Did Jesus exist?

[Aegon]

I will always trust reputable historians and peer-reviewed scholarly work over people on the internet on things like this. But I thank you anyway

[account_inactive]

Probably, but I don't think he was magic or anything.

[Wyrd of Gawd]

I will always trust reputable historians and peer-reviewed scholarly work over people on the internet on things like this. But I thank you anyway

So you also believe that a million man army from Sudan invaded Judea. How many angels have you seen lately buzzing around with six wings?

[dyresand]

It's just bizarre to me. You believe in global warming, don't you? 

Have you seen the fucking weather lately that is proof of global warming you think last summer was hot or this winter was bad..
its only going to get worse...

[Cecelia]

Sure, Jesus probably existed. At least in so far as there was a man whom the church was meant to be based around, and was likely executed by method of crucifixion.

The details about his life however are unknown, and may be an amalgamation of many different figures that lived at the time, with numerous exaggerations. He almost certainly never performed any of the miracles. He may not have even claimed to be the son of god, or to be born of a virgin. Of course he may have, or someone else may have and it was attributed to him. It's something we'll likely never know for certain.

Jesus was likely fairly unremarkable. Just one apocalyptic preacher among many. You could compare him to Harold Camping today, or Marshall Applewhite or Jim Jones. He'd be largely forgotten to history if not for the miracles attributed by him, likely borrowed from other religions, including Judaism (borrowing heavily from there). Much like the other messiah claimants throughout history.

[Minimalist]

I will always trust reputable historians and peer-reviewed scholarly work over people on the internet on things like this. But I thank you anyway

But apparently only if they agree with your predetermined notions.

[ignoramus]

Isn't that how indoctrination is supposed to work Min....

The guy can't be held responsible for his thoughts and actions.
He's damaged goods.

OP, I'm defending you!

[Minimalist]

Were he born in Mecca he would defend mohammed just as strenuously.

[paulpablo]

I voted for unknown.  I see it as possible and not improbable but just nothing more or less than that.

[GUBU]

Jesus definitely existed. I know that a lot of people try to dismiss his existence entirely because the accounts we base his existence on are second-hand and/or written many years after he died, but people have to understand that by classical historical standards that's pretty good evidence.

But like others said, no, the miracle man definitely did not exist.

Actually for the perid that jesus lived in one second-hand mythically based attestation of his life and death is a horrifically bad level of evidence. The Roman empire was obsessed with record keeping and histories of all sorts, and due to various events there still exists toda a good number of preserved documents, especially from the early principate. In fact we've far more evidence for Jesus' contemporary Apollonius of Tyana, enough that we can be confident he existed as a historical person and that his message is largely intact. This is something no proper historian can say about Jesus (nor Mohammed for that matter)