So what DO you think of Jesus?

[Will]

What do I think of Jesus? I'm not really convinced the guy existed. It seems more likely that he was simply another myth that was taken too seriously by the wrong people.

What do I think of the character in the Bible? He seems like a Jewish kid that got into Buddhism in college. He's nice enough, but he's still a pretty arrogant dude and, while some of what he taught seems nice enough, a lot of what he said is pretty outlandish and even highly unethical by today's standards.

[fester30]

I think Jesus was probably one of the many rabbis of the time separating themselves from the establishment and preaching against the Roman occupation.  Yeshua was a pretty common name, so perhaps there were more than one.  The gospel writers went to great lengths to make an apparently real person fit the prophesies.  He was Jesus of Nazareth, yet he was born in Bethlehem through a census that actually didn't happen.  He had to be born in Bethlehem to fit the prophesies, so why not just make him Jesus of Bethlehem if you are going to make up a completely fictional story?  I think there was a real Jesus of Nazareth whose followers turned into a messiah figure through the passing on of stories.

This Jesus figure has many modern-day examples of people who break from society to set up communes... David Koresh, Warren Jeffs, Tony Alamo.  I'm not saying Jesus was a child-molesting religious cult leader.  I'm not saying that.

[Crow]

Maaaaan, it's been such along time since I saw Muumit on tv....*sees what today passes as "childrens cartoons"*....ffffffuuuuuuuuu-

Moomin was amazing. *Goes to look on amazon*

[Sweetdeath]

I really like that explination, fester. XD

Yay, moomin! *__*

[Velma]

Fester30's explanation is also pretty much what I think.  There is probably some infinitesimal sliver of reality, but anything beyond his name and the fact he was a preacher has been so distorted and bent to fit certain notions that there is no way of teasing out what he may or may not have said or done, so all we are left with is myths that sprang up around an itinerant preacher (or compilation of itinerant preachers).   

I've read the entire bible through at least three times.  I was a believer at the time, but looking back now, I laugh that I ever bought into such a book filled with such contradictions, hate, anger, and exclusion.

[no_god_know_peace]

Jesus was a historical figure who lived long ago who got arrested and persecuted for blasphamy. He was quite the motivational speaker and had a knack for drawing crowds in & relating to people.

[no_god_know_peace]

He was Jesus of Nazareth, yet he was born in Bethlehem through a census that actually didn't happen.  He had to be born in Bethlehem to fit the prophesies, so why not just make him Jesus of Bethlehem if you are going to make up a completely fictional story?  I think there was a real Jesus of Nazareth whose followers turned into a messiah figure through the passing on of stories.

 I'm not saying that.

Yeah I always wondered that too... I never understood why he was called Jesus of Nazreth when he wasnt even born there

[Gawen]

What do I think of Jesus? Well, he mows my neighbours yard reasonably well and at a fair price.

Seriously?

Christ Jesus never existed.

What do I think of what the authors have Christ Jesus say in the Gospels? The guy is morally bankrupt.

[MariaEvri]

So what DO you think of Jesus?

I see him as an imaginary person that wasn't even original in his teachings and sometime seven cruel

[OldGit]

Right, Maria!

Also, they never point out that if the Jesus story is true, he never had sex.  Not ever.  Not even jerkin his gherkin.

What a loser that bloke was.  No wonder his paid workers are a bit ... well ... funny in that department.

[Tank]

Right, Maria!

Also, they never point out that if the Jesus story is true, he never had sex.  Not ever.  Not even jerkin his gherkin.

What a loser that bloke was.  No wonder his paid workers are a bit ... well ... funny in that department.

Does it say anywhere in the Bible that he never had sex? 

[OldGit]

Well, he wasn't married, so far as we're told, and he couldn't have   ..... well ...  surely he couldnt.  That's a sin.

[Tank]

Well, he wasn't married, so far as we're told, and he couldn't have   ..... well ...  surely he couldnt.  That's a sin.

Ah! So we are assuming he never had a shag or a wank then?

[OldGit]

Exactly!  Mind you, I suspect theologians would dress that statement up a bit. 

[Asmodean]

Ah! So we are assuming he never had a shag or a wank then?

Maybe it was made a sin because he couldn't and didn't want others to have that kind of fun either..? *Jack Sparrow* He wasn't a eunuch, was he? */Sparrow*