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Personally, I couldn’t care less if Jesus was a real person or not. Just hearing about scholars debating this topic makes me yawn. I’m really not that interested in any ancient history, truth be told. Whether Jesus was a real person or not has absolutely no effect on my atheism. It is very reasonable to deduce that all of the miracles, God influences and the resurrection are all made up events by inventive people. Whether there was a real person that was influential enough to spawn those myths is really of no interest to me. Just another example of how many, many people will believe anything they hear and joyfully pass it on with passion and fervor.
Exactly. It’s like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Who wrote what about this jesus person, and when, makes not a scrap of difference to the end result. Which is that the christian myth is like all other myths - made up. It’s essential features, the miracles etc have no basis in reality.
The question of the Jesus character and it’s possible historicity is one of the most fascinating questions in human existence IMO. It, of course does not affect a free thinker’s Atheism because they do not accept divinity. However, the question of the largest and most prevalent religion in the history of humanity to be possibly built upon a pure myth is indeed amazing.
Of course we will probably never know, but how fascinating to think about. It says a lot about our psychology and how and why we believe anything. And how we interpret and understand evidence, or the lack thereof.
The question of the Jesus character and it’s possible historicity is one of the most fascinating questions in human existence IMO. It, of course does not affect a free thinker’s Atheism because they do not accept divinity. However, the question of the largest and most prevalent religion in the history of humanity to be possibly built upon a pure myth is indeed amazing.
Of course we will probably never know, but how fascinating to think about. It says a lot about our psychology and how and why we believe anything. And how we interpret and understand evidence, or the lack thereof.
Robin Hood supposedly lived in Sherwood Forest more than a thousand years after Jesus, but was he real or just the hero of minstrel songs? And think of the pure myth that Mormonism is based on! Over 14 million Mormons now - their massive Temple - the Tabernacle Choir broadcast around the world - a Mormon who campaigns to preside over the U.S. and then possibly determine the fate of the world!
The question of the Jesus character and it’s possible historicity is one of the most fascinating questions in human existence IMO. It, of course does not affect a free thinker’s Atheism because they do not accept divinity. However, the question of the largest and most prevalent religion in the history of humanity to be possibly built upon a pure myth is indeed amazing.
Of course we will probably never know, but how fascinating to think about. It says a lot about our psychology and how and why we believe anything. And how we interpret and understand evidence, or the lack thereof.
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying here, 6.02 x 10 to the 23rd. The fact that so many people have faith in Christianity because of a myth is indeed fascinating. I don’t know if we will ever be able to know what the truth of the matter is, but I certainly have no interest in delving into the excruciatingly boring details. Faith still baffles me, all the time.
The mere fact that the historicity of jesus is genuinely disputed is remarkable. It stuns that there are billions who believe this myth without ever asking, let alone exploring, this question.
The fact that the actual Jesus is questioned strengthens the “faith” of some believers. It plays into the persecution complex that many believers have. Jesus is a “stumbling block,” and the world will not receive him, and so on. From discussions I’ve had with Christian friends and relatives, as well as members of area churches (whom I know,) the presentation of evidence against a historical Jesus has, oddly, a reverse effect.
The fact that the actual Jesus is questioned strengthens the “faith” of some believers. It plays into the persecution complex that many believers have. Jesus is a “stumbling block,” and the world will not receive him, and so on. From discussions I’ve had with Christian friends and relatives, as well as members of area churches (whom I know,) the presentation of evidence against a historical Jesus has, oddly, a reverse effect.
More than often what you hear coming from a believer or church is a well thought out reply designed more to reinforce belief among their group, rather than be a real reply to the question. When you tell a doubter among you “well this just reinforces our faith, doesn’t it everyone…” it supplys a sufficient answer to move on without a real investigation or explanation.
More than often what you hear coming from a believer or church is a well thought out reply designed more to reinforce belief among their group, rather than be a real reply to the question. When you tell a doubter among you “well this just reinforces our faith, doesn’t it everyone…” it supplys a sufficient answer to move on without a real investigation or explanation.
No doubt. It encourages the type of black and white thinking that religion values so highly. It always strikes me as odd that these folks are consistently content to rely on “stuff” (whether it’s knowledge or tangible goods,) in their everyday lives, that has been attained through the scientific method, but cop-out instantly once that method asserts some pretty serious criticisms against their beliefs. The same methodology which was applied in the design and manufacture of their coffee maker was employed to yield the results which show the existence of Jesus to be in question.
Religious belief is based upon the premise that it is not obvious to everybody. If it were, there would be no such thing as faith. The Jesus myth plays into that nicely for religionists.
How would religions survive if everybody believed in them? It’s a good vs evil false dichotomy, and the basic concept of unprovable God(s) that enable them to survive and thrive. They depend on conflict and confusion.
Religious belief is based upon the premise that it is not obvious to everybody.
Right. God should be renamed. How about a name like, that which is. If Christians called God that which is then the scales would fall from atheists’ eyes and they’d say, “Oh! You mean this! Why didn’t you say so?”
But, of course, they don’t mean that which is. They mean, that which isn’t.
One example of that which isn’t is the belief that the ‘me’, who presently depends on an earthly brain for existence, is going to live forever when the brain dies. (Neanderthals, belugas, etc. need not apply).
Religious belief is based upon the premise that it is not obvious to everybody.
Right. God should be renamed. How about a name like, that which is. If Christians called God that which is then the scales would fall from atheists’ eyes and they’d say, “Oh! You mean this! Why didn’t you say so?”
But, of course, they don’t mean that which is. They mean, that which isn’t.
One example of that which isn’t is the belief that the ‘me’, who presently depends on an earthly brain for existence, is going to live forever when the brain dies. (Neanderthals, belugas, etc. need not apply).
