When you say Jesus didn't exist...?

Question

what are you saying? Isn't it generally accepted as fact that the MAN did exist? I've never heard so many people assert that he didn't exist at all. I mean, I get that many believe he wasn't a god, didn't rise from the dead, etc., but I was under he impression that there *was* a guy (Ieshua ben Ioseph) who was the central figure in one of the many messianic cults at the time and he is the man we now know as Jesus. Is there some dispute over this?

Answer 1

Many reasons lead me to think he did not exist. The fact no one wrote anything about him until 50 years after he was supposedly crucified, leaving not many around to dispute the writing as being untrue. Who can argue honestly what did or did not happen 50 years ago? Especially back then. People need to think about it as if they were there 50 years after Christ's crucifixion. To the majority of the people back then he would have just been 1 of thousands crucified and there wouldn't have been anything memorable about it.

Read the stories of Mithras, Attis, Dionysus, Zoroaster, Heracles, Apollo..... all greek or pagan deities prior to when Jesus supposedly was alive. The stories are so remarkably similar it is a joke. Either it's blatant plagiarism or the biggest coincidence in history.

I would also like to add that I find it very convenient only Jesus friends wrote about him. We don't see any tales of his existence from enemies, of which he was sure to have some since he was opposing a lot of the church doctrine at the time.

Finally, I will allow that perhaps there were people teaching some of the things Jesus is referred to as teaching in the bible, but I doubt they were named Jesus, or took it to the extremes Jesus is attributed to doing.

Answer 2

Yes- There is a book called "The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man" by Robert M. Price a Professor at oh check it out for yourself.
http://www.robertmprice.mindvend
There is also a book "The Jesus Puzzle. Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ?: Challenging the Existence of an Historical Jesus
by a guy named Earl Doherty,
It's kind of hard to prove any one person every existed in the 1st century. The one secular referring to Jesus, the Jewish historian Josephus, (sp?) is getting a second look now and some scholars believe it has been tampered with by Christians.
My personal opinion ( and I'm an atheist) is that it doesn't matter. So many people believe he did exist that he might as well have.
The positive points of his existence, (Most of the ethical teaching), be nice, share your fish and chips, don't start wars, and so on. is still valid even if he existed or not.
Check out pros and cons for yourself.

Answer 3

Outside of the Bible, the only other document that speaks of Jesus (I've always seen it spelled "Yeshua") was written by a monk (I don't know if he was Christian or not) some hundred years after the death of Jesus.

And there were multiple messiahs in that time period, any one or group of which might very well have done the things that Jesus was reported to have done.

Personally, though I'm not a Christian, I do believe that there is a good possibility that Jesus did exist, and that He did many things not too dissimilar from what He was reported to do.

Answer 4

Actually, yes, there is historical proof that Jesus did exist. What is being questionned by some is if he was the son of God. Very debatable and contreviersial subject.

Jesus did Live and was "voted" the son of God by Constantine and his 12 apostols in 400 AD. Constantine and his apostols were debating about the fact if this man called Jesus in deed did perform all the miracls that the scriptures contained (written by people in Jesus' time who have witnessed it all).

Because Constantine was a Christian, a vote was placed in a closed room with his 12 apostols and voila.... Jesus was recognized by Christians as the son of God.

Jews are in agreement that Jesus did exist, however, they do not accept him as the son of God. This is why Christians follow the new calendar - we are in year 2006 AD and most of the world has accepted it and follows it, even Jews. Never the less, for Jews, they are actually celebrating the year 5000 something, which is actually closer to year 6000 because they do not go by "before Christ" or "after Christ" - simply because they do recognize him as a holy man.

The fact that Jesus is represented as a human being first and the son of God second does not sit well with some religions.

Answer 5

There is no reliable historical evidence that Jesus lived
It is much more probable the life of 'Jesus' is greek pagan religion mingled with Jewish culture.

Many scholars agree. Not most. But is getting there. Even many christian leaders have come to that conclusion

Christians have made a variety of attempts through history to fabricate an historical jesus. Even the apostle Paul, doesnt have an historical Jesus. The gospel of 'Mark' isnt even an attempt to write about an historical Jesus. he is writing a symbolic message, he is writing a gospel. It was 'Mark' that was writing the parable.
Jesus is a myth fits all the facts. And is the most probably explanation.
Get this book
http://www.amazon.com/Empty-Tomb-Jesus-Beyond-Grave/dp/159102286X/sr=8-1/qid=1158064660/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3487048-3487800?ie=UTF8&s=books
Many different authors Richard Carrier(historian scholar philosopher) has a few chapters.
The contributors include New Testament scholars, philosophers, historians, and leading nontheists

Answer 6

Most of the responders who say Jesus did not exist are Jews! Even those of the Islamic faith agree he did exist, just not to the point that he returned from the grave to prove that he actually did beat Satan for all who would follow his teachings. The key words here are 'for all who would' now, ask yourself why anybody would deny a mans existence just because that man stopped profit making? Same thing happened with the Catholic faith, they began selling salvation and the reformation occured. Of course it wasn't their fault, it never is when someone falls from Gods grace. Will America be next because we profit from not tracking down the mastermind?

Answer 7

just a tid bit of info
the letter j didnt exsist until about 1650 and it derived from the letter y as a matter of fashion you can look that up on the internet or encyclopedia anyhow in the 1611 king james version on the bible there is not one j
the saviours name is actually Yahshua meaning YAHWEH IS SALVATION THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD BE ELOHIM AND YAHWEH WOULD BE GOD
THERE WERE NO J'S DURING THAT TIME
not to say there was a saviour that wasnt his name just like if you went to mexico your name doesnt change i could give you a check and say hey mary jones your new name is susie smith cash this check unless you are in the witness protection plan
doesnt work
if you are more interested seriously about theology go to IDMR in the search engine and you can read it is actually very interesting

have fun reading andhope you find what you are searching for
oh ps
hebrew was the language and written from right to left unlike english left to right

Answer 8

"Belief cannot produce historical fact, and claims that come from nothing but hearsay do not amount to an honest attempt to get at the facts". This is not hearsay but facts, facts which are written in the Bible by people, yes, but people who were led by the Almighty God.

We simply do not have a shred of evidence to determine the historicity of a Jesus "the Christ?" We have the Bible.

You are wrong when you say he was a figure in many cults. Maybe you should stop listening to the Devil and start listening to the word of God and your judgement will not be so clowded.

Answer 9

I don't think so, I think there was someone named Jesus back then, but I don't believe he was the son of God. Basically, I think you said it best:

"was the central figure in one of the many messianic cults"

Answer 10

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