Why do you think Jesus is a fictional character?

Question

Please explain.

Answer 1

There is no ( or at the very least, precious little) evidence of a person called Jesus outside of the bible. Xians will say Josephus mentioned him, but in fact, the only translation we have of Josephus was done by a christian writer in the 4th century...we don't have it in the original Latin. And what is mentioned is very weak and open to interpretation and very likely was subject to interpolation.

The Romans were meticulous record keepers. If Jesus existed, and had fostered the kind of revolution that would get their attention by threatening Roman rule, performing miracles, there would be copious writings about him from the Romans, and other sources.

Paul the Apostle is agreeably the earliest christian writer, and he wrote probably a couple decades after the putative events. Yet Paul makes no reference to a recently living Christ...and if you read his works separate from the rest of the NT, he seems to be writing of a supernatural creature who fought a battle, died and rose again in a spiritual realm, eons ago. Paul went to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and yet he makes no mention of a pilgramage to Golgotha, or the tomb or any sites that would be shrines to a real person recently living, crucified and risen again ascending into heaven. Paul is bizarrely disinterested in anything relating to a real physical Jesus.

All other accounts, were written much later. The earliest Gospel of Mark (by the way, it wasn't written by anybody called Mark, it is anonymous) couldn't have been written any earlier than 40-50 years after the events. The Gospels all contradict each other as to Jesus life, miracles and death. I recommend any of Randall Helms books on the New Testament and Gospels for a detailed overview of the problems.

It really is quite interesting if you are prepared to have an open mind about it. Jesus, if he existed, was at best a wandering prophet/holyman/philospher. We have lots of legendary heroes with stories about them, like King Arthur, William Tell...but we know they never actually existed. I think it more likely he never actually existed, and was created as a "founding father" in the heroic tradition by the early church.

Answer 2

I don't think he is. But the people who think Jesus never existed actually make some pretty convincing arguments. You would certainly assume, if some guy was performing miracles and walking on water and multiplying food and doing all this amazing stuff, that everyone in the world would be writing about him. But non-Christian historians from the time hardly wrote about Jesus at all; the number of references to Jesus outside of the Bible is actually very, very limited. It's not consistent.

I believe that some guy with that name existed, and maybe he went around preaching, but I think it's very suspicious how he almost doesn't even exist in history outside of the Bible.

Edit: Everyone always brings up Josephus' mention of Jesus. That's actually debated; many scholars believe it's an interpolation -- in other words, that it's not legitimate.

Answer 3

I don't like any kind of organized religion. I believe organized religions are worse that dictatorships because their motives are hidden.
As for Jesus I don't really care if He was fictional or not. To be honest about it, Jesus said in a few words the whole meaning of all religions "Do to others what you want others to do to you"
If we realize this simple thing, we will never need any religion and we will never have to argue if Jesus was fictional, if he was virgin or not, if he had any children blah, blah, blah...

Answer 4

Because the bible doesn't say anywhere "Based upon a true story".

Now seriously, I don't think Jesus was a fictional character. I think he did exist. Only that the bible is fiction, and I don't think Jesus did any of the things that the bible attributes to him.

Answer 5

It must be the suitable fairy tale ever, he comes down born, not in any respect works an afternoon in his existence, can get less than the impact of alcohol on wine he created from water, and on the best of all of it do not count number as lack of existence is in basic terms for the business corporation holiday, nicely there isnt a lot else to do on good Friday lengthy weekend except the weathers good. also what tale do you hear as a baby the position the lead personality receives crucified and its nonetheless rated PG. Plus you are able to tell it became not written by technique of Hollywood, the lead personality wasn't wearing a lengthy pink cape.

Answer 6

Roman records prove that a man by the name of jesus did indeed live in the Roman province during the time the bible describes it. Roman records prove that other so called prophets did as well....and he certainly was hung on a cross, as were thousand before him and after him (really horrid way to die -- one succumbs of suffication --) Apart from that -- going to 'heaven', sitting next to god, dying for you sins and the rest of it, well, no probably not. Just another guy in the thorn of Rome trying to rule a province a long way away from its capital of power. and jesus, just another rabble rouser during a time of pilgrimage. Pilate did what was legal at the time -- keep control, using the least amount of force....

Answer 7

All a bunch of smoke and mirrors to inspire the poor people and slaves into believing there was a better life for them after they died. They are just stores to raise their hopes. There might have been a Jesus back then, but there might have been many guys named Jesus as well.

Answer 8

I don't doubt the man existed. He probably did great things, which inspired lots of people. However, his "miracles" may be fictional. It's definitely hard to fathom that a man could do such things as walk on water and heal illnesses.

Basically, what I'm saying is this: The man and his philosophy are real, just not all the accounts of him, or much of the belief system built around the man.

Answer 9

I don't think he is fictional, but some of the things about him could be...
Why I don't believe in him makes sense. Why would I believe in someone who died centuries ago? Someone I don't know personally doesn't make a very good God.
I believe in this because I can see it...

http://www.mtshastasacredweddings.com/images/photos/mt-shasta.jpg

But I just can't believe in Jesus.

Answer 10

"John E. Remsburg's The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidence of His Existence, lists the following writers who lived during the time, or within a century after the time, that Jesus is supposed to have lived:

Josephus
Philo-Judææus
Seneca
Pliny Elder
Arrian
Petronius
Dion Pruseus
Paterculus
Suetonius
Juvenal
Martial
Persius
Plutarch
Pliny Younger
Tacitus
Justus of Tiberius
Apollonius
Quintilian
Lucanus
Epictetus
Hermogones Silius Italicus
Statius
Ptolemy
Appian
Phlegon
Phæædrus
Valerius Maximus
Lucian
Pausanias
Florus Lucius
Quintius Curtius
Aulus Gellius
Dio Chrysostom
Columella
Valerius Flaccus
Damis
Favorinus
Lysias
Pomponius Mela
Appion of Alexandria
Theon of Smyrna

Enough of the writings of the authors named in the foregoing list remains to form a library. Yet in this mass of Jewish and Pagan literature, according to Remsburg, "aside from two forged passages in the works of a Jewish author, and two disputed passages in the works of Roman writers, there is to be found no mention of Jesus Christ." Nor, do any of these authors make note of the Disciples or Apostles."