zodiac21 Jan 2004

As far as I can remember, nobody who gets brought back to life in the gospels ever talks again, except Jesus. Robert Browning (An Epistle of Karshish) says it's because they were happier in heaven, and not that pleased to be brought back to earth for Jesus' magic show. Buncombe. Notice that even Jesus is kind of flaky and wild-eyed after he comes back. He disappears, he reappears, he rambles a bit. The idea is that there's something so terrible about the experience of dying (or the experience of resurrection,) separate from the actual physical pain or whatever, that it can scare Jesus. It really screws you up. This is probably not what lydia evelyn hears every week in Sunday school. Don't worry, lydia - personally, I don't acknowledge the reality of death (ie, 'people die,' 'death is a part of life,' 'I was sad when my puppy died,' etc.) It just doesn't hold up to proof or prolonged thinking.