is a Myth a 'myth' if you can prove it?

Question

lol...someone asked me to prove Jesus was a myth....

if I can't get Jesus to show self or a god, does that prove it's status?

Christ’s features and myths are in many ways similar to those of the Greco-Roman salvation cults of the time known as "mystery religions", each having its own savior god or goddess. Most of these (e.g., Dionysos, Mithras, Attis, Isis, Osiris) were part of myths in which the deity had overcome death in some way, or performed some act which conferred benefits and salvation on their devotees.

Answer 1

OK, let's clarify this whole damn thing.

Jesus existed. He, as a person, existed in early times. I do not believe that he was the son of God, but I believe that he existed as a person.

Answer 2

Just to clarify, this is what myth means, taken from Wikipedia "a myth (mythos) is a sacred story concerning the origins of the world or how the world and the creatures in it came to have their present form. The active beings in myths are generally gods and heroes. Myths often are said to take place before recorded history begins. In saying that a myth is a sacred narrative, what is meant is that a myth is believed to be true by people who attach religious or spiritual significance to it. Use of the term by scholars does not imply that the narrative is either true or false.

A myth in popular use is something that is widely believed to be false. This usage, which is often pejorative, arose from labeling the religious myths and beliefs of other cultures as being incorrect, but it has spread to cover non-religious beliefs as well. Because of this usage, many people take offense when the religious narratives they believe to be true are called myths (see Religion and mythology for more information). This usage is frequently confused with fiction, legend, fairy tale, folklore, fable, and urban legend, each of which has a distinct meaning in academia." I'm not sure what kind of proof you are looking for, just because you can't get to appear, doesn't make him a myth, makes him dead!

Answer 3

Here are some good links:


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Did a historical Jesus exist?
http://www.nobeliefs.com/exist.htm
[Excerpt]

ALL CLAIMS OF JESUS DERIVE FROM HEARSAY ACCOUNTS

No one has the slightest physical evidence to support a historical Jesus; no artifacts, dwelling, works of carpentry, or self-written manuscripts. All claims about Jesus derive from writings of other people. There occurs no contemporary Roman record that shows Pontius Pilate executing a man named Jesus. Devastating to historians, there occurs not a single contemporary writing that mentions Jesus. All documents about Jesus got written well after the life of the alleged Jesus from either: unknown authors, people who had never met an earthly Jesus, or from fraudulent, mythical or allegorical writings. Although one can argue that many of these writings come from fraud or interpolations, I will use the information and dates to show that even if these sources did not come from interpolations, they could still not serve as reliable evidence for a historical Jesus, simply because all sources derive from hearsay accounts.

Hearsay means information derived from other people rather than on a witness' own knowledge.

Courts of law do not generally allow hearsay as testimony, and nor does honest modern scholarship. Hearsay provides no proof or good evidence, and therefore, we should dismiss it.

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The Myth of the Historical Jesus
http://mama.indstate.edu/users/nizrael/jesusrefutation.html

Pagan origins of Jesus:
http://www.medmalexperts.com/POCM/index.html
http://geocities.com/christprise/
http://mama.indstate.edu/users/nizrael/jesusrefutation.html
http://www.rationalresponders.com/a_silence_that_screams_no_contemporary_historical_accounts_for_jesus
http://www.truthbeknown.com/origins.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/pcc/pcc09.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa3.htm
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/resurrection/lecture.html
http://www.geocities.com/paulntobin/virgin.html
http://www.harrington-sites.com/motif.htm
http://altreligion.about.com/library/weekly/aa052902a.htm

Answer 4

if it is proven to be true then it is legend. usually applies to very old stories where solid facts are difficult to ascertain.

the existence of Jesus is however provable Judaism Islam and Hinduism acknowledge his existence. It's Jesus' status as the son of God that is arguable.

Answer 5

Wouldn't it be the other way around? A story is myth until it's proven

Answer 6

Once a 'myth' is proven then it becomes a truth. God is no exception.

Answer 7

The mythical status of Jesus has already been demonstrated by Earl Doherty.

Answer 8

well really u shud have to prove he is real no dont get me wrong i think he is but u only ever see wat he and god do in the world, not they themselves, so whos to say thats its not just ppl doing gthings out of the good of their heart and not god acting through them? so really if u cant get jesus or god to show themselves it proves nothing

Answer 9

i just seen him die and come back again Jesus is real his movies was on www.tbn.org tonight and the Romans believe in him and the Jews didn't believe in him you can see it to go to www.tbn.org. it s great luv dad

Answer 10

I don't see why being a myth diminishes his significance as a spiritual teacher.