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Old 12-15-2009, 11:50 AM   #1
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Default When Was Jesus Actually Born?

Several nights ago, I was watching an episode of Bones. In the show, one of the people in the lab stated a couple of times that Jesus was actually born in March.
I did a quick google and of course found many different answers from people who showed no evidence. A few even stated that Jesus was born in August.

I was wondering if anyone had better information on this.
Also, does it actually specifically state in the bible when Jesus was born?
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Old 12-15-2009, 11:52 AM   #2
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Well in the birth narrative(s), Jesus is born while sheppards are out tending to their sheep at night. They would not be doing this in the winter, but it would be more likely during the spring/summer months.

At least, that's one reason I heard.

There's another (Jewish) tradition that all prophets and holy men are born on the same day that they died. This would place Jesus' birth around the same time period as spring.
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Old 12-15-2009, 12:12 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by show_no_mercy View Post
Well in the birth narrative(s), Jesus is born while sheppards are out tending to their sheep at night. They would not be doing this in the winter, but it would be more likely during the spring/summer months.

At least, that's one reason I heard.

There's another (Jewish) tradition that all prophets and holy men are born on the same day that they died. This would place Jesus' birth around the same time period as spring.
So.... then would I be correct in assuming the reason for the December 25th date being chosen would be because that's what other pagan religions used for the births of their saviors (example: Mithraism)(dec 25th, easter etc would further be based on astronomical observations), and it was easier to convert people to xianity if certain aspects were more familiar to them?
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Old 12-15-2009, 01:38 PM   #4
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He was born at 12:00 am on 000 AD.
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Old 12-15-2009, 01:46 PM   #5
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Fantastical Jesus was born in the imagination of some cult member, probably around 70AD or so.

The actual guy he's based on? who the hell knows. There are no records.
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Old 12-15-2009, 01:49 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Mobiius View Post
So.... then would I be correct in assuming the reason for the December 25th date being chosen would be because that's what other pagan religions used for the births of their saviors (example: Mithraism)(dec 25th, easter etc would further be based on astronomical observations), and it was easier to convert people to xianity if certain aspects were more familiar to them?
I think that's the general assumption, yes.

It's based on the winter solstice, and there is "death" and then the "sun" is born again and brings life and warmth and good things to the earth.

The whole Jesus myth is pretty pagan, actually.
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Old 12-15-2009, 02:07 PM   #7
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April 20th, 1985.
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Old 12-15-2009, 06:33 PM   #8
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well Mary and Joseph couldn't find accommodation because it was the Christmas season and everything was booked out, hence why i think Jesus was born in December.
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Old 12-16-2009, 08:20 AM   #9
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well Mary and Joseph couldn't find accommodation because it was the Christmas season and everything was booked out, hence why i think Jesus was born in December.
:notworthy:
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Old 12-16-2009, 02:46 PM   #10
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Personally, I'm of the belief that the character in the Bible was based on several people -- real and imagined -- so there should be no one date that could be pointed to.
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