AnarchyMom

What are some good books refuting Jesus' existence?

I've read The Christ Conspiracy by Acharya S, but have since been told that she is a unreliable source.

There's got to be some scholarly books by respected authors refuting the existence of Jesus.

Minimalist

"The Jesus Puzzle" by Earl Doherty.

cogitans

There are none, to my knowledge. The idea that Jesus never even existed is on the extreme fringe, and not taken seriously in the academical world.

That said, you don't need any books to tell that things like the virgin birth and the resurrection are nonsense.

Toto

Richard Carrier is writing a book on the issue. There will be announcements when it is available.

The question of a historical person behind the gospel stories of Jesus is impossible to prove or disprove absolutely, so you are not going to find anyone "refuting" the existence of Jesus, just as you will not find anyone proving his existence. There is no clear proof that such a person existed. It's just a question of how well you can explain the evidence that does exist.

Acharya's later book Who Was Jesus is better than her earlier work if you are looking for reliable sources

AnarchyMom

Thanks for the suggestions.

Minimalist

Yes...the theologians keep screeching that over and over...no matter how many people are questioning the very existence of the god boy. Times (fortunately) are changing.

Manitoumulegirl

I don't think it matters whether Jesus existed, either way. I exist. If I make the proclamation, "God hates you all and is sending everyone to hell," does that make my words true merely because I exist?

I think Jesus probably existed. I think the stories about him need to be taken with a pillar of salt.

Emil

Moderator notice:

Moved thread to BC&H.

Deleet, PEoG mod.

aa5874

This is unbelievable.

The birth and resurrection of Jesus of the NT are NONSENSE, yet you believe that the entity described by this NONSENSE actually existed.

How are you going to show that Jesus of the NT existed, are you going to use NONSENSE? That's virtually all there is.

This is a partial list of the some of the NONSENSE about Jesus of the NT:

• The conception of Jesus through the Holy Ghost

• His birth, having no earthly father

• His baptism of the Holy Ghost

• His temptation by the Devil

• His miracles, spitting into peoples eyes to make them see

• Raising a man after being four days DEAD

• Bringing Moses and Elijah back to life after they may have been DEAD for hundreds of years

• Jesus came back to life after being dead for three days

• Jesus went through the clouds on his way to heaven and was witnessed by the disciples.

The life of Jesus of the NT was fundamentally utter NONSENSE.

How do you propose to show people that one of the most nonsensical biographies is indeed the biography of a real human named Jesus of the NT?

thegdin

im sorry, i thought the "academic world" was undecided on whether there really was a person named jesus that these stories are based on.