Quote:However I'm a little skeptical of your claims, in regards to him forging them. Being the first record that we have as quoting them, it does not follow that he made it up whole cloth. I don't think that your conspiracy theory is tenable without more evidence. If we used your criteria of quoting before X date, and us having record of it; how much of Josephus do we have that isn't forged? Doesn't this narrative... suit your desires quite well? Who benefits?
So when it comes to the written word, we can categorically state that EVERYTHING HAS A CAUSE - I'm going to enjoy this. In other words, some asshole had to write it. You may not be convinced that the failure of any writer, xtian or pagan, to mention it is evidence that it did not exist before a specific time but as I have explained several times already you will not be convinced by anything because, like Eusebius, you desperately need for the TF to be true. Did Eusebius have to write it himself? Not necessarily. Some scribe employed by him could have actually written it but Eusebius published the work.
BTW, and I hope this comes as an unpleasant surprise to you,
Quote:"And there lived at that time Jesus, a wise man, if indeed it be proper to call him
a man. For he was a doer of wonderful works, and a teacher of such
men as receive the truth in gladness. And he attached to himself
many of the Jews, and many also of the Greeks. He was the Christ.
When Pilate, on the accusation of our principal men, condemned him
to the cross, those who had loved him in the beginning did not cease
loving him. For he appeared unto them again alive on the third day,
the divine prophets having told these and countless other wonderful
things concerning him. Moreover, the race of Christians, named after
him, continues down to the present day."
From Historia Ecclesiastica
Quote:And Jesus arises at that time, a wise man, if it is befitting to call him a
man. For he was a doer of no common works, a teacher of men who
reverence truth. And he gathered many of the Jewish and many of the
Greek race. This was Christus; and when Pilate condemned him to the
Cross on the information of our rulers his first followers did not cease to
revere him. For he appeared to them the third day alive again the divine
prophets having foretold this and very many other things about him. And
from that time to this the tribe of Christians has not failed."
From Demonstratio Evangelica
Now, the Demonstratio dates from c 311 and the Historia Ecclesiastica from c 324. So it looks like your boyfriend Eusebius had second thoughts about what he wrote and made a few editorial improvements to his bullshit story.
I've done that too with articles I have written. The first draft is never so good that it can't be improved.