Bart Ehrman's Did Jesus Exist?

[William Wallace]

I just reviewed Ehrman's new book about the Christ-myth. Anybody plan to read it?

[Scheavo]

It's hilarious because the amount special pleading required to accept evolution but reject that Christianity was founded by the guy it's named for is monumental.

This sentence doesn't make sense to me.  Are you saying it requires "special pleading" to accept evolution, or that it's hypocritical to say there's more than enough evidence for evolution, but not for someone named Jesus existing?

And no, I won't read it, because like the author, I really don't care if someone named Jesus was alive two thousand years ago, and started a religion, and I've never really questioned that someone of the sorts did exist. I guess I should talk to more people, because I don't really know any who really doubt Jesus did exist.

[Rathma]

What is the criteria for Jesus having existed? Exactly which facts have to apply to him? That his name was in fact "Jesus" and not any other name? That he was crucified? That his father was a carpenter? That his mother's name was Mary? That he turned water into wine? That he healed people? That he was John the Baptist's cousin? That he resurrected?

Or what's the alternative to him not having "existed"? The whole idea of Jesus and Christianity being fabrications by conspirators? Now that would be hard to sell, you'd think.

[William Wallace]

It's hilarious because the amount special pleading required to accept evolution but reject that Christianity was founded by the guy it's named for is monumental.

This sentence doesn't make sense to me.  Are you saying it requires "special pleading" to accept evolution, or that it's hypocritical to say there's more than enough evidence for evolution, but not for someone named Jesus existing?

The latter.

And no, I won't read it, because like the author, I really don't care if someone named Jesus was alive two thousand years ago, and started a religion, and I've never really questioned that someone of the sorts did exist. I guess I should talk to more people, because I don't really know any who really doubt Jesus did exist.

Fair enough. The subject appeals to a rather narrow group of people. Even most biblical scholars won't waste time on the idea that Jesus didn't exist.

[hefdaddy42]

Anybody plan to read it?

Not me.  I liked Ehrman's older stuff, but he has become increasingly repetitive and hostile as the years have gone by.  I much preferred when he stuck to, well, scholarship.  This subject in particular seems unnecessary for him to address.

[William Wallace]

Anybody plan to read it?

Not me.  I liked Ehrman's older stuff, but he has become increasingly repetitive and hostile as the years have gone by.  I much preferred when he stuck to, well, scholarship.  This subject in particular seems unnecessary for him to address.

Certainly true of everything after Misquoting Jesus. Still, I can't blame him for the string of popular books he's written. Everything he publishes sells well and he is the face of biblical scholarship as far as the press is concerned. I think this book, however, is far better than the last few. He went back to educating the public as opposed to writing "omg thers contradictions in the bible!" books.

[hefdaddy42]

*shrugs*

[William Wallace]

*shrugs*

[bosk1]

*shrugs*

  Atlas?

[hefdaddy42]

*shrugs*

  Atlas?

Don't tell anyone.

[rumborak]

https://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/07/the-jesus-debate-man-vs-myth/

Kinda ballsy to have it on Easter, probably getting a lot of nasty email.

rumborak

[comment]

 

[Scheavo]

https://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/07/the-jesus-debate-man-vs-myth/

Kinda ballsy to have it on Easter, probably getting a lot of nasty email.

rumborak

It was a drawing of a third-century amulet depicting a naked man nailed to a cross. The man was born of a virgin, preached about being “born again” and had risen from the dead after crucifixion, Freke says.

But the name on the amulet wasn’t Jesus. It was a pseudonym for Osiris-Dionysus, a pagan god in ancient Mediterranean culture.

Truth?

[rumborak]

It's of course hard to prove, but with all the bunny hopping and egg eating this weekend, I don't think it's very hard to imagine some Jesus stories having been syncretized from other mythologies. Old habits die very hard.

rumborak

[Scheavo]

It's of course hard to prove, but with all the bunny hopping and egg eating this weekend, I don't think it's very hard to imagine some Jesus stories having been syncretized from other mythologies. Old habits die very hard.

rumborak

That'd be my assumption as well (as in, it wouldn't mean "Jesus" didn't exist, it just means Christianity is a religion of it's times) - but it does say something about the "divinity" argument.