• Bear@lemmynsfw.com
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    4 months ago

    Some people say yes, some say no. Christians, agnostics, and atheists on all sides. I hope that answers your question.

      • Baahb@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Ehhhhhh, you probably aren’t trying to be technical, but it’s worth noting that circumstancial evidence is definitely a thing; is evidence that suggests but doesn’t definitively state. As mentioned in this tread, Nero calls out pilate for executing Jesus. There’s also the often overlooked circumstancial evidence that there’s a whole ass religion to the guy, which sure there are other religions etc etc, but most of them don’t have a semi Devine being that you can point to specific dates and times…

        I will continue on, I’m an atheist, so I’m not arguing for Christianity, so here’s obligatory circumstancial evidence against historical J.

        Wasn’t a census when he was supposed to be born. No written accounts of Herod executing every baby boy in Judea. Etc etc lmgtfy if you need it

        • uienia@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          The Nero reference you are mentioning was written by Tacitus over a century after he was supposed to have lived. The fact of the matter js that there is no contemporary primary rvidence of hus exisrence.

          • Baahb@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            Frankly, I have no primary evidence of your existence. I could be arguing with a bot right now and it wouldn’t be unbelievable. Primary evidence is a motherfucker, the guy we are talking about was probably illiterate, talking to more people who were illiterate, what kind of primary evidence could there be? Even if we had a body, could we really point to it and say with any real confidence that it was Jesus or just some other person that was crucified?

            Honestly ask yourself, what would you accept as primary evidence?

    • Flax@feddit.uk
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      4 months ago

      To be fair, if someone said Jesus never existed, they clearly wouldn’t be Christian 🤣

      • Baahb@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        It really isn’t so clearcut. You don’t need an actual Jesus for the words attributed to him to be true. “Jesus” works perfectly fine as a container for an idea.

        • Flax@feddit.uk
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          4 months ago

          Thing is, it goes against man’s desires. The other religions that took off generally allow men to take more than one wife, fight wars, etc. Christianity basically asks of one to be poor and selfless and pure

          • Baahb@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            The context within which you are raised matters so much more than what’s written in your chosen scripture. That and self interest. Between those two, pretty much anyone can wrangle themselves into believing anything they want. The history of how we got here from there is similarly irrelevant.

            • Flax@feddit.uk
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              4 months ago

              There’s quite a bit of contrast between Christianity and Islam in terms of how scripture is presented, as Islam teaches that the Qur’an is literally the words of God. As for Judaism, it’s unfulfilled, and if the New Testament about Jesus is actually true to what happened, then the Jewish prophecies clearly point to Him. Other than that it’s a very elaborate scam made by well educated people which doesn’t really give them any benefit.

              • Baahb@lemmy.world
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                4 months ago

                Comfort and well-being, or so they believe… for some reason. Personally I like knowing I only get one shot

                  • Baahb@lemmy.world
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                    4 months ago

                    My parents weren’t executed horribly, what are you talking about about? I’m still talking about contemporary Christian belief. Thesis: You can consider yourself Christian without belief in Jesus as a historical figure. Many Christians are happy to understand Jesus as metaphors and an ideal. Like if you took the actually good Superman stories and removed all the context, you could idealize the individual to the point of worship without believing he’s real.