JESUS <3

[pocaracas]

Its always possible that Jesus or someone similar to him existed 2000 or something years ago.
Its also possible that if he existed he brought forth new ideas, some of which may of got him killed.

There was such a person... he's known as Teacher of Righteousness: http://www.shareintl.org/archives/M_emer...eacher.htm

[GrandizerII]

Its always possible that Jesus or someone similar to him existed 2000 or something years ago.
Its also possible that if he existed he brought forth new ideas, some of which may of got him killed.

There was such a person... he's known as Teacher of Righteousness: http://www.shareintl.org/archives/M_emer...eacher.htm

Well, that is interesting. Jesus might have emulated him out of admiration/inspiration. Copycat mentality possibly.

[dyresand]

There was such a person... he's known as Teacher of Righteousness: http://www.shareintl.org/archives/M_emer...eacher.htm

Well, that is interesting. Jesus might have emulated him out of admiration/inspiration. Copycat mentality possibly.

That is saying a lot i would say the biblical writers just written  up a character based on him.

[Neo-Scholastic]

See Lady. So many skeptics take the blue pill to stay on the comfort of their denial.

[Crossless2.0]

See Lady. So many skeptics take the blue pill to stay on the comfort of their denial.

Right, because the "divinely inspired" source material is so persuasive.

I don't even recall if I responded to the OP and am not going to wade back through this thread to find out, so I'll respond (possibly again): I am not a Jesus-myther and think it's more likely than not that there is an historical personage at the bottom of the narratives, but I certainly don't believe in the character as presented in the Gospels (Magic Jesus/God on Earth).

[pocaracas]

Chad, from that link I posted above:
""
The Teacher of Righteousness is called in Hebrew Moreh ha-Zedek -- one entrusted with the Law and sent by God to lead his people in the way of truth. The root word zedek is also found in "Melchizedek" -- the King of Righteousness, and in "Sons of Zadok" -- Righteous Priests. In the spring of 1950 Andre Dupont-Sommer, Professor of Semitic Languages and Civilizations at the Sorbonne, presented to the academic community a paper about the Moreh ha-Zedek which caused a sensation.

"Jesus," he claimed, "appears in many respects as an astonishing reincarnation of the Teacher of Righteousness. Like the latter, he preached penitence, poverty, humility, love of one's neighbor, chastity.... Like him, he was the Elect and the Messiah of God.... Like him, he was the object of the hostility of the priests.... Like him, he was condemned and put to death. Like him he pronounced judgment on Jerusalem, which was taken and destroyed by the Romans for having put him to death.... Like him, he founded a Church whose adherents fervently awaited his glorious return.... All these similarities -- and here I only touch upon the subject -- taken together constitute a very impressive whole."

It must be emphasized that Dupont-Sommer never suggested the Teacher of Righteousness was Jesus, but called him a prototype.
""

You can check the credentials of Andre Dupont-Sommer by yourself.

[GrandizerII]

Well, that is interesting. Jesus might have emulated him out of admiration/inspiration. Copycat mentality possibly.

That is saying a lot i would say the biblical writers just written  up a character based on him.

That would've been plausible except it's not because of other factors to consider as well. You can't just look at one spot and then make a definite judgment from that.

[pocaracas]

That is saying a lot i would say the biblical writers just written  up a character based on him.

That would've been plausible except it's not because of other factors to consider as well. You can't just look at one spot and then make a definite judgment from that.

I'd go with a mix - part copycat, part "inspiration" by the Teacher's life.
The Teacher may have kick-started the cult, got several people talking about that philosophy, then he died. And people wanted him back...
Perhaps Jesus was one of the Teacher's disciples and he went to Jerusalem and preached that message there... and made disciples for himself.
The story of his death may have been garbled with the story of the Teacher's death that Jesus would have already mentioned to his disciples... and also imparted the desire to see him come back from the dead.

The possibilities are near limitless, but, knowing about the Teacher and him being from about 120~50 years before the christian Jesus, sort of focuses the options.

[dyresand]

See Lady. So many skeptics take the blue pill to stay on the comfort of their denial.

It's not denial it's the fact that your religion well dog shit has no proof of a god what so ever.

[Homeless Nutter]

See Lady. So many skeptics take the blue pill to stay on the comfort of their denial.

Alright, Keanu - that's pretty rich, even for you. Keep stuffing your face with whatever pill helps you forget the fact that you will die fairly soon and that'll be the end of it...