Atheists/agnostics/whoever : Do you believe Jesus ever existed?

Q

Lifer
Jul 21, 2005
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I thought of this in regards to my grandfather: He is an atheist, and a really smart guy (PhD in Nuclear Engineering at MIT), and even he believes that Jesus was a real person/walked the earth talking about God, but doesn't believe anything else.

So that just got me thinking, if that's a 'normal' belief or not? Just wondered what ATOT thinks, mainly to those who are not religious people.

I really don't mean this as a callout thread or flame starter, I'm honestly just curious what you all think. FWIW I'm a deist I suppose (by looking at definition on Wiki) and I do believe he did.
 

Q

Lifer
Jul 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: SmoochyTX
You don't mean this as a flame starter? LMFAO!!!!!!

Well I should say I know it will be but I'm not doing it in order to start one for fun. (ie. I'm not trying to troll on purpose)
 

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
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Yes it's normal to believe he existed as a historical figure
 

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
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i think he probably existed, but i dont really care, jesus doesnt have anything to do with my beliefs either way
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
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it's pretty hard to deny the existence of the historical Jesus who walked around the middle east sometime around ~30-35 AD, had some followers, and was crucified.

read josephus or something.
 

Turin39789

Lifer
Nov 21, 2000
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You mean did a rabble rousing rabbi guy names Jesus live back in the old days? That no son of a diety walked around, but that a popular religious figure at the center of the christian new testament lived - even if he wasn't a magic man?
 

miketheidiot

Lifer
Sep 3, 2004
11,060
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Originally posted by: xSauronx
i think he probably existed, but i dont really care, jesus doesnt have anything to do with my beliefs either way

i dunno he is a pretty decent moral philosopher even though he teachings were never written down in his lifetime, and his followers completely bastardized them.
 

daniel1113

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2003
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Originally posted by: loki8481
it's pretty hard to deny the existence of the historical Jesus who walked around the middle east sometime around ~30-35 AD, had some followers, and was crucified.

read josephus or something.

Yeah... about that...
 

RichardE

Banned
Dec 31, 2005
10,246
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It's a common belief. Many people do not believe in the deity of Jesus yet still feel he was gods son, the second coming ect. Anyway OP, many many people have walked this path before so if you keep looking you'll probably find answers to the question you are asking yourself. If not, at least the tools.

Goodluck :) :beer:
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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Existed? Maybe. Sure it's possible there was some guy who had attained some level of fame in the ancient world. Heck we've got all these stories left over from some Shakespeare guy, or things told by Aesop. The tales surrounding this Jesus guy were just a lot grander, and far more fanciful.

 

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
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The stuff ascribed to Jesus is not unique to Jesus. Other people have had various similar miracles etc ascribed to them, although often that was in the context of other religions (not Judaism/God).
It's entirely likely that some people thought Jesus existed, or heard stories about some dude called Jesus (or called something else but then a Jesus was made the figurehead for all the various stories).
It's most likely that people did believe there was someone who did this stuff, and they wrote it down, but it's hardly a unique thing, it's just that the Jesus person managed to attain more widespread fame than most other people who made similar claims.
Jesus is about as special as all the other people who supposedly did the same stuff, only he won Miracle Idol and got famous, while all the others faded into obscurity.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
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I'm not religious but I do get along with god. The real god, not the one they usually teach in church/temple.

Aside from that, there is considerable evidence stating that a man named Jesus Christ did in fact walk the earth at one point in time.

As for him having magic or devine powers: I dont know. And actually I dont care, because I dont believe in the christian god nor do I worship him.
Believing in Jesus does not make me any closer to my god.
 

JDawg1536

Golden Member
Apr 27, 2006
1,275
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Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: mb
Sure, he cuts my lawn every weekend in the summer.

He did some concrete work for me last Friday.

And my tile this weekend. Dude is everywhere, and does quality work. The man gets things done.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
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There were all kinds of people at the time like Jesus. They preached to the masses, had followers, performed "miracles", and we were executed for it. If the biblical Jesus existed, he was one of many.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
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this reported on nbc nightly news tonight (via survey):

9% america non religious in 1990...
15% america non religious today...

I didn't get surveyed but I would've added to those numbers as well as many people I'm aware of.
 

shocksyde

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2001
5,539
0
0
I certainly think it's possible that he existed.

Do I think he was the son of God or he had magical powers? Certainly not.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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Originally posted by: loki8481
it's pretty hard to deny the existence of the historical Jesus who walked around the middle east sometime around ~30-35 AD, had some followers, and was crucified.

this, pretty much.
 

Baked

Lifer
Dec 28, 2004
36,052
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I used to hang out w/ Jesus and his buds, Juan and Jorge back in high school. They didn't con me outta my money making ridiculous promises and claims though.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,729
31,094
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Originally posted by: JDawg1536
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: mb
Sure, he cuts my lawn every weekend in the summer.

He did some concrete work for me last Friday.

And my tile this weekend. Dude is everywhere, and does quality work. The man gets things done.

I thought he mostly did cabinetry?