FWIW this is the best net article that I have found wrt anti Historical Jesus : Did Jesus exist? Of course a historical Jesus may have existed, perhaps based loosely on a living human even though his actual history got lost, but this amounts to nothing but speculation. However we do have an abundance of evidence supporting the mythical evolution of Jesus. Virtually every detail in the gospel stories occurred in pagan and/or Hebrew stories, long before the advent of Christianity. We simply do not have a shred of evidence to determine the historicity of a Jesus "the Christ." We only have evidence for the belief of Jesus. So if you hear anyone who claims to have evidence for a witness of a historical Jesus, simply ask for the author's birth date. Anyone who's birth occurred after an event cannot serve as an eyewitness, nor can their words alone serve as evidence for that event.
There are other references to early Christians and what they believed than the NT. That they believed Christ was a literal man was talked about by Pliny the Younger in a letter to Trajan. Google it and you'll find it. I haven't read it in a while. Tacitus (spelling) spoke of something similar, as well, I believe. All of these would have been well within 100 years of Christ's death. I don't believe the NT can be discounted entirely. Remember, in some of Paul's earliest letters he cites to "what was taught to him...." and then recites an early creed that says Christ was man. Paul is writing these letters to the early churches...they are correspondence pieces that give us a pretty good glimpse at what the earliest Christians believed.
Cool- We've gone from finding his bones to he never existed. I talk to Jesus, doesn't that count for something?
Saul/Paul was a contemporary of Christ. As was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is my understanding that the ovewhelming majority of historians believe that Jesus was a real man.
This blows my mind. There's as much evidence for a real, live Jesus Christ as anyone of that time period outside of the Roman Emperors. There's probably more evidence for a real, live Jesus Christ than there is for a real, live William Shakespeare. But a handful of historians love to try to cast doubt on the evidence about Jesus. Atheist Fundamentalism is a particularly intolerant religion.
as was James, Jude, and Peter. Mark was Greek, Saul/Paul a pharisee who hated Christians, Luke was a physician. They came from different backgrounds, wrote in different locations, wrote in different decades and yet they had a consistent message that was copied and distributed all over the known world during their lifetime. These copies have been scrutinized by scholars more than any other documents of antiquity. At least five of the authors claimed to be eyewitnesses to the man's life. Other writers wrote volumes about these men and Jesus, two for example were Alexander the Bishop of Egypt (I think that was his location) who is mentioned in the writings of Paul and knew Paul personally. And Polycarp another bishop who knew the Disciple John personally. But I know this Jesus, and he is still alive, doesn't that count?
There is much doubt about a real William Shakespeare as the author. A strong argument is made that Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare. Just one example. I've seen alot of evidence on the Bacon theory. link
In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected -- the cornerstone of Christian faith -- and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene. Isn't his burial cave and son proof enough?
No, he wasn't and no he didn't. I'm good with the Bible account of His life. I'm enjoying a good morning... I am convinced of my beliefs which doesn't make me right, just honest. I thought it was cool how we went from finding his bones to he doesn't exist. I like all the posts here and it is a relaxing read for me. Jesus was divine, died on the cross for the sins of the world, resurrected on the third day, ascended to heaven and will come again to judge the living and the dead. He isn't in the casket and He isn't make believe. But I also believe Neo is hybernating in the machine world and I would like for them to make one more sequel.
My question for Cameron: What did James do that he didn't get to be buried with the rest of the family? http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/10/21/jesus.box/index.html
rhester your snarky comments in this thread are kind of unbecoming. I'm interested in the topic and want more information. Do you have some problem with that?
I believe he is making a point that one moment there are people arguing that this is indeed Jesus's tomb or accepting that fact, and then the next second denying the existence of Jesus in the first place. It isn't so snarky as perhaps a slight dig.
