Christianity a scam?

[Dnte]

Most scholars say Jesus existed. Ok but... I was thinking about the Bible. I've read the whole new testament and some parts of the old testament (probably 1/3 of it.)

I was thinking that maybe Jesus (the human prophet) staged all his miracles and made people believe he did all those things. His followers were religious zealots, so they helped him out. He probably paid someone to act as if they were blind/cripple/etc. and when he touched them, the person would have pretented he was cured. 

When he was executed for being a public annoyance, his followers removed his body from the tomb and made everyone believe he resurrected and went to heaven. Over time, the early christians wrote the new testament books and molded Jesus' story so he could fit the old testament's requierements for being the messiah. And that included the mistranslation of young woman = virgin. So Mary was in fact no virgin at all and had several children besides Jesus. And Joseph was Jesus' true father (or some other man.)

Jesus story was highly distorted and taken out of proportion by the time the new testament was written. I believe that Jesus was a normal person who used to preach to jews and was born of human parents. 

It makes sense. Jesus never revealed anything that we didn't already know. What's the meaning of life? Where do we come from? Where are we going? He didn't answer those questions. He just preached whatever he believed in when he was alive and that doesn't prove he was anything special, but people are so supertitious and gullible they bought his story. Jews know this, that's why they don't care about christianity. I feel so cheated I want my money back! lol. 

[brewer]

I don't think he staged shit. More likely that those miracles were false memories (or just intentionally false to build up street cred) by the time they got around to writing things down. 

The dead were only "mostly dead". Or malingerers.

[Dnte]

I don't think he staged shit. More likely that those miracles were false memories (or just intentionally false to build up street cred) by the time they got around to writing things down. 

The dead were only "mostly dead". Or malingerers.

Many so-called prophets are experts at staging "miracles". Who would've believed in him if he didn't do anything out of the ordinary?

[vulcanlogician]

The dead were only "mostly dead".

Well you know who to call then...

[Minimalist]

Most scholars say Jesus existed.

That gets a bit dicier when you ask them what evidence they have for that opinion.  Turns out it is usually just the fucking gospels.

[Godscreated]

Most scholars say Jesus existed. Ok but... I was thinking about the Bible. I've read the whole new testament and some parts of the old testament (probably 1/3 of it.)

I was thinking that maybe Jesus (the human prophet) staged all his miracles and made people believe he did all those things. His followers were religious zealots, so they helped him out. He probably paid someone to act as if they were blind/cripple/etc. and when he touched them, the person would have pretented he was cured. 

When he was executed for being a public annoyance, his followers removed his body from the tomb and made everyone believe he resurrected and went to heaven. Over time, the early christians wrote the new testament books and molded Jesus' story so he could fit the old testament's requierements for being the messiah. And that included the mistranslation of young woman = virgin. So Mary was in fact no virgin at all and had several children besides Jesus. And Joseph was Jesus' true father (or some other man.)

Jesus story was highly distorted and taken out of proportion by the time the new testament was written. I believe that Jesus was a normal person who used to preach to jews and was born of human parents. 

It makes sense. Jesus never revealed anything that we didn't already know. What's the meaning of life? Where do we come from? Where are we going? He didn't answer those questions. He just preached whatever he believed in when he was alive and that doesn't prove he was anything special, but people are so supertitious and gullible they bought his story. Jews know this, that's why they don't care about christianity. I feel so cheated I want my money back! lol. 

  To say what you have means you haven't read any of the Bible, besides what do you think reading the Bible actually means and accomplishes?

GC

[possibletarian]

Most scholars say Jesus existed. Ok but... I was thinking about the Bible. I've read the whole new testament and some parts of the old testament (probably 1/3 of it.)

I was thinking that maybe Jesus (the human prophet) staged all his miracles and made people believe he did all those things. His followers were religious zealots, so they helped him out. He probably paid someone to act as if they were blind/cripple/etc. and when he touched them, the person would have pretented he was cured. 

When he was executed for being a public annoyance, his followers removed his body from the tomb and made everyone believe he resurrected and went to heaven. Over time, the early christians wrote the new testament books and molded Jesus' story so he could fit the old testament's requierements for being the messiah. And that included the mistranslation of young woman = virgin. So Mary was in fact no virgin at all and had several children besides Jesus. And Joseph was Jesus' true father (or some other man.)

Jesus story was highly distorted and taken out of proportion by the time the new testament was written. I believe that Jesus was a normal person who used to preach to jews and was born of human parents. 

It makes sense. Jesus never revealed anything that we didn't already know. What's the meaning of life? Where do we come from? Where are we going? He didn't answer those questions. He just preached whatever he believed in when he was alive and that doesn't prove he was anything special, but people are so supertitious and gullible they bought his story. Jews know this, that's why they don't care about christianity. I feel so cheated I want my money back! lol. 

  To say what you have means you haven't read any of the Bible, besides what do you think reading the Bible actually means and accomplishes?

GC

When you read the bible without being brainwashed first it clearly is a made up story, much like Harry Potter or The adventures of Sinbad the sailor. Except beyond the cost of the book they don't ask you to keep contributing.

I wish I could get all the money back I gave to the church and give it to a good cause, or directly to those in clear need.

[Aoi Magi]

what do you think reading the Bible actually means and accomplishes?

It means a waste of precious time I'd never get back and accomplishes nothing except perhaps a few dead brain cells.

[Bow Before Zeus]

I have thought about this before and think the most likely scenario is the xtian religion arose as a monumental accident of chance. It could have been any of the thousands of false prophets of the time that could have become the dominant religion. It just happened to have been JC who was the chosen buffoon. This is adequately portrayed in the movie "The Life of Brian".

[possibletarian]

I have thought about this before and think the most likely scenario is the xtian religion arose as a monumental accident of chance. It could have been any of the thousands of false prophets of the time that could have become the dominant religion. It just happened to have been JC who was the chosen buffoon. This is adequately portrayed in the movie "The Life of Brian".

*bold mine

You have to love this historically and undisputedly accurate movie, only surpassed by the painstaking research that went into the 'Holy Grail'