Atheist Bible Study 1: Genesis

[Bucky Ball]

It may be that the character invented by the new cult followers were loosely based on one or more of the wandering apocalyptic preachers of the time. 
The story includes some well-known memes of the day, (virgin birth, dying and rising gods), in stories of other gods/messiah figures. 
The most suspicious thing to me, is that the content of the preaching includes the prime concern of the rabbis after the temple destruction, and the diaspora had begun. 
This concern was how were the Jews to live a righteous life, now that the temple was gone, and which of the laws were to still be followed. That was boiled down by the rabbis to the "golden rule" :"love god and love your neighbor as yourself"'. There was no need for this discussion when the temple was still standing. 

As far as evidence goes, it's pretty weak. 
If someone accepts the evidence for Jesus, one also has to accept (if one is not a hypocrite) this evidence --> 

1. Hundreds if not thousands of people were involved in concluding that what they said they saw and concluded was actually true. 
2. The witnesses provided sworn testimony in court, sworn affidavits which we can look at today, and affirmed they were completely utterly convinced that what they were saying was totally completely true. 
3. The witnesses came from all social strata, and every diverse background, including the most highly educated of the day. 
4. These witnesses included judges, magistrates, the governor of the state, and family members of those about whom the assertions were made. 
5. Many involved had much to lose if the assertions were to be found true. The consequences would impact many in very personal ways, if found to be true, thus had no conflict of interest, or reasin to lie. Many could lose beloved spouses and family members and friends about whom they cared a great deal. 
6. The proceedings were thorough, exhaustive investigations. They deliberately gathered evidence. They made every effort to sort out truth from fallacy. They went to every possible length to actually discern the facts. 
7. There are numerous artifacts from the time, and many documents from the proceedings we can review in person today. 
8. These proceedings happened, not 2000 years ago, but a mere few hundred years ago. The literacy rate was far far higher than in ancient Israel. 
9. For claimed events from 2000 years ago, there are no actual original documents of any kind. None at all. Only copies from centuries later. 
10. For the events in question we have sworn documented court testimony, not just word of mouth transmission. 
11. A truck full of documents from the proceedings exist at the University of Virginia Library. You can go see the testimony of the eye-witnesses for yourself, today. 
12. By any measure or method, the quantity and quality of the evidence for the events in question FAR FAR FAR outweigh the quality of the evidence for the events in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. 
13. Anyone who claims they have good evidence to support belief in Jesus, his death, and resurrection, or any miracle thought to have happened today, IF they are in any way a consistent, honest, logical and a reasonably thoughtful person, they MUST also accept :

That of the 250 people accused, 19 women in Salem Massachusetts, including Sarah Goode, and Rebekah Nurse, The Witches of Salem, really were actually witches, and were justly condemned and executed for performing demon magic.