tales are descriptions using fantasy, of the inner events of the creative process. An intriguing idea arose that perhaps these stories of mythology, which provide a glimpse into the mind of the hero, could provide insights into the words and actions of real heroes. This is the premise behind The greatest hero.
In The greatest hero, the author uses the knowledge of the revelatory experience derived from mythology and applies it to the words and actions of an actual hero, Jesus of Nazareth. The results are astounding. The words and ideas of Jesus that once appeared cryptic become clear and surprisingly at variance with accepted religious interpretations. He is currently exploring the application of this approach to other heroes.
A brief extract from the chapter titled Nazareth.
Nazareth
Idiot Before a Jury of Sober Eyes
On the Sabbath Jesus makes his way to the synagogue.
After being welcomed the book of Isaiah is given to him for reading.
It is the custom in the synagogue for one among those present to read the lesson.
Jesus opens the book at random and finds himself staring at the words:
'The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
And the recovery of sight for the blind,
To release the oppressed,
To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.'
Amazed, Jesus reads the words and when finished he closes the book and gives it to the attendant.
Here in the very words he read is the task he has accepted.
Here Jesus sees confirmation of the rightness of his decision.
With naive confidence Jesus speaks aloud,
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in me.”
All who hear are astonished.
What arrogance or insanity is in this man,
That he dares to proclaim himself an anointed of God.
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother called Mary and his brethren, James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
And his sisters are they not with us?
In anger they escort Jesus from the synagogue and throw him into the streets for his blasphemous remark.
Jesus wipes the dirt from his clothes.
He tries to feel as those in the synagogue felt so that he can understand the emotional source of their reaction.
He looks within himself to see how he would react in their place,
And Jesus clearly sees his own naiveté.
He knows how he would have reacted in their shoes.
Jesus would have declared the speaker insane and been in the forefront of those escorting
The idiot from the synagogue.
Jesus looks to the sky, smiles and shakes his head.
If he is to succeed in the task before him,
He will have to cease playing the idiot before a jury of sober eyes.
Jesus smiles.
He has so much to learn.
A Prophet’s Honour
These men are his neighbours and friends.
They know him.
They remember the little boy who was always in trouble and the young man who partied in the hills.
Their minds have a fixed image of who he is.
They know nothing of the transformation that has taken place within.
As Jesus walks home he realizes,
A prophet is not without honour,
Save in his own country, and among his own kin
And in his own house.
This is how it is.
This is how it will always be.
