For People Who Think There Was No Historical Jesus

[EGross]

Heres the ultimate division: I don't have a problem believing in God. And, that He is the answer to everything! My father (waning as he ages) is
an atheist, and my kid brother an agnostic. They, on the other hand just have a [control problem]! Meaning they just can't believe.

I love them both dearly, and it's hard for any of us to bridge that division. Especially because it gets emotionally charged in debates.

But...I'll tell you this: We still love each other and respect each other as people. And in the end? That, and loving Him are all that God really wants from us!

So yes, there are things that we both don't see. And we "can" agree on that! It's just "what" it is that we can't see, that we are divided on.

Christians want to see God. Agnostics can't see God. Atheists won't see God.

I certainly won't argue that last point.

To compare, I live in a community where one cannot avoid speaking of a deity, if one says hello (מה נשמה?), the expected response is a blessing to god (ברוך ה). If you ask the dry cleaners if your black suit will be ready by Friday, he will say "with God's help" (בעזרת ה). It never ends in an town where the only home owners are Jews and the majority of the people are either Orthodox or greater in their dogma.

I was requested to give a talk about the meaning of the holiday of Purim today. I am, after all, still a knowledgeable person and a member of the community.

So, at the designated time, I braced myself, and I recited the various Rabbinical sources that they would all know, or not question, but asembled the story in a different way that they hadn't thought of before. It was an original piece, and one that I could tell caused everyone to have to think.

It almost got away from me, but I reigned in my own issues. Or so I had thought. (My wife only mouthed the word "apikoris" once). While walking home, someone began with complimenting my learning, followed it with a "but...", and indicated that I seemed a bit too sarcastic at the end. And feared that it might indicated that I might be having a faith crisis. I told him I wasn't having a crisis at all (which is true in most respects), told him the store of Elisha ben Abuyah, the famous heretic from the Talmud, but never related it back to myself and he was satisfied.

I do respect the people I spent time with today. I love my wife and family here. And I will not intentionally say anything to hurt or dismiss them. I use this forum as an outlet for that. But today reminded me that I have to keep conscious of my words because what might sound reasonable to me can outrage those around me. And tommorow I will dance and sing with them (well the guys, anyhow. Guys don't dance with women here )

And to return to the original point of this thread... Jesus never existed, and I am probably also a minority here in my town on that topic as well (they consider him an evil historic character and usually say the hebrew phrase "may his name be eresed forever" after speaking it. In that respect, my disbelief in him is a lot more rational!