Jesus Christ

[Minimalist]

Damn straight!

[Ace Otana]

Simple question. What do you guys think about Jesus?

It's fun to stay at the -

[Justtristo]

Simple question. What do you guys think about Jesus? Who was he? Did he exist? Was he the son of god? If not, why do people think he is? Id like to learn more about the historical evidence for jesus. so any sources would be appreciated. Thanks!

In my opinion there is little doubt that the Jesus of the New Testament was based on a first century Jewish Apocalyptic Prophet and possible Messiah claimant, who was executed by the Romans for sedition. However the little evidence we have for this historical character is overwhelmed by the mythology which developed among his followers, who in my opinion earnestly believed after he was executed, he was resurrected.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Simple question. What do you guys think about Jesus? Who was he? Did he exist? Was he the son of god? If not, why do people think he is? Id like to learn more about the historical evidence for jesus. so any sources would be appreciated. Thanks!

This question turns up on atheist forums with monotonous regularity.

A simple question invites a simple answer:

There is no credible evidence for the historicity of the man would have probably been called something like Yeshua/Yoshu bar Yusuf ('Jesus' is a latinised version of the Greek Iesous)

There is no doubt in my mind that the Jesus of the New Testament is myth,that the New Testament is the mythology of Christianity. The Torah is the base of Christianity.That set of books is the mythology of an insignificant tribe of bronze age goat herders.

Both old and new testament are written in a language few believers can read. Instead they rely on self appointed experts to tell them what god 'really means'

Bored now.

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And he definitely didn't look like the white European Jesus as currently depicted by Christians.

What are you saying? Are you saying Jesus wasn't a white, patriotic American? That sir, is blaspehmy.

This may come as a shock ,but it was firmly established during the reign of Queen Victoria,that Jesus AND God the father were English. I think the Holy Spirit was considered foreign,what with being a pigeon and all.

[Minimalist]

This may come as a shock ,but it was firmly established during the reign of Queen Victoria,that Jesus AND God the father were English. I think the Holy Spirit was considered foreign,what with being a pigeon and all.

Wait....he's a fucking pigeon?

[DeistPaladin]

One other thing to consider in this discussion:

If there was a mortal Jesus on whom the mythology is based, what do we have left once we remove the supernatural and the miracles?

Some guy named Yeshua (common name) who was a doom-crier (commonplace at that time) who was regarded by a close group of followers as the messiah (go back to Jerusalem at that time and you can probably find a dozen) but never wrote anything down (so who knows what his real teachings were) and never got noticed outside his circle (as evident by the dearth of historical references)?

If this is the standard for the "historical Jesus", there was likely not just one but several.

[BethK]

There is nothing wrong with trying to learn more. To be certain there is enough religious clap trap out there to make getting to the bare bones of the story difficult if not impossible.

Consider the ramifications of this.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0...85,00.html

This is nothing new. Jesus was dead 3 days, and was resurrected. There are numerous such stories of holy figures and heroes throughout the middle east, north Africa, Asia Minor, and southern Europe who died, were buried, were resurrected, and lived again. St. Justin Martyr offered the explanation, which is the same as Christianity has to offer today - That the Devil counterfeited it in advance Counterfeited in advance!?!?! They've really got to be pushed to give this embarrassingly inane excuse for everyone from Horus to Jesus to Mithras, but they will still give it!

I've got to watch "The God Who Wasn't There" again, from where I originally got this flimsy explanation, but it's also in such things as the Catholic Encyclopedia.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

This may come as a shock ,but it was firmly established during the reign of Queen Victoria,that Jesus AND God the father were English. I think the Holy Spirit was considered foreign,what with being a pigeon and all.

Wait....he's a fucking pigeon?

Dove/pigeon,close enough..

[Minimalist]

Yup. Same shit.....literally.

[BethK]

A partial listing of savior figures around the same time and place as Jesus' alleged birth and death who also rose on the 3rd day include:

Bacchus
Baal
Adonis
Zoroaster
Tammus
Orpheus
Hermes
Dionysus
Devatat
Hercules


Even in the early days of Christianity, the Pagans objected because this was just like the stories of their Pagan gods, many of whom were not really, seriously worshiped anymore either. Thus, Justin Martyr, the early Church Father, had to come up with the notion "The Devil knew about it, and counterfeited it in advance."

It's amazing that anybody ever truly believed/believes this stuff! Mainly, they don't know about these sort of ludicrous explanations, but that's mainly because they don't ask.