Chris Weimer

Oh, I don't know. What was that remark about the devout and their faith?

No Robots

Let's say that there exists a cult of Alexander the Great. You know, sweaty nude wrestling on the steps of the Parthenon, etc. And that there is another group of people opposed to this cult. This second group decides that the best way to combat the first cult is deny that their idol had any historical existence. Well, then historians start getting involved; and, when they do, they get accused of being members of the cult.

Dreadnought

OK. This reads like the version for paranoids. I was an atheist when I had never asked myself the question "is there really a historic Jesus?" and I'm still an atheist now that I have and don't know the answer. If there is one thing that can be said against this historicity debate it is that it's really not necessary for atheism. Seen from an atheist activist perspective I find that the historicity debate is more of a liability than an asset. I'd still like to know the answer though.

That primarily atheists put forward the mythicist theory is hardly surprising on its own and I see no reason to say that correlation means causation.

Chris Weimer

The mythical Jesus is even put forth by some Christians, though they are a minority. Overall, whether Christian or atheist scholars, the Jesus Myth is a minority position, has been for hundreds of years, and will continue to be.

show_no_mercy

Why are the only options 100% myth or 100% fact? What about a position of 90% myth and 10% fact? Or something like the legends that surround Hippocrates? Even though he existed, some things about him were obviously mythological in origin.

Chris Weimer

That's the standard view. Doherty and company say that it's 100% myth. The only people who say that it's 100% fact I have on ignore.

No Robots

I get antsy when people start accusing others of "remarkable hostility for an atheist over the issue" just because they find the mythicist position utterly absurd.

I, too, was an atheist who never asked the question "is there really a historic Jesus?" I'm still an atheist now that I have and do know the answer.

Quite true.

Again, quite true.

Seek and ye shall find.

There is sufficient evidence to indicate that some leading mythicists are motivated by anti-Christian sentiment.

Doug Shaver

Why assume a fast start? If we forget about the gospels, we have no way of knowing how long Christianity had been around before Paul's time.

An answer that is both brief and plausible is not easy to come up with. I've made an attempt here: http://dougshaver.com/christ/ahistor/ahistor5.htm. If you're seriously interested in understanding alternatives to the conventional thinking, you really need to read Earl Doherty's stuff: http://home.ca.inter.net/~oblio/home.htm.

Dreadnought

Chris Weimer has answered my questions and without any detectable hostility, which is commendable of him because upon rereading my own post I see that it too can be seen as somewhat accusing. Thats one of the pitfalls in online conversations I suppose.

There are always some, but I can't help noticing that in the threads you've referenced they ("he" really as I could only find one) are of a minority. :wave:

Chris Weimer

I have my hunces about others here.