Did Jesus exist?

[Wyrd of Gawd]

So much ink is used on these discussions and yet... One only scratches the surface...

Why do you guys use the bible as the only source of information?
The bible is a simple compilation of books that were in circulation concerning the life of this Christ character. But there were many more books in circulation than the ones that made it into the bible.
Some are lost forever, some have been found in pieces, some are remarkably complete.

Based on those, it is interesting to note some striking similarities between the Christ figure and the Teacher of righteousness. This Teacher was an Essene, a particular branch of Judaism present, at the time, between Jerusalem and Damascus. Preaching poverty,  help your fellow man, and denouncing the dominant Jewish faction, the Pharisees, as bearers of a false view of God, or something...

It is my opinion that many of Jesus' religious and political views that ended up in the bible stem from this Essene group.
Couple that with some young upstart wannabe Teacher of righteousness who goes into Jerusalem to preach his message and actually gets strung up for going against the ruling class...and you have the makings of a historical Jesus.

Is there any evidence for this, beyond the coincidences? No.
Is this more plausible than magic son of a god? Yes.... But, then again, most alternatives are more plausible than magic.

The Essenes didn't believe in physical resurrections and they didn't take craps on the Sabbath.