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This is based on an article printed in the Feb 08 edition of the United Church Observer. At the moment, the web site is in the process of updating for this month, and the article is not available, but should be soon. If you would like to check it out go to
www.ucobserver.org
Other sources of the Gospel of Judas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Judas
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel/index.html
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel/_pdf/GospelofJudas.pdf

In April 06 there was an announcement of the translation of found peices of The Gospel of Judas. For those who don't know this is the person who according to the bible, turned Jesus over to the soldiers for 30 silver peices and is viewed as a traitior to Christ and his disciples. The gospel was known to have existed, but lost for whatever reasons that we may never truely know. This document claims that Jesus asked Judas to turn him in, so that Jesus "Could escape his physical body and reveal his true spiritual self."

Apparently, since it came out there has been some discussion about the accurate account of both the documents found, and the accuracy of the bible. I've mentioned a couple of times that I'm not a die-hard bible pushing Christian. Kind of the opposite. I respect some of the beliefs of Christianity, but don't view the bible as being a historically accurate or something to be taken at face value. My reasons being is that we are talking about a collection of stories that have been passed down from one generation to the next and translated several times over. There is the possiblility of exageration, lost info or embelishments, translation errors plus the motives and perspectives of the writer to consider.

So is Judas still a traitor, or only following his Master's wishes? Hard to know for sure. This could just be his way of reducing his guilt. The Gospel of Judas adds on another perspective to the last days that had not previously been explored or even questioned. But it definately puts an interesting spin on the story now doesn't it biggrin

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Leave it to the United church to bring up this subject.
They were amoung the first churches to allow Women and Gays to become ministers not to mention same sex marriages. And now they have opened up the possibility that Judas' Treachory may have been an odd ball example of assisted suicide. . .

And to think I use to go to this church...I almost feel like going back...almost mrgreen

It is a pity so much of the document is missing due to age, deterioration and possible intent, but the information that is available is still interesting. It will be interesting to see where it goes

I have been studying this for awhile. I am actually writing a fictional novel about it. Personally, I believe that Judas was never really a true traitor. He did what Jesus told him to do. I mean if Jesus didn't die on the cross would we even have Christianity?

Thank you.