I really have no problem accepting that Jesus may have existed as a man who claimed to have some messianic agenda and walked around tricking people into believing healings and miracles. I also have no problem accepting that he never existed given the lack of evidence. It makes no difference to atheism.
Jesus existing as a man making those claims lends zero credence to the claims he made, if he did exist. And that's the real point of contention here. Although, I will admit that the question of his existence is far more interesting a topic to me than the credibility of the miracles he performed, or his resurrection. Those last two are just outright silly to me; too silly to even question or carry on about.
When looking at the supposed times leading up to and during the life of Jesus, the messianic claims were very popular with leaders of pockets of rebellion. Similarly, holy men performing miracles and healings were a common, and probably accepted, part of, at least, the fringes of the culture. I read an observation by Reza Aslan (I think it was) that said something to the effect of- healings and miracle works were so common that even the detractors and critics of Christianity left out any criticism of these things in their writings. Almost everybody believed in some form of magical horseshit.
Jesus existing as a man making those claims lends zero credence to the claims he made, if he did exist. And that's the real point of contention here. Although, I will admit that the question of his existence is far more interesting a topic to me than the credibility of the miracles he performed, or his resurrection. Those last two are just outright silly to me; too silly to even question or carry on about.
When looking at the supposed times leading up to and during the life of Jesus, the messianic claims were very popular with leaders of pockets of rebellion. Similarly, holy men performing miracles and healings were a common, and probably accepted, part of, at least, the fringes of the culture. I read an observation by Reza Aslan (I think it was) that said something to the effect of- healings and miracle works were so common that even the detractors and critics of Christianity left out any criticism of these things in their writings. Almost everybody believed in some form of magical horseshit.
I can't remember where this verse is from, I think it got removed from canon:
"I don't hang around with mostly men because I'm gay. It's because men are better than women. Better trained, better equipped...better. Just better! I'm not gay."
For context, this is the previous verse:
"Hi Jesus" -robvalue
"I don't hang around with mostly men because I'm gay. It's because men are better than women. Better trained, better equipped...better. Just better! I'm not gay."
For context, this is the previous verse:
"Hi Jesus" -robvalue
