[POLL] A Jesus Question.

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The Jewish (non-Christian) historian Josephus wrote about Jesus as well as John the Baptist as an historical fact at the time. This record by Josephus, a "third party" is regarded as proving that Jesus, as well as John the Baptist were real people rather than mythical characters.

What fascinates me from a human perspective is that it's also believed that the Twelve Apostles were each martyred for their faith in Jesus as God after Jesus was crucified. If Jesus would have been a huxter, if Jesus and the Apostles had been running a lucrative scam of "smoke and mirrors" deceiving people, amassing wealth, etc then NO ONE can convince me that it was normal that all twelve apostles stuck to a bogus story of Jesus being God knowing the punishment would be their own death. Every one of them maintained their faith and died for that faith. None of them would have had ANYTHING to gain by "sticking to the story" knowing that by renouncing their faith they would preserve their own life.

No serious historian accepts Josephus as an authority on facts, at least with regard to Antiquities of The Jews. Josephus title even suggests that he intended it as more of a compilation of things people had said rather than a critical history like The Jewish War.

The standards of historical scholarship weren't very stringent in the Biblical Era.

Well Jesus did exist. I mean there was an itenerant rabbi by the name of Jesus of Nazareth wandering around first century judea. Even the Talmud mentions him. So that points hard to argue.

Now as for acting like Jesus, I certainly try. I've yet to raise anyone from the dead but he's certainly far better than just about any other alternative role model.

Also someone mentioned indulgences. The truth is that the Church would offer indulgences for doing certain charitable works. Among them giving money for the poor. Now some greedy clergymen decided that they wanted to keep the money but it was hardly the lot. Afterwards they changed the rules to prevent these kinds of scams.

Believe in yourself; be yourself.

Had to vote None of the Above as I'll skip 'Write' Pass Jesus and do John 14:12 instead; yes, for F in Real.
Thanks for this intriguing Poll and Question, Fnord; I've enjoyed this Particular Visit to the Wrong
Planet Very much

Seriously, Explore All Your Human Potentials
Now call it John 14:12; or Bruce Lee 10; or even
Nike and Just do it in Victory NoW; Works for me;
100 Percent Faith and Belief and Amazing comes next; yes.

Thank You
Jesus! For
tHat/THiS too...

Personally, I believe that Jesus did exist. I also believe that his teachings were true, then and now...

Alcohol & Drugs: "What goes into a man's mouth does not defile him, but what comes out of his mouth, that defiles him" (Matthew 15:11 -- What a man says is what makes him sinful, not what he eats or drinks).

Religious Leaders: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean" (Matthew 23:27 -- We all have heard about preachers, priests, and televangelists who appear so pious in front of their congregations, and who live secret lives of sin and debauchery).

Sanctity of Religious Places: Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves (Matthew 21:12 -- This is the only recorded instance of Jesus committing an act of violence).

Sexual Immorality: "If anyone of you is without sin, let him cast the first stone" (John 8:7 -- Jesus had just saved the life of a woman caught in adultery ... whatever happened to the man she was with?).

Separation of Church & State: "Render unto Caeser what is Caesar's, and render unto God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21 -- Self-explanatory).

War: "All who draw the sword will die by the sword" (Matthew 25:52 -- Again, self-explanatory).

Wealth: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 19:29 -- A person who worships wealth already has his reward).

Against these, there can be no reasonable argument.

Okay....so the weren't gamblers....but they were money speculators and lenders.

Look, people, I did not ask for a debate on whether or not Jesus existed -- that decision is for each individual to make for him- or her-self. If you don't believe he existed, that's fine with me, and should be fine with everyone else. The same is true for those who do believe He existed.

So I will thank everyone to back off from any debate over whether or not He existed -- that isn't the point of this thread. If these petty debates continue, I will ask the mods to close this thread.

So, back to the original topic: Would it be better to believe in Jesus, to act like Jesus, both, or neither? Cast your votes and stay on-topic.

I believe he existed LOL

Seriously....I would prefer to "act" like Jesus.

I voted D. I see no point in believing in him and there isn't really much to emulate.

Jesus allegedly wouldn't put up with lies, for the record.