The Jesus Moot Theory

[DeistPaladin]

Does it really matter? All the supernatural accounts are clearly false, god is a myth and Jesus is dead just like everyone else. The problems with Christianity are so incredibly vast that it's totally irrelevant whether or not there is some historical person that Jesus is based on. I don't really understand why some people get so held up on it.

Bingo.

Now Christians will jump from "Jesus existed in history" to various spurious arguments like...

"Would they have died for a lie?"
Charismatic cult leader. Religious persecution. Lots of cultists dying or killing themselves. Nothing that requires a supernatural explanation. Next?

"Liar, Lunatic or Lord?"
Liar? Does that make him "a demon", unable to utter some platitudes about "love thy neighbor"? Seen the movie "The Road to El Dorado"?





Miguel is a rogue worshiped by natives as a god. At first, he plays along to rip off the natives but his conscience kicks in and he connects with the people and tries to create a more gentle religion in place of the austere one before it. The priests conspire to kill him. Sound familiar? Is Miguel a "demon"?

Even if Jesus was a sociopath, it still proves nothing. Sociopaths are perfectly capable of being charming and saying sweet platitudes.

Lunatic? Again, does it have to be "giggling to himself in a straight jacket" kind of lunacy? Lots of cult leaders are crazy. Does that prohibit them from getting followers? Or uttering occasional words of wisdom?

And read the Gospels. Jesus did have his bad moments where he could be either nasty or crazy.