Your argumnet is a strong one if we where discussing the MYTHICAL status of Christ. We are not. As we are not, the fact that the ledgens are drawn from earlier sources and that some aspects of the bible are contradictory does not difflect from an actuall cult leader who collected the myths of earlier civilisations.

For instance, you seem to be suggesting a grand conspiricy. Like all grand conspiricies, it seems a little fanciful. Hundreds of people over 100s of years conspiring together to string up a story of a fictional character and give it backbone by adding secondary evidence without anyone ever hinting that this was going on? It is like the old saying 'three men can keep a secret, but only if two of them are dead.'

The lack of primary evidence is the strongest point. However, if we do not count the miricles, Christ was just another cult figure. As you say yourself, there were plenty around that time. After his death, for one reason or another, his cult took off. This means that there was nothing exiting to note untill after he was dead which may go along way in explaining the lack of primary evidence.
Also, things get lost. We did not even know of the existence of many of the Nag Hammadi Scrolls untill after 1947. Keeping in mind that these were once gosple to many people is a good example of how completly things can disapear. If we assume Christ did little of note in his lifetime and the high liklyhood of that small writting concerning the events going missing, it is hardly surprising.

There is another angle which has not been discussed and that is the political one.Christianity also needed the approval of Constantine to be able to be recognized as a religion.It was approved and actually replaced the sun worship cult that was prevalent during that time period.With the impetus of government it also became more than a religion,it became a political machine.It was used to Justify wars and mass murders etc.Christianity later became a powerful driving force in changing the face of politics world wide.I beleive that that is why christianity did not fade into obscurity.And even today it remains a powerful force and whether we like it or not it has alot of influence on politics here in the U.S.As for solid evidence of the existence of Christ there is none and I don't think that there will be any.

That could explain why Christianity remained where others faded but still does not show evidence of why Christ could not have been just another cult figure. Why was he the oddity in that he was a concpiricy?

what is your point dadga?

I was once talking to some one who was an atheist who said

"Honestly who knows if Jesus WAS real or not, but the way I see it, the man described preached love and understanding. He deserves respect in my book."

I think that's a good way to think of it.

(October 4, 2008 at 1:22 am)AtheistBassist Wrote: I was once talking to some one who was an atheist who said

"Honestly who knows if Jesus WAS real or not, but the way I see it, the man described preached love and understanding. He deserves respect in my book."

I think that's a good way to think of it.

Yes; whether he was real or not...he seemed to be a good man (EDIT: a good man for the time he lived in), who influenced many people in a postive way.

However even Jesus got a some moral things wrong...he was in favour of slavery for example.

Moraly wrong depends on what side you are on. I could think prostitution is morraly justifiable and someone else could think diffrently. Is there any moral wrong in either of us?

Morality is based on things SUCH as empathy in my opinion: "How would you like it if he did that to you?"....or: "You scratch my back; I'll scratch yours."

In my personal opinion that Christ never existed as a historical figure.All of his so called sermons and wise parables were stolen from other God men of more ancient times.

(October 8, 2008 at 1:13 pm)chatpilot Wrote: In my personal opinion that Christ never existed as a historical figure.All of his so called sermons and wise parables were stolen from other God men of more ancient times.

I'm sure alot of the sermons, etc, WERE stolen...possibly all of them.

And yes, maybe he never existed at all. If he did, he's almost certainly not the Jesus in the bible.