Atheist Bible Study 1: Genesis

[Drich]

I work in courts all the time. I cover them for a major metropolitan newspaper.
From a court of law perspective, no, you cannot prove that Jesus existed as a figure in history.

Certainly not "beyond a reasonable doubt," and likely not "by a preponderance of the evidence."

Courts do not allow "hearsay" testimony, and ALL the evidence about Jesus' historical existence is hearsay.
I'm including Tacitus, for whom Jesus was a throwaway line in a comment about a different subject entirely.

I'm including Josephus, whose most famous reference to Jesus is a fraud and whose second-most famous reference is incongruous with the legend we're discussing.

I'm not saying Jesus never existed. I think it's likely he did: but the evidence requires us to accept second, third and fourth hand accounts as reliable.

That can happen in history.

It cannot happen in court. There's more proof that the South American caravan has Middle Eastern lepers headed to the USA than there is that Jesus existed, as far as courts would be concerned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanhedrin_trial_of_Jesus

I did not say an american court did I? At Christ's trial the court (The only suitable court that could be used to judge him) ordered him executed because they recognised him as the Son of God.. But because they had not power to execute him (the priest took him to the roman authority) Pilate point blanked asked him if he was who the claimed and Jesus said I am but my kingdom is not of this world.. Pilate then responded I can find no fault with this man...

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I did not realize theists were welcome on this site.

Not that I'm complaining. I just didn't know the ground rules.

Thanks for being here and being willing to "dialogue," if that's the right word for it.

honest question=honest answer.

foolish challenge/gottcha questions= me being put on your ignore list.