Did Jesus exist?

[robvalue]

The problem is not so much with deciding whether "Jesus" existed, it's defining exactly what it means for him to have existed.

If "Jesus" is defined so loosely as to be anyone the story could have been based on, given a few correlations, then there are millions of the bastards. But the figure written is a fictional figure. How exactly someone strips that down to be left with what they consider to be enough for a "historical figure" is going to be a matter of judgement. And clearly not everyone agrees, so they are not talking about the same "Jesus".

Personally, I think there is no way to be at all certain or even confident that it's exactly one person under the myth, no way at all. Especially given the length of time between the events and the recording of the events by people who didn't even experience it themselves. They could even have intended to write about a single figure, and yet have actually written about a legion, due to the nature of oral stories. They couldn't even know, so I'm buggered with a red hot cabbage if we can.

That is my take, for what it it's worth. [Nothing. It's worth nothing daddy. Make me my dinner.]