Anonymous wrote:I was an agnostic, then baptized as an adult. What convinced me about Jesus is that there are too many coincidental things that have happened in my life for there not to be a greater power behind it. I also cannot believe that if the whole thing was a myth, so many people would forward the story through history. Jesus is arguably the most significant person who ever lived. It is beyond me to think there is not at least some truth to his story.

Then why aren’t there any first-hand historical accounts if he was so significant?

Certainly his “story” is significant, but the man?

OP, you need to back off this idea of being a "religious mentor" in the workplace.

1. You can bring up conflicts about holidays - Yom Kippur, Easter, MLK Day, in DC - Emancipation Day, neutrally when discussing scheduling.
2. There is no reason for you to test people's knowledge on non-work related matters.
3. Unless they staff are actually being disrespectful, you have no need to discuss Jesus, historical or religious with them. Not knowing or believing what you do isn't a sign of disrespect.
4. Learn boundaries.

OP - Jesus no matter what you think was an amazing person. Lets take the Sermon on the Mount where he fed thousands but yet brought no food. Was it a miracle? The other theory is back at that time period people had very limited resources on a journey they brought what they had and was very little and did not share as had barely enough for themselves.

Some would have a loaf of bread, some would have a knife to cut, some would have wive or water etc. etc. But each one would never share for fear of being robbed and left with nothing.

Perhaps Jesus was the greatest motivational speaker who ever lived. He convinced the crowd everyone in crowd was honest, all would share, working together and sharing food could be a feast.

Perhaps when he walked on water, stones were just below.

Maybe when he survived in Desert he knew survival techniques.

Maybe he knew the climatic event of being Crucified in a public setting and to time it at exact time of a Total Eclipse so skies would darken when he was killed would be a huge ending. Then all he had to do was have his followers the next few days, drug a roman guard at entrance of tomb and then somehow roll a massive rock that would take several men, steal the body and put the burial wrappings back as if he just rose up. Then pretend after his death he told his 12 apostles God himself sent them out to spread the work.

It is fascinating as all is possible. It is not like Hindu or Greek Gods or Old Estimate where the Gods did impossible tasks to recreated.


But what was the end game? If he was a regular person. And if he was a regular person I would say even more impressive.

I was an agnostic, then baptized as an adult. What convinced me about Jesus is that there are too many coincidental things that have happened in my life for there not to be a greater power behind it. I also cannot believe that if the whole thing was a myth, so many people would forward the story through history. Jesus is arguably the most significant person who ever lived. It is beyond me to think there is not at least some truth to his story.

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Anonymous wrote:There are documented accounts of Jesus as early as the first century. Scholars at the time did not debate his existence. But I suppose if you’re an atheist on here no answer is good enough so it’s an easy way to pile it on.

I have no issue with research that Jesus was a historical person. That does appear to be fairly well accepted by scholars. But obviously, that he likely existed says nothing at all about anything else.

Why would the apostles go to their deaths if Jesus did not do what was written? They had nothing to gain by spreading his Word.

possible answers:

1. because they believed it

2. maybe the stories of the apostles going to their deaths are stores for which there is not reliable historical information

It’s my understanding that Paul is well-documented because he was a Roman citizen.

And how did you come to that "understanding"? Have you seen the documentation? Do you have proof that he was a Roman citizen -- from respected academics, for instance? Does that mean all roman citizens were well-documented? If so, where is the documentation?

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:OP - I greatly respect all religions. But when Jesus was crucified that was a very public event that did occur. He did get documented in a census. He was a figure in history.

Not doubting other religions. Amazing that folks don't realize he was a living person. Not saying they should believe in any religious aspect of Jesus

Sounds like you've been reading the Bible or listening to your minister, but not looking at academic sources. There is no documentation of a census or a crucifixion with many people attending. These are stories in the Bible - not documented fact.

Check Wikipedia for info on the census mentioned in the Bible: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census_of_Quirinius

Do you get all your information from collaborative, anonymous sources from openly editable websites? I guess DCUM is about the same.

