The Illusion

The main issue requiring clarification was that Cathars believed that the crucifixion of Jesus was an illusion. What did this mean? that it never took place ? That it was a carefully stage-managed event? That Jesus was not the person who was crucified?

The question goes further that. Jesus clearly wanted people to believe he was the Messiah and yet none of his teaching complied with what a Jewish messiah was supposed to be. What was the purpose of this deception?

Who was Jesus

Jesus was a good man, not a carpenter, but a man of renown, however he was not God. He was the conjoint of many important blood lines. Conjoint is a translation of the french conjoindre but the meaning is unmistakable, the bringing together. Which blood lines? What makes a blood line important.
[/tab]

Jesus Message

That Jesus teaching was intended to correct the erroneous faith of the Jews, but the message was applicable to all of us. Jesus message was not the same as preached by the Church of Rome . The Cathars were not anti-semitic in the normal sense of the word. In fact Occitan and the mediterranean coast, called Septimania, was before the Albigensian Crusade, a haven for the Jewish people as well as for Cathars.

Jesus Family

Jesus had children by Mary Magdelene and that those children had the “right to rule” which was so prized in medieval Europe,not just by Cathars. As the recent books concerned with this topic shows it still attracts much attention. Incidentally this interest shows that many people, even in the twenty-first century believe or want to believe that Jesus and Mary Magdelene were real people and therefore could well have descendants.

Who was Magdelene

In her darkest moments Ximene seeks inspiration from Mary Magdelane, whom she believes was more than an apostle. She was an equal partner and shared Jesus bloodlines. She helped Jesus formulate his teaching.The Cathars placed emphasis on a matriarchal descent from Magdalene. Modern day attempts to reconstruct the genealogies lead to daughters of the Emperor Claudius,or Herod of Judea. Not what one would expect. If she was a real person why does she not appear in the genealogical record.