I happen to fall into camp Carrier. I think the most likely explanation of Jesus of Nazareth's origins is that he's a humanized telling of an extant mythical character whose story didn't originally take place on Earth at all. I've also heard the theory that "Yeshua" (however you want to spell or pronounce it) was a common preacher's title and that Jesus of Nazareth was an amalgam if different preachers, and...yeah, whatever. Maybe that's got some weight; I haven't really looked into it. I realize Christ Mythicism isn't mainstream, but that isn't necessarily a comment on its validity. Consensus =/= Truth.
Any way you slice it, in my mind if you're talking about "Jesus of Nazareth," you're talking about the one from the gospels. Whether he was based on a former god character, a bunch of preachers from the same period/area, or a real guy who was really named Jesus of Nazareth (even though Nazareth wasn't a thing when he was supposed to have lived, but whatever), the fact remains that the term "Jesus of Nazareth" most often refers to the existence of a guy with magic powers and the ability to rise from the dead, and there is most certainly zero evidence that any such thing existed.
Any way you slice it, in my mind if you're talking about "Jesus of Nazareth," you're talking about the one from the gospels. Whether he was based on a former god character, a bunch of preachers from the same period/area, or a real guy who was really named Jesus of Nazareth (even though Nazareth wasn't a thing when he was supposed to have lived, but whatever), the fact remains that the term "Jesus of Nazareth" most often refers to the existence of a guy with magic powers and the ability to rise from the dead, and there is most certainly zero evidence that any such thing existed.
Verbatim from the mouth of Jesus (retranslated from a retranslation of a copy of a copy):
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. How can you see your brother's head up his ass when your own vision is darkened by your head being even further up your ass? How can you say to your brother, 'Get your head out of your ass,' when all the time your head is up your own ass? You hypocrite! First take your head out of your own ass, and then you will see clearly who has his head up his ass and who doesn't." Matthew 7:1-5 (also Luke 6: 41-42)
Also, I has a website: www.RedbeardThePink.com
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. How can you see your brother's head up his ass when your own vision is darkened by your head being even further up your ass? How can you say to your brother, 'Get your head out of your ass,' when all the time your head is up your own ass? You hypocrite! First take your head out of your own ass, and then you will see clearly who has his head up his ass and who doesn't." Matthew 7:1-5 (also Luke 6: 41-42)
Also, I has a website: www.RedbeardThePink.com
