Atheists: Do you believe that Jesus was a real person?

Question

...and was as loving as they said he was?

Forget about the supernatural powers and the raising from the dead and what everyone said was his supernatural significance.

If you think he was a historical figure, what is your opinion of him as a man?

Answer 1

Yes, I think he was a real person.
Yes, I think he was a good person, especially knowing that he followed in the "Golden Rule" footsteps of Rabbi Hillel.
However, I think that many later "historical" texts about Jesus may be about other people that were doing good as by his example, and are simply attributed to Jesus.

Answer 2

The existence of Jesus as a person is probable. However, the content of his teaching was probably directed only toward the Jewish people. Note in Acts how surprised the apostles were when the "Holy Spirit" was shown to fall on the Gentiles. Such an idea had clearly never occurred to them.

Jesus teaching aside, once he died, the teachings switched to believing in him in order to achieve immortality. The remainder of the New Testament seems geared to keeping Christians in line and focusing on Jesus return. His earthly existence stopped being important from that point forward, and only the myths of his return seem to matter after that. Witness the variety of Christians that give testimony to how little Jesus' own teachings matter in the current age. Sadly this renders your question almost irrelevant.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 3

"Atheism" ability "no perception in deity", era. it relatively is all which would be mentioned for particular approximately people who % out as atheists. to be certain that the historic Jesus, some purchase it, some do no longer. in my opinion, i do no longer think he existed a historic guy or woman. I got here to this lead to line with my analyze on the situation, and comparing claims from the two facets of the difficulty. i've got seen rather plenty seen each argument on the "professional" area refuted. of path, that's relatively not the explanation for me being an atheist. whether Jesus did exist, i does not decide to be a Christian. >>Atheists is a vast term purely like Christian. No, while somebody identifies as "Christian", we are able to competently assume plenty, plenty greater information approximately that guy or woman than we are able to in the event that they pointed out as "Atheist", whether 2 denominations would variety very much intimately. we are able to assume, as an occasion that the guy is one million) theistic, 2) greater incredibly monotheistic, 3) believes Jesus traditionally existed, 4) that the crucifixion occurred, 5) that he or she has a particular perception with regard to the training defined interior the Gospels, 6) they have self assurance in another aspects of the Bible, etc. >>via the way i'm Christian No, relatively?

Answer 4

He never existed. There are NO records of the time (and the romans kept very good records) that so much as hint to such a person.
And if you're going to make the ultimate mistake and try and quote Josephus, remember he lived over a hundred years after the supposed death of christ. And the ONE sentence that mentions jesus is an 11th century forgery.

Answer 5

Not quite a historic figure, but a real person. He was a radical rabbi near the end of the era of the priestly dominance that ended with the destruction of the temple. He was one of many rabbis espousing ideas derived from Greek philosophy. What was most unusual was that his ministry survived his death.

Answer 6

Jesus was and still is a real person, Satan is a spirit, deceiving even the elect if that is possible, that is why you question Jesus existence.
Deceiving and and being deceived
Jesus was flesh and blood,
He too had to chose the good and leave the evil
Either you believe or you don't, but do a search on nothing else but Jesus and you will find out the truth, don't take hear say, for the truth.

Answer 7

He probably did exist, yes. I don't think there's really enough credible information to form an opinion about him as a man. Some of the things he is said to have said are fairly clever, others aren't.

Answer 8

It seems likely that there was a historical figure behind the mythology--much as there was a "real" Johnny Appleseed, for example. I doubt that he was as important as the Bible gives him credit for, though--there would be more historical record of him. (Yes, I know about Josephus. Jesus was mentioned in one paragraph that was later proven to be fraudulently placed in the text.)

Answer 9

Yes. I believe he was a real person, and I believe he was loving, but I do not believe in any of the supernatural BS that the Bible promotes.

Answer 10

He probably existed but all accounts of him are second hand at best, and by people with a vested interest in making Him divine so there is no reliable information on which to base an opinion.