I think he did exist. There must have been an inspiration for Jesus, whether it be someone entirely different, or exactly as the bible tells us. In all probability, it's the former.

I'll have to do some research but I vaguely remember reading how the bible has been changed over the years, and I do know there was a bit of a fight between 2 people about what content would be put into the bible. He could have had a different name, but this person might have died on the cross for a crime and he might have spread the message of 'good-will' or whatever it is.

I just don't think they could have pulled the religion out of a hat, there would have to have been a sort of inspiration for Jesus.

As for the half religious debate here, I believe people need to face reality and you CAN. Personally I am a humanist - put simply, someone who abides by Christian values and doesn't necessarily conclude that religion is all wrong, but I don't go to church and I believe in the physical evidence of evolution and the such.

Religion is not completely going to fairyland. The vast majority live well and true and are people that you should truely admire. I mean, you wouldn't go around lying, stealing and killing would you?

Even if there is no physical evidence of Jesus, he never existed, it's all a myth - I tend to look at it this way. Jesus is a great role model and he lived his life as people could live up to. I'll go either way - if they somehow prove he didn't exist, I would accept it. Until then, I live believing he did exist, in some form.

freediver wrote on Jan 4^th, 2009 at 12:02pm:



I tend to agree with you. In any case we have in Jesus Christ, an incredible role model and inspiration for humanity.

A friend recently lost a loved one. She was previously a Christian but lost her faith as a result. When she told me, I felt very uneasy about it. The way I see it, she is in the eye of the hurricane at the moment, and the last thing she wants to do is lose another thing that provides her with solace and inspiration. Besides, it's becoming an atheist for all the wrong reasons.

I think I persuaded her to rethink her position.  

Well, this is my take on it, and my theory is backed by the journal of factual conspiracy theories.


I haven't seen any evidence that Jesus existed as depicted in the bible. The chances are that he never did.

The purpose of all religions IMO, is to state a fixed reference point of morality, and how to conduct yourself in order to live a more fruitful life.

As in the previous mathematical arguments (which were moved), without a known reference point to measure against, there is no hope of reaching any conclusions or plotting progress.

The legal system is supposed to achieve a community standard, but it doesn't.  In an increasing population, laws are constantly changing to do away with freedoms which were once taken for granted.
To a large extent, laws are designed to be changed.

In regards to Jesus, I find it of no surpirise that his word was never known until many years after his death.
Finding a living symbol for Christianity would've been nigh on impossible, so a mythical symbol was invented.
Together with a mish mash of known religions and concepts of the day, and some very good marketing techniques to spread the word, Chrisitianity
succeeded as a religion.

But this is not to say that I think that religions are a load of junk. I hold some in much higher regard than our legal system or poliitical system.
They've stood the test of time where other concepts have failed and I plan on devoting more time to reading the bible.

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The existence of the church and the following it spawned is pretty strong evidence. If it was just some book they dug up yesterday then it would be more questionable. But you can't start a religion around a leader who doesn't exist. You only have to look at all the religious movements, big and small, that have been spawned since then. It is hard enough to start one with a charismatic leader. Without one it gets a bit ludicrous. People were not so fundamentally different 2000 years ago in such a way that the siutation is somehow reversed and the grand conspiracy becomes more plausible. I don't see why people somehow see the conspiracy as more plausible just because religion is involved. You need to apply Occam's razor here. Perhaps the great separation in time make people more comfortable in brushing aside all the difficulties you would have in pulling something like that off. It's like some people assume the conspiracy theory is correct and then use the absence of evidence against their conspiracy theory as validating it. It just doesn't make sense. You don't reject the simple, obvious explanation in favour of the absurd one because there is not enough evidence to satisfy you.

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I see it more as a last resort.

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All freedoms tend to conflict with other people's rights and freedoms. This becomes a bigger problem as the population gets denser.

Ant wrote on Jan 4^th, 2009 at 11:59am:


Cumran Scrolls?

tallowood wrote on Jan 4^th, 2009 at 11:12pm:


It is a far better thing to be a smart ass than a dumb ass. Muso 13:1

ex-member DonaldTrump wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2009 at 7:55pm:


And i was just dying to use my above link