Gender: Unspecified Location: One for the other hand
Did a historical Jesus exist?
I found this, rather long but an interesting read none the less and some interesting quotes at the end. Like to know some of your thoughts, I was always under the impression that he did exist but made larger than life.
I read both JIA's link then Pitt's. It was the eaxct same things except JIA's was like "Woo...look at these!" And then Pitt's was all like "Nuh-uh! Here's why every one of those does only two things toward proving the historical Jesus: jack and sh*t."
The similarities to prior deities (the link lists a couple in detail, but barely scratches the surface) and the utter lack of anything convincing about Jesus as seperate from them and justified, was what led me away from Christianity in the first place. There isn't justification...I know because I looked fragging everywhere before I gave up and conceeded, because I needed to be sure.
Anyway, Pitt's link is a good (if bitter) synopsis of the evidence (or lack thereof) and other strikes against the factual-ness of the historical Jesus.
The dude probably existed. But he's probably rolling over in his tomb seeing all the nonsense surrounding him.
But I thought of something, if I wasn't me, I'd want to be Jesus' biological father. I'd be God.
Gender: Unspecified Location: One for the other hand
But did you read this section "QUOTES FROM A FEW SCHOLARS:"? They are all smart people that disagree so it must be right, why because they are smart people.
...yeah, not the greatest logic. I just skimmed that section. I didn't say the link was perfect....just good. I read the historical analyses carefully, then browed the links to other myths and quotes, mainly because I'm already familiar with the shared myths and the quotes bored me.
If Jesus did live we would know nothing of him historicaly.In my opinion it's not a matter of,"Did Jesus exsist?" it's more a question of did a person exsist which the story of Jesus was based on.I think if a person who the Bible's accounts were based on lived,he was a rebel who caused a lot of trouble in his time,and was later glorified.
But that's what I belive based upon my own research into the subject.I suggest everyone does their own research and come to their own conclusions.When I say research,I don't mean read one biased book on why Jesus did or didn't exsist.Read several books that show both sides of the story.Look at old history,the writings of Origen is a great place to start.
Amongst historians there is little to no debate that Jesus existed. Its an accepted fact. Whether he did what the Bible says i.e. heal lepers is of course under debate.
Those are all the fundamentals, you could try Augustine of Hippo aswell if you wanted and a very nice little book titled "Teach yourself: Christianity" Can't remember who wrote it but its a nice book.