Do atheists believe that Jesus existed?

~~The Virgin~~ · 06-07-2011, 08:15 AM

for purposes of argument, i'll say no.

Guybrush · 06-07-2011, 08:34 AM

I don't believe that Jesus existed. I accept the strong possibility that there was such a person, but I'm too sceptical to put any real faith in it. The amount of confirmation bias there is in Jesus studies makes most "results" into that kind of research highly questionable and I haven't heard of any definite proof that shows he ever existed .. not that I've looked.

Howard the Duck · 06-07-2011, 08:47 AM

you just have to "believe" he did

Zer0 · 06-07-2011, 09:42 AM

I believe that Jesus existed but I don't really believe that he was the son of god. It's impossible to know who Jesus really was as the records of him in the bible have been altered and covered-up by the church throughout the centuries. In my mind he could have been either some crazy street-preacher that led the fickle people into believing he was the son of god or a really intelligent philosopher who had a genuinely good vision of how mankind should live their life.
The early Christians could have taken his philosophy as a way of life and portrayed Jesus as the son of god and the messiah just to win more converts.

FETCHER. · 06-07-2011, 10:33 AM

I think he could've existed, I don't know though. If he did I think he existed as just a normal person.

djchameleon · 06-07-2011, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Il Duce

i don't think Atheists refute his existence much

the most hardline people I've encountered against his divinity were Muslims and Jews

really? Muslims that I have talked to put his divinity on equal grounds as Muhammad

They consider Jesus as much as a prophet as Muhammad.

The Batlord · 06-07-2011, 12:06 PM

I think Janszoon pretty much said it. I'd just like to add that I think most atheists don't really care if he existed or not. Whether he did or not does not change the fact that we don't think he was the son of a (to us) non-existent god.

SATCHMO · 06-07-2011, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

really? Muslims that I have talked to put his divinity on equal grounds as Muhammad

They consider Jesus as much as a prophet as Muhammad.

What you've said is only true from a particular standpoint. Muslims believe that Jesus was equally as divine as Muhammed, because they don't believe that Muhammed was inherently divine. As revered as he is, Muhammed to Muslims is a prophet, not the incarnation of Allah. On the other hand, Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the physical incarnation of god, or god's only begotten son, to quote the book of John. Muslims believe that it is impossible for god (Allah) to be incarnated in human form.

khfreek · 06-07-2011, 01:38 PM

I believe he existed, but I have met other atheists that don't.

djchameleon · 06-07-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SATCHMO

What you've said is only true from a particular standpoint. Muslims believe that Jesus was equally as divine as Muhammed, because they don't believe that Muhammed was inherently divine. As revered as he is, Muhammed to Muslims is a prophet, not the incarnation of Allah. On the other hand, Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the physical incarnation of god, or god's only begotten son, to quote the book of John. Muslims believe that it is impossible for god (Allah) to be incarnated in human form.

Oh okay, I see where I got a little mixed up.

06-07-2011, 08:34 AM	#12 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	I don't believe that Jesus existed. I accept the strong possibility that there was such a person, but I'm too sceptical to put any real faith in it. The amount of confirmation bias there is in Jesus studies makes most "results" into that kind of research highly questionable and I haven't heard of any definite proof that shows he ever existed .. not that I've looked. __________________ Something Completely Different

06-07-2011, 09:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
Zer0 ∞ Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 3,792	I believe that Jesus existed but I don't really believe that he was the son of god. It's impossible to know who Jesus really was as the records of him in the bible have been altered and covered-up by the church throughout the centuries. In my mind he could have been either some crazy street-preacher that led the fickle people into believing he was the son of god or a really intelligent philosopher who had a genuinely good vision of how mankind should live their life. The early Christians could have taken his philosophy as a way of life and portrayed Jesus as the son of god and the messiah just to win more converts. __________________ Last FM \| RYM \| The Final Sound

06-07-2011, 01:38 PM	#19 (permalink)
khfreek What a guy Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brentwood, TN Posts: 2,123	I believe he existed, but I have met other atheists that don't. __________________ last.fm

06-07-2011, 08:15 AM	#11 (permalink)
~~The Virgin~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cebu, Philippines Posts: 677	for purposes of argument, i'll say no.