Did Jesus Ever Really Exist?

[Šñøü†ê®]

Within the local Jewish community it probably got around faster. But Paul was a Roman, not a Gallilean Jew.

[kellyb]

None of the other religions have better documentation.

That's not sayin' a lot.

[kellyb]

On the original question, I'm going to go with "probably he existed, but maybe not."

I highly suspect he was a Uri Geller-type magician, and folks at some point ripped off a combo of Odin-ism, OT predictions, and probably other stuff to make a legend.

[Cyclone Ranger]

No, it isn't. Traditional religions came together in an era before the modern concept of history dawned.

[Cyclone Ranger]

On the original question, I'm going to go with "probably he existed, but maybe not."

In my opinion, Jesus must have existed, because the human imagination isn't capable of creating a character like Jesus.

[kellyb]

In my opinion, Jesus must have existed, because the human imagination isn't capable of creating a character like Jesus.

The water into wine thing for the already super-drunk was really original, I'll give you that. So my gut feeling there is that "You just can't make this shit up!"

[Cyclone Ranger]

Note the context: he and the disciples were at a wedding celebration.....and Jesus knew that nothing kills a party faster than running out of wine.

[jwreck]

Which is people writing down things, right? There's stuff written about Jesus. The difference is, some people don't want to believe the stuff about Him.

I find it funny that the Romans have such detailed history on so many things, but Jesus is basically a ...rumor.

[kellyb]

Note the context: he and the disciples were at a wedding celebration.....and Jesus knew that nothing kills a party faster than running out of wine.

Totally.

[lily]

Jesus was written about by a number of people. In addition to those extra-biblical sources, he is also talked about in the Koran and the Talmud.

I think that denying Jesus ever existed is a desperate attempt by hard-core antitheists (I didn't say atheists, because not all atheists are antitheists) to get rid of the most influential person who ever lived.

Why, because then they don't have to deal with the "Liar, Lunatic or Lord?" question that was brought up by C.S Lewis. It would make life easier for them.

[Cyclone Ranger]

I find it funny that the Romans have such detailed history on so many things, but Jesus is basically a ...rumor.

They didn't keep meticulous records about their Jewish subjects. They just extracted tributes from them. Their management philosophy was: "We're here. Go about your business."

[Cyclone Ranger]

Jesus was written about by a number of people. In addition to those extra-biblical sources, he is also talked about in the Koran and the Talmud.

However, the Koran was written hundreds of years after his death. There is no definitive evidence the Rabbinical sages wrote about Jesus in the Talmud - or cared about Jesus, for that matter.

[Archaix]

No more so than the documentaries, TV shows and oh yeah, Easter trying to prove that he does exist.

Amen, uh, to that.

In my opinion, Jesus must have existed, because the human imagination isn't capable of creating a character like Jesus.

It's no more beyond human capabilities than Yggdrasil, the Viking world-tree; Buddha, the shape-shifting representative of the religion about universal balance and reincarnation; or Horus, the Egyptian bird-headed god of the freaking sky...

I think that denying Jesus ever existed is a desperate attempt by hard-core antitheists (I didn't say atheists, because not all atheists are antitheists) to get rid of the most influential person who ever lived.

Why, because then they don't have to deal with the "Liar, Lunatic or Lord?" question that was brought up by C.S Lewis. It would make life easier for them.

I don't think that's entirely it -a great deal of people just want to see if they can make the case for an un-divine or a non-existent Jesus. I've tried, and I can see plenty of flaws in the Christian version of history.

By the way, I've started reading Mere Christianity, as you suggested I should. I'll get back to you when I've done.

[jwreck]

I don't care one way or the other. Just pointing out that both sides have dug trying to find proof.

[Cyclone Ranger]

It's no more beyond human capabilities than Yggdrasil, the Viking world-tree; Buddha, the shape-shifting representative of the religion about universal balance and reincarnation; or Horus, the Egyptian bird-headed god of the freaking sky...

I disagree.

[hadit]

It's also very interesting that Paul only knew of Jesus as a mythical entity. He came to Paul only in "visions." This is ridiculous and an absurd way of documenting a basis for a religion. This is literally no different from how that drunk retard started Mormonism.

Incorrect. Paul was present, then named Saul, when the first martyr, Stephen, was killed. He very likely saw and heard Jesus at a young age.

[hadit]

No more so than the documentaries, TV shows and oh yeah, Easter trying to prove that he does exist.

They have incentive. What incentive do the anti's have?

[hadit]

Explain the 40 some odd year gap between Jesus' death and when Paul first started writing about him. Explain how Paul wasn't familiar with 90% of the events of Jesus' life.

It took Paul a long time to become interested enough in Jesus to write about Him in the first place. As for not being familiar with the events of Jesus' life, Paul wasn't writing a historical account, so why would he write about them?

[hadit]

Within the local Jewish community it probably got around faster. But Paul was a Roman, not a Gallilean Jew.

He was a big time Jewish Pharisee, which puts him in Judea.

[jwreck]

They have incentive. What incentive do the anti's have?

Historical curiosity? They search for evidence of King Arthur too, yet no one gets their panties in a bunch about that.