Found a relevant blog entry by someone who accepts that Jesus existed.
I accept Jesus existed
The way I see it, the possibility that there was a real, ordinary human man obscured by myths and legends is no threat to atheism. Atheists who believe there was a real, ordinary human man obscured by myths and legends aren't helping to promote the idea that the Christian religion is true.
I accept Jesus existed
Quote:I have decided that it is far simpler to accept that the man, Jesus, existed. I won’t ever bother arguing with any Christian apologist that Jesus did not exist ever again. Do you hear that Christians? I accept that Jesus was a historical person.
In accepting this I do nothing but move myself away from a currently controversial (in historical academia) view that Jesus is a complete myth. They can no longer call me a Christ-myther and compare me to holocaust deniers (a very very illogical comparison).
I accept, against my critical thinking, that Jesus existed. I in no way at all accept any of the ridiculous stories about him. I don’t accept that he healed people miraculously, walked on water, turned water to wine, created large amounts of food from a small amount of food, cursed a fig tree, or was raised from the dead. These are all completely moronic things to believe and I would be completely giving up on my critical thinking to accept that he did any of these things.
The man Jesus performed zero miracles in his lifetime. He was a plain man who managed to make himself exceptionally famous. That is it. Even in accepting that Jesus was a historical figure I can still point out that Christianity, like every other religion, is complete nonsense. This is simply because of the above. None of those acts performed by Jesus are historically accurate and to argue that they are just makes you completely fucking deluded.
Admitting that Jesus was an historical person makes no changes to my life or belief. A Christian admitting that the above acts performed by Jesus are false makes them no longer a Christian. If they admit that Jesus did not rise from the dead, then the whole point of that religious story is destroyed. That is why they can’t do it. The reason I can’t accept those miracles is because they are outright irrational.
The way I see it, the possibility that there was a real, ordinary human man obscured by myths and legends is no threat to atheism. Atheists who believe there was a real, ordinary human man obscured by myths and legends aren't helping to promote the idea that the Christian religion is true.
Where are the snake and mushroom smilies?