�Gondophernes coins�

The sudden discovery of �Gondophernes coins� near Taxila in the 18th or 19th century makes me wonder as it is connnected with other issues?

Did he really exist?

The linking of Thomas here is only religious and it cannot be accepted.

No.

The thing here is how misunderstanding rules and certain people are rushing to give judgment despite well known facts that are available over the internet. Whether the gospel of Thomas is a forgery is a different subject from being a myth which it certainly isn't. The document did exist and has been dated from about 200 AD.  Proven history and not myth tells us around 400 AD Western Bishops began telling their congregation not to read the works of Thomas, every copy that could be found was destroyed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Thomas

There can be no doubt someone called Thomas did go to India (The Romans already had a trading port in Goa for instance) However when whoever it was got there the Indian way of religion began to convert him. He started talking about Jesus being a vegetarian and practicing ahimasa which was foreign creed and therefore unacceptable in the Western lands  of that time. St Paul (the pilot of Christianity) became the superstar by his his language abilities, writing skills, preaching abilities and his daring travels throughout the Roman Empire.

His understanding alone made the core version that lasted despite the odds and rose and rose to become the dominant religion of the West in a way that is still unique in world history.

You should not be surprised, devapriva, when I was in India a few years back the gospel of Thomas could be bought on any street corner, the only choice was whether in hard cover or paperback. It's an extremely popular.work there and on the best seller list. As for religious beliefs you clearly have yours beliefs while others have theirs..

That Christianity only reached Rome in the second century sounds like something you made up. Please show us your evidence for this otherwise speculative claim. Paul was imprisoned in Rome. His first hand account smentions places, events and people in  the language of the time.

Please note, I'm talking of St Paul who said he appeared before Nero in the first century. It was said Paul corresponded with Seneca, Nero's Prime Minister. These letters were later called fake by the church, but the thing is the dating of when Paul appeared in Rome is a matter of historical record. He would have been over fifty at the time. The other gospels may have problems attached as to the dating, but not the works of Paul. As I have already challenged, produce any evidence that says otherwise.

Some good points red clay. Do you have any documentation in choosing from over hundred books? I have never heard of that many. I know the word "canon" means "up to the highest standard" and the church fathers had to be extremely careful in choosing what documents should pass on to the future. I'm  talking about the works of St Paul alone, forget the rest. So far as I know there is no "stylistic patchwork" about his writings, he was a Shakespeare of his time and as such simply could not be copied. That he could read, write and speak Hebrew, Latin and Greek is evident, and accounts for many so-called stylistic differences in his works. He changed from third person to first person all the time.

He wrote (and edited) the "The Acts" There was only much he could have witnessed first hand but wrote as if he did by using the works of others.  He was the one who first reported "speaking in tongues" as well he might, his linguistic abilities were above most others. He was a true intellectual with a burning genius for putting across his subject. If he had not been a Christian writer he would have been a historian. His putting across this radical message meant danger, adventure and excitement and of course none of us want that in our lives do we?

He intuitively knew how he was involved in a dynamic movement of the future that would one day rise up to overthrow the universal yoke of Rome. "But now I see through a mirror, but darkly.." Did you know he was the first in the whole of the Bible to use the formerly European pagan word "nature"? This wonderful expression makes a religion of its own and expresses so much about what we have constantly failed to appreciate in the greed fueled societies of today

Are you even read what I have said so far devapriva? In your haste to put down the most successful religion on earth, you made the totally unfounded claim that Christianity didn't reach Rome until the second century. Instead of being a true scholar and feeling the need to properly explain yourself, you now go on to send us second rate atheist propaganda! In my opinion it is badly written, no real content and with no historical value whatsoever.

The only point of interest is the pamphlet has been written by by someone who calls himself an "internet infidel". Do you too call yourself an infidel? Where does it mention Paul or even St Thomas in India and forget about the coins! It may take him the rest of his lifetimes to reach that point of education. I have read much more informative atheist works that talk about the role of Paul at length for he really was a historical figure!

Thank you for your opinion, devapriva. We learned your stand and indeed your negative emotions on St Thomas and Christianity in general.  Can I respectfully say to you the idea of this forum is to share information. If as you say the readers are independent and neutral then you must state your case to them and explain why you think the way you do.