Swift’s essay, although satirical in nature, sparks a lot of controversy by presenting the Irish public with a solution to their present issues, albeit kind of practical yet still morally reprehensible. The text brings to light a real problem during 18th century Ireland. The Irish public was severely poor, overpopulated, and had a lack of resources. Swift suggests that the poor families sell some of their children to the rich so as to alleviate their struggles of not only raising and caring for a child but also to not have to worry about them financially. The family would receive money aiding their financial struggles but also relieve themselves of the burden of raising and caring for another person. As for appealing the idea to the rich, Swift states that if the children were presented as a delicacy to consume, they would legitimately eat the idea up. Swift highlights the need for a swift solution to a dire problem. He also explains that the peasantry will also come to accept this because it will make the children that these families have more appreciated and loved when they are kept because they are commodities that could be sold. His ‘proposal’ is harsh in nature and not a genuine suggestion to the public but it outlines the severity of the situation at hand and how far some may go to achieve a better situation. The entire piece begs the question how far would humanity go just to save themselves? What will we consider morally okay once a situation is awful enough to require extremes?
Author: Maleyna Leal
This text is extremely controversial and I can definitely see why this wasn’t an addition to the Bible. The contents essentially challenge the main messages perpetuated by the Bible. The entirety of the esoteric knowledge bestowed upon Judas by Jesus contradicts what is perpetuated in the Bible. For example, the Bible states in Genesis that God made the entirety of the cosmos in seven days and said that it was good but, in the gospel Jesus tells Judas that there is a self-generated angel that then created more angels that then created more and more heavenly beings that eventually became a hierarchy of angels. Not only this but, the angels are given respective roles such as to rule over the underworld, bestow and take away souls from flesh beings (humans), and even create Adam and Eve. This information is in direct contradiction with the Bible and it seems understandable why those who crafted the Bible left it out of the final comingling of texts. Also, unlike in the traditional view of ‘Judas the betrayer’, this gospel portrays Judas as Jesus’ close confidant and the only disciple that truly understands his ‘true’ mission. Jesus imparts the insight into the nature of the cosmos, the transcendence of God, and the creation of celestial beings and humankind. These reflect gnostic beliefs, which often regard the material world as flawed or evil and emphasize the importance of spiritual knowledge for salvation. It suggests that the world was not created by God but an inferior being. The gospel itself criticizes the other disciples for not understanding the ‘true’ teachings of Jesus and depicts Judas ‘acting’ on Jesus’ request to help liberate his soul from his physical being. The gospel almost gives context for why Judas ‘betrays’ Jesus yet also informs the reader of several topics that can change their entire perception of the Bible.
It was lost for over fifteen hundred years then a single fragmented copy emerged in the nineteenth century. This document was purchased in Cairo and finally brought to Berlin where it finally got the recognition it deserved. It is filled with rich history that entices the reader all the more to its actual contents. Mary Magdala was a woman who was said to be a prostitute as well as said to have been possessed by seven demons. Interesting that these were additions to the Bible many years after its first publication…. Even more interesting that a gospel written by Mary Magdala was not added into the Bible… The text itself challenges the idea that the twelve disciples were the closest to Jesus but instead suggests that Mary was Jesus’ closest confidant. Now why was the document hidden? I speculate that it is because a woman, Mary, was portrayed as closer to Jesus than the actual disciples but also because of how some other topics contradict with what is presently in the Bible. The Bible dictates that all humans are born as sinners but they can have their sins washed away by being baptized and following Jesus Christ; but the gospel says that there is no such thing as sin but only those who commit the act of sin and that it is an unforgivable act that those who commit will not achieve salvation. This is problematic because a large reason why people believe in the Bible is because they think they may be saved even when they have committed sinful acts. Maybe the gospel was not included due to its many factors that seemed unpleasant or contradicting. I guess we will never know…
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