Not really -- Unlike DCUM, Wikipedia is moderated to assure accuracy and also cites other sources. DCUM is a chat board. It does not purport accuracy -- it is conversation.

anonymous volunteers

That doesn't matter as long as the info is accurate. Also, I personally know wiki contributors who use their own names and academics who use wikipedia as an initial source to get an overview of information on a particular topic.

Anonymous wrote:I have studied the historical Jesus for a while. Let me ask, if Jesus is a hoax, who started it? What was the point?Why is there no record of it being created?

Not necessarily a hoax, meant to trick people -- but a story or a legend or an embellishment of a real person. There are other similar stories out there - born of a virgin, returned from the dead.

Could be there was a real Messianic Jew in the 1st century, then the legend was built up around him.

Anonymous wrote:I have studied the historical Jesus for a while. Let me ask, if Jesus is a hoax, who started it? What was the point?Why is there no record of it being created?

You could say that about any religious figure. Belief in Christianity generally doesn't depend on believing the bible is literally and factually true. Plenty of faithful Christians accept that Moses didn't write the Pentateuch.

I have studied the historical Jesus for a while. Let me ask, if Jesus is a hoax, who started it? What was the point?Why is there no record of it being created?

Anonymous wrote:OP - thank God it is settled Jesus was an actual person.

It is now an infallible statement that can no longer be disputed for rest of eternity.

Thank you DDUrban Mom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are documented accounts of Jesus as early as the first century. Scholars at the time did not debate his existence. But I suppose if you’re an atheist on here no answer is good enough so it’s an easy way to pile it on.

I have no issue with research that Jesus was a historical person. That does appear to be fairly well accepted by scholars. But obviously, that he likely existed says nothing at all about anything else.

I do. There are no first-hand reports and many sources are sketchy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - I greatly respect all religions. But when Jesus was crucified that was a very public event that did occur. He did get documented in a census. He was a figure in history.

Not doubting other religions. Amazing that folks don't realize he was a living person. Not saying they should believe in any religious aspect of Jesus

Sounds like you've been reading the Bible or listening to your minister, but not looking at academic sources. There is no documentation of a census or a crucifixion with many people attending. These are stories in the Bible - not documented fact.

Check Wikipedia for info on the census mentioned in the Bible: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census_of_Quirinius

Do you get all your information from collaborative, anonymous sources from openly editable websites? I guess DCUM is about the same.

Not really -- Unlike DCUM, Wikipedia is moderated to assure accuracy and also cites other sources. DCUM is a chat board. It does not purport accuracy -- it is conversation.

anonymous volunteers

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are documented accounts of Jesus as early as the first century. Scholars at the time did not debate his existence. But I suppose if you’re an atheist on here no answer is good enough so it’s an easy way to pile it on.

I have no issue with research that Jesus was a historical person. That does appear to be fairly well accepted by scholars. But obviously, that he likely existed says nothing at all about anything else.

Why would the apostles go to their deaths if Jesus did not do what was written? They had nothing to gain by spreading his Word.

possible answers:

1. because they believed it

2. maybe the stories of the apostles going to their deaths are stores for which there is not reliable historical information

It’s my understanding that Paul is well-documented because he was a Roman citizen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are documented accounts of Jesus as early as the first century. Scholars at the time did not debate his existence. But I suppose if you’re an atheist on here no answer is good enough so it’s an easy way to pile it on.

I have no issue with research that Jesus was a historical person. That does appear to be fairly well accepted by scholars. But obviously, that he likely existed says nothing at all about anything else.

Why would the apostles go to their deaths if Jesus did not do what was written? They had nothing to gain by spreading his Word.

possible answers:

1. because they believed it

2. maybe the stories of the apostles going to their deaths are stores for which there is not reliable historical information

OP - thank God it is settled Jesus was an actual person.

It is now an infallible statement that can no longer be disputed for rest of eternity.

Thank you DDUrban Mom.