Saving the Savior: Did Christ Survive the Crucifixion? [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

(Note: Rather than use the European name "Jesus", I will use Issa, as he was called in India, and Y'shua, as he was called in Judea).

I was interested in this book because I was already inclined toward the ideas that Issa/Y'shua spent time in India and that he survived the crucifixion. Surprisingly, I seem to be the only reviewer who welcomes the author's evidence of these points, but is displeased with his slant.

Much of this book is about Islam, which was founded 600+ years after the time of Issa/Y'shua, and is therefore not relevant to the history being studied. The author's imposition of Islamic thought clouds the facts being presented.

The author attempts to examine Buddhism, which Issa was said to have studied in India. He aligns Islam with "eastern religions" (without mentioning Hinduism) rather than Christianity. But Buddhists essentially strive for spiritual enlightenment, while Christians and Muslims primarily worship God. Y'shua's closest associates in Judea were the Essene Nazirenes, who were more enlightenment oriented than others in Judea at the time. A philosophic connection between Buddhism and the Nazirenes would have been a more relevant line of research.

There is a quote from "the last survivor of a long line of the hereditary attendants of the tomb", saying that the body in the tomb was that of Issa. Fine, but why is that the only quote from that person? Who were these attendants? Were they descendants of Issa? Were they assigned by Issa to maintain the tomb per his instructions? And why did they leave it? It is mentioned a few times in this book that a mysterious aroma used to emanate from a hole at the tomb. When did it stop? Were the hereditary attendants asked about it? I wonder why this information wasn't included.

In another context, there is mention of a blood line in India, but the theory is that Issa/Y'shua was celibate throughout his youth, and in his old age sired children with a servant. This is hard to believe. If he had taken an Indian wife on his first trip to India, this would add another dimension to our understanding of why he might have returned to India later. Limited accounts of his first trip say he didn't, but it might have been kept secret if she were of a lower caste (thus described as a servant). In this book, the only question asked of a descendant is about written documentation of the marriage. I would like to have known about the beliefs and family lore of the descendants.

Issa's philosophy, teachings, and wishes regarding maintenance of his tomb, are all brushed aside. But opinions of Muslims are discussed at length. It seems the purpose of this book is less to reveal the truth about Issa/Y'shua than to claim his legacy for Islam.

[If Amazon will please allow me, before I review the book: One reviewer here commented on Mr. Salahuddin's writing style. Everyone who I've talked to who has read the book has stated that the strength of the book lies in its easy reading, as well as the abundance of information presented.

[The writer gives a hint on page xxxi of the Preface, stating that one Dr. Deardorff advised him to write the material in a way that was accessible to most people. That he draws from other sources is a strength, not a weakness, in my opinion. I am now aware of things I didn't know before, and without my having to have previously read 900 other books on the subject. Now to the review].

I was fortunate to have viewed Richard Denton's August, 2003 BBC television documentary, "Did Jesus Die?". When I picked up Saving the Savior, I went, "Yea!" It was all there, and had BEEN there a few years before Denton produced the documentary. [Like, PBS, where ARE you?!]

Saving the Savior does it right--slowly. Salahuddin begins with an introduction that summarizes the tenents of Christianity, as well as its source books, both Canonical and non-Canonical, including Gnostic and other works. This is important, because he does not simply assume that most people understand Christianity. This gives the book broad appeal, educates the non-Christian and sets the stage for his presentation of the Jesus-in-India theory.

He then outlines the various debates within, and without, Christianity regarding the historical Jesus. Then, for those of us who ask, "Well...so what?" he places the subject within an historical context, examining both Western and Eastern philosophy and religion--in detail--beginning on page 76 and ending on page 115. Stunning!!

As I read the book, it was clear [well, this is my guess, anyway] that the writer intentionally started slowly, and built up momentum gradually. So that by the time you got through Chapter 9 (also entitled Saving the Savior), you were like, "Whoa!!" Then the subject like, just sticks there--right in your gut, and you can't let it go.

There are numerous photographs, and the Sanskrit, Persian, Tibetan and other documents--presented in their original script, but also the translations--gives authenticity to the book, as those documents actually mention the life of Jesus in India [Why don't we read about that in history classes? Don't answer].

The only drawback of the book is that it's not 400 pages longer! One serious drawback, in my opinion, is the title of the book. It's a turn-off for non-Christians, especially atheists and agnostics. Obviously the author probably enjoyed the play on words: "Saving the Savior." But he should have thought twice, I think. Certainly other titles could have been chosen

Jesus is the "savior" in Christian eyes, not non-Christians. He chose a title that might turn people off. And this is bad, because the book is so good that it would be a shame if non-Christians were turned off by the title, and decided not to read it--big mistake. It certainly is not a Christian book, that's for sure.

Nevertheless, it does the job, BIG time. This is not a book to read--it is a book to study!

The possibility that Jesus could have survived the crucifixion and then traveled to India generally comes as a surprise, if not a complete shock, to most Christians. So too it was for me when I first came across this belief. However, I have been exposed to this possibility for decades. It began not with Jesus, but with the Apostle Thomas for me when I accidentally stumbled across the apostle's tomb in Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India in 1971. This was news for me, although the Church has formally acknowledged Thomas' presence in India for centuries. Many years later, I was alerted to Jesus' possible presence in India through Andreas Kaiser Faber's book. This made me think that if it were possible for Thomas to have traveled to India, then why not Jesus?

There have been other books on the subject before and since Faber's book. However, Mr. Salahuddin's book, "Saving the Savior", offers a fresh new perspective on the subject, as well as compelling new evidence to support this theory.

The book challenges many preconceived notions, which many of us have been brought up to believe. Most critics, particularly those brought up with standard Christian beliefs, would say that the theory that Jesus could have survived the crucifixion is blasphemous, and an Islamic invention at best. Further, they would point to the author being a Christian convert to Islam, and would therefore introduce bias into his examination of the subject. Not so. The author has been fair and objective in examining and presenting all known historical and archaeological evidence. He cites evidence from both canonical and non-canonical Christian documentation, Islamic, Buddhist, Chinese and even Hindu documents. He makes no hesitation in using the latest genetic research and other scientific research to back up his theories.

I hope that scholars, religious authorities, and lay people will examine the evidence with an open mind, and contribute even more to this growing body of evidence that Jesus not only survived the crucifixion, but also traveled to India. I recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone who wishes to examine the facts objectively. I also recommend the authors website ... to examine even newer evidence as it comes to light.