Author: Haley Harris

When I first read A Modest Proposal, I read the 1730 edition. This text proved difficult to read, not necessarily because of the content, but because of the way it was written. The style of the lowercase “s” and having no knowledge of the historical context made it difficult for me to determine whether Swift was serious or using satire. However, once I read the modern translation and the historical background surrounding the text, the meaning became clearer. From my interpretation, Swift’s work is a satirical text used to highlight the elite class’s negative and animalistic treatment of the poorer Irish people.

One thing that stood out to me was how much Swift contradicts himself. In the beginning of the text, he talks about how children are a burden, but then suggests his solution would end abortions. This train of thought was confusing to me because, if children are such a burden and poor Irish parents can’t provide for them, wouldn’t Swift propose abortions? But then again, this contradiction may help set up the proposed idea of eating and using children for clothing.

My main takeaway from this text is that Swift is trying to elicit a shocked and disgusted reaction from people. This is because the tone of the work is sensible and serious while suggesting cannibalism. He describes children as something the poor can profit from and boost the economy. Swift also suggests using children for clothing items, similar to what is done with animals. The comparison between children and animal treatment adds to the shock value of this text. Swift wants to create this reaction because it can be related to the time this text was written. By writing this text, Swift exposes how the upper class sees the lower class as something to be used rather than people.

In summary, while A Modest Proposal contains disgusting ideas, the deeper meaning of the text is very interesting. At first, I wasn’t knowledgeable about the conditions in Ireland during this period; however, this work allowed me to do a deep dive into history. While the 1730 edition was difficult to comprehend, it was fascinating to see a writing style from such a long time ago.

The Gospel of Mary is an unfinished work, and the missing pages may be lost forever. These missing pages make it hard to grasp a full understanding of the text and what exactly caused Peter’s change in attitude towards Mary. In the beginning, Peter starting out encouraging Mary to teach to other apostles; however, after the full retelling, Peter’s attitude completely changes. He gets angry, questions Mary, and places doubt upon her story mostly because she is a woman. Since Peter acts drastically differently than he is seen prior to Mary’s retelling, this leads me to question if there was something in the missing pages that specifically angered him.  

Additionally, I found it interesting that in this text, Jesus describes sin as something produced by the human being. In my experience with Christianity, this idea isn’t common. This difference in definition could dramatically change the way sinning commonly is viewed. This is because the gospel seems to state that sin comes from an inner force, while traditionally, it can be stated to come from an external force.

This gospel also offered a new perspective on Mary. Mary is portrayed as a leader and someone knowledgeable. While all the male apostles are weeping and scared after Jesus leaves, Mary is calm. She is also seen as having special favor with Jesus. This idea is different than my original understanding because I was taught that Jesus didn’t have a favorite and that all apostles are equal. Seeing Mary, a woman, in a powerful role also interested me. This is because some stories in the Bible see women as less than men. Having Mary in an assertive and commanding position, along with the reaction of the other apostles to her in said position, demonstrates that respecting women and allowing them to take charge may be uncommon.

Overall, I believe The Gospel of Mary cannot be fully understood without the missing pages. These pages play an important part in the introduction of the story and Mary’s retelling of Jesus’s teachings.

After reading The Gospel of Judas, my major takeaway was how the text contradicted Bible teachings.

One example is the difference in Judas’s character in the text versus what is in the Bible and accepted throughout society. Commonly Judas is known as one of the original disciples who betrayed Jesus for silver. Judas is seen as a traitor and today, his name carries the same negative meaning. This common portrayal of Judas is vastly different than how Judas is displayed in the text. In The Gospel of Judas, he is rendered as a confidant to Jesus. Jesus holds private conversation with Judas which suggests that Judas is the only original disciple that could understand the knowledge being given. It felt like Judas was enlightened by Jesus and his only goal was trying to fulfill what Jesus desired. As I read, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around the Judas who is portrayed as follower of Jesus and the traitor Judas is portrayed to be in Christian teachings.

Additionally, I noticed that the creation of humans in the text also differs from the Bible. In the text, it names many different spiritual beings and claims that Saklas is the creator of Adam and Eve. However, the Bible teaches that God personally created Adam and Eve. In fact, Adam is generally known to be the son of God.

The contradictions created by The Gospel of Judas may be the reason this text is considered “forbidden.” The immense disparities of Judas’s personality and the identified creator of humans could lead to Christians and the church rejecting the gospel and all its content. Moreover, if accepted, this gospel could change the confidence placed into the Christian church. Specifically, the text could challenge the trust put into the Bible since there are many differences between the two. This could lead Christians to doubting their beliefs and teachings.

In conclusion, The Gospel of Judas presents contradictions to Christian beliefs.  Common teachings about Judas’s character, and the creator of Adam and Eve are brought into question. When foundational beliefs are brought into question, believers can experience tension and uneasiness. These feelings can lead to the gospel being cast out and fully rejected.