RE: The question that shatters faith, forever.
March 21, 2012 at 4:40 pm
(This post was last modified: March 21, 2012 at 4:40 pm by Neo-Scholastic.)
(March 21, 2012 at 3:51 pm)genkaus Wrote: There is also Xenophone. That's two more than Jesus.
I wouldn't consider Xenophon any more authoritative than Josephus, but that is a matter of opinion. And it depends on how you count sources. The gospel according to John comes from an independent tradition than the other texts.
Besides, Socrates being a mythical figure does not detract from his purported teachings. Jesus being one does so greatly.
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The effect on teachings is not at issue. The OP suggests that without historical support Christianity falls apart. So by what standard do we conclude that Jesus did not exist? If we say it is reasonable to believe Socrates existed based on the number and quality of the sources, then it would also be reasonable to say that Jesus existed.
