Story of Jesus a myth?

[Quixote1818]

Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Light."

So did these ancient historical figures that came about long before Jesus:

Horus
http://www.sanfords.net/Pagan_Humor_and_Thoughts/origins_of_christianity.htm

Zoroaster
http://www.ety.com/HRP/booksonline/oliver/chap10.htm

Mithras
http://www.fact-index.com/m/mi/mithras.html

The Buddha - Many similarity's to Christianity.


Most of these ancient religions have striking similarity's to the Jesus story including being killed and rising from the dead.

[wryter2000]

1. I don't know what you mean about the story of Jesus

But I understand it is a historical fact that there was an intinerant preacher named Jesus who was crucified by the Romans. How much of the rest of the Bible is true, who knows? But the man did live.

[stopbush]

7. There's no record of the Romans - or Pilate - crucifying Jesus

outside of the non-contemporary Gospel accounts. Nada.

[kcwayne]

8. Its belief, not fact. There is a difference

The first accounts of Jesus appear in the epistles 40 years after his presumed death. There are no artifacts directly associated with Jesus. There are no drawings, first hand testimony, or mention of him by historians that were present when he was presumably alive. There are no first hand accounts by anyone that says "I knew him, he said this, or he looked like that". There is not a single piece of hard evidence that he ever existed. There are only second hand accounts by people who were not alive when he was supposed to have been on earth.


Did a Historical Jesus Exist?

[Quixote1818]

18. Thanks! Great Post

[rockymountaindem]

2. "The Jesus Mysteries"

By Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy should help explain things to those of you who are wondering about this.

[papau]

6. The Jesus Mysteries is an interesting collection of false and misleading

statements by those with a point of view to sell -

I really am beginning to believe that the books of the 1920's to 1950's about how all Christains lie - and some Romans too - are all these anti-Chriatain folks writing today have ever read.

I did read the book as a Barnes and Noble stand up by shelf and read assignment - it was obvious it was not worth paying for after you note the 10th error of historical fact in the first 20 minutes - and I wonder why anyone would use it as a reference - the Gnostic history it tries to sell is such a huge lie you'd think it had no credibility.

[corporatewhore]

3. and quetzalcoatl

check it out in Barbara walkers encyclopedia

[H2O Man]

4. You are correct in that

many/most of the things Jesus said were not new or original. The most obvious reason is simple: the truth is the truth. Doesn't change. The concept of rising from the dead is of course a common theme in cultures near the equator, usually when agriculture is introduced. Note the parable of the seeds. None of this is "proof" or even an indicator that the historic human being Jesus did not exist .... any more, say, than it proves George Washington is a myth.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time" by Marcus Borg

I think you will find it very interesting. :)

[oldleftguy]

9. Really interesting post!

Thanks. :bounce:

[Political_Junkie]

10. I know I'm a little late replying

to this thread, but I've study egyptian mythology for many years, I don't know much about Buddha, Mithras, or Zoroaster, so I have no opinions on those links. The Horus link I checked out and I can tell you it's bunk! There are many similarities between Horus' life and stories from the bible, but none of those mentioned on that site.
As far as your original question, was Jesus a myth, I think that you should do your own research to answer that for yourself. Just be careful which sources you use, there are people on both sides of the debate with an agenda.

[Quixote1818]

17. Not Bunk!

Actually I first learned about Horus and the similarity's from an article by Albert Churchward and later on by William Edelen, a well known scholar on world religions. I have read about the connection dozens of times. That website was simply a quick search to show the connection. Also, I talked to Paul Tegmeyer an art history professor at John Cabot University in Rome and he confirmed everything I posted. If you are going to say it's bunk please provide a reason. I know the hard core Christian sites call these bunk but in reality they are bunk.

[On the Road]

11. Just Because Some Old Platitudes are Attributed to Jesus

doesn't mean he didn't exist.

Jesus had a brother, who was written about by Josephus, the only historian of that place and time. The emperor Domitian rounded up descendents of Jesus' family as possible leaders of a revolt, since they were also sons of David.

Some of Paul's letters such as Galatians are indisputably genuine and date from the 50s or 60s. Although Paul did not know Jesus, he was a contemporary and knew of him as a real person.

Having said that, nobody knows how much of the gospels are real and how much are invention. Many of the details of Jesus' life, and many of the sayings in the gospels, may have been invented. Paul didn't know Jesus and was estranged from Jesus' family and friends. Much of what he wrote may have been more influenced by his own preconceptions of what the Messiah was supposed to be like than the real human being.

[lazarus]

12. Josephus

There's a lot of controversy about Josephus' mentions of Jesus. Many historians feel that it was inserted later by other people with an agenda.

[Armand]

13. Nope. Jesus was not a myth.

He lived. He was a precher of God's word. He was crucified. Thousands upon thousands of people have witnessed Jesus' preachings and crucifixion. The Disciples witnessed Jesus' resurrection. I don't understand how Jesus could be a myth when so many people have witnessed Him. Just because it wasn't fully documented doesn't mean he didn't exist.

That's proof enough for me that he existed.

[Quixote1818]

19. Refer to posts 7 and 8

[Nikia]

14. My father's Asian religions prof in college's theory

He practiced some Eastern religion and believed that Jeusus was the reincarnation of several gods/prophets and that it was the higher power's plan that His message get preached to several cultures in different times. Interesting theory.
Anyway, as a Christian, I believe that many of his early disciples would not preach the message of a man who lived and died not too long before and continued to preach it even when they were facing death for that message. It would be like someone preaching Martin Luther King, jrs message today.

[homelandpunk]

15. There were 16 crucified savior myths (that we know of) before

the one we are indoctrinated into. Why the hell anyone would think the "Jesus" version of the crucified and risen savior is HISTORICAL, with that mythological track record,is beyond me. I know. Faith. Um...r-r-r-r-ri-i-i-i-ght.... Look, there are 16 of these things with identical scenarios to the xtian one, but we are told it is a must to believe in the historicity of Jesus? As Phil Donahue would say: Cuh-ummm ON!

[Quixote1818]

16. I agree and think Christianity had an advantage as it became

popular and was legalized at the height of the Roman Empire. It was spread all over the world mostly by force. People were told to become Christian or be killed. Most of our ancestors were likely Pagans who were forced to become Christians.