>This is a simple one...and one
>that my younger cousin asked
>me just last week:
>
>In the Bible, the miracles surrounding
>Christ's birth are discussed.
>That is followed by a
>very brief mention of Christ's
>childhood, and how at the
>age of 12 he was
>have serious dicsussions with Rabbi's
>and priests and how everyone
>thought he was such a
>bright and brilliant child. (See:
>Luke 2:40-48)
>
>Fast Forward: The next thing we
>hear about Christ is about
>things he was doing at
>the age of 30 or
>so. So my question
>is: where was Jesus during
>his youth? Why is there
>no mention of it in
>the Bible, since they even
>documented his birth and very
>early youth?

Reponse: Alot of times when the authors of the gospels were trying to get a certain point or theme across. In other words they were trying to get to the point of the whole thing. Adressing there audience the best way they knew how, that's why one gospel might mention Jesus's geneology while others did not. It was a matter of convience and space.
>
>I have heard the argument that
>he was not doing anything
>special, and was just doing
>carpenter work with his father,
>but this argument doesn't stick
>very well since it says
>in the Bible that he
>was debating with Rabbi's at
>the age of 12.
>Why would be debating with
>them at 12, but
>then just quit for 18
>years to just do carpenter
>work? Do these people
>believe that Jesus did nothing
>worth mentioning for 18 years?

Responce: The scriptures make it clear that not even all of the miracles that Jesus did were written down, not knocking there importance just that the authors had something more important to talk about.
>
>
>Also: Question 2: (this is
>not my main question, but
>since I'm on the topic
>I thought I'd ask), what
>do you feel about people
>who believe that Jesus spent
>his youth as a nomadic
>ascetic, who traveled to the
>east and learned about eastern
>cultures? In India, there
>are many temples dedicated to
>him (and yes, Hindu temples
>too...Jesus is considered to be
>a great prophet, and even
>an incarnation of God by
>most Hindus). He's also believed
>to have traveled to Tibet,
>where they have documented evidence
>of a person of Jesus's
>discription coming to their land
>around Jesus's time perfoming miracles,
>etc. Is their documented
>evidence considered less relevant?
>These people will also point
>to the many similarities of
>things Jesus said and what
>Krishna said in the Gita.
>For example:
>Gita verse:Gita verse 10:21 "I am
>the Self (ie.Eternal Self, God),
>O Gudakesa, seated in the
>hearts of all creatures. I
>am the beginning, the middle,
>and the end of all
>beings".
>
>Bible verse: Revelation 1:8 "I am
>Alpha and Omega, the beginning
>and the ending, saith the
>Lord, which is, and which
>was, and which is to
>come, the Almighty"
>
>I'm not saying I necessarily believe
>one way or another in
>regards to question 2, I
>am just throwing the question
>out there...since I've heard it
>many times...
>
>Sorry this got a little long...

Responce: No prob, there are a lot of things that says that Jesus went to india, then others say that Jesus went through the egyptian mystery system, some say that he even went to France. I at one time called a radio show and talk to Dr. Gary Habermaus and ask the same question that you mentioned and what he said was if Jesus really had gone through those different mystery system or whatever howcome there is no reflection of those teaching in his writings during the gospels. In other words Christ does not reflect a person who had been through any of those religious systems. Also if you look at the teachings of Kirshna vs Christ you will see the difference in the Bhagavad-Gita there is a long dialogue that occurs between Krishna and his friend and disciple Arjuna. Arjuna tells Kirshna of his reluctance to fight against a people among whom he has many friends. Krishna tells Arjuna that he must detach himself form the fruit of his actions, no matter what they are. Thus states Kirshna: He whose mind dwells Beyond attachment, Untainded by ego, No act shall bind him with any bond: Though he slay these thousands He is no slayer. Krishna explains to Arjuna that this state of union with Brahman can be achieved by 1) Raga yoga( a path of union through meditation and mind control) 2) Karma yoga((the path of union through work) 3)Jnana yoga(the path of union through knowledge) 4)Bhakti yoga(the path of union through love and devotion) Prabhavananda, Spritual Heritage, 98,123-29.By any path one follows must be accompanied by unnattachment or indifference to any action.Only then will good and evil be tranceneded and union with Brahman attainded. Also it should be noted that Krishna is only a temporary incarnation. Also he is not an incatnation of a monotheistic God but a pantheistic God.
>