Question: What proof can you show that Jesus really existed as you Christians claim?
A lot of times here on Nairaland, many atheists and agnostics have expressed doubt as to whether Jesus Christ is not just a Western-conceived myth. On Facebook, same thing is common, especially by White atheists. Many claim nobody ever really existed as Jesus Christ.

Personally, I find this question very ridiculous and out of place to deny the existence of Someone who graced the earth JUST 2000 years ago. Think about it. Is that too long? Were there no records of history dating back to thousands of years before Christ came?
Why have atheists never doubted the possibility that the following people existed:
-Mohammed, who was born about 600 years after the death and resurrection of Christ
-Julius Caesar who lived years before Christ came to the Earth
-Buddha who was born 480 years before AD, etc.
-Alexander the Great who died before before Christ came

I think the reason atheists do this is to attempt to wipe off the nudge of authenticity they have about the uniqueness of Christ/Christianity amongst other religions.

“Some judgments are so probable as to be certain; for example, Jesus really existed, and He really was crucified, just as Julius Caesar really existed and was assassinated....We can in fact know as much about Jesus as we can about any figure in the ancient world.”
- Marcus Borg, Professor of Religion and Culture at Oregon State University, in THE MEANING OF JESUS: TWO VISIONS

“Jesus did exist; and we know more about him than about almost any Palestinian Jew before 70 C.E.” - Prof James Charlesworth, Princeton Theological Seminary, in Jesus Within Judaism

some atheist also claim Muhammad Never exist... so it is not peculiar to Christianity alone

Some do doubt whether the Buddha ever existed. And there are just way too many sources of information for a rational being to doubt that Mohammed, Caesar and Alexander, existed. Its not the case for Jesus, but that's no surprise as he wasn't exactly on the scale of those 3 and was pretty much a voice in the wilderness until after he was dead.

vaxx:
some atheist also claim Muhammad Never exist... so it is not peculiar to Christianity alone

This is my first time of hearing this. The focus has always been about Jesus Christ; some just brought Mohammed into it as a form of balance.

budaatum:
Some do doubt whether the Buddha ever existed. And there are just way too many sources of information for a rational being to doubt that Mohammed, Caesar and Alexander, existed. Its not the case for Jesus, but that's no surprise as he wasn't exactly on the scale of those 3 and was pretty much a voice in the wilderness until after he was dead.

Jesus was never a voice in the wilderness. He was widely known far and wide. He travelled the length and breadth of the ancient world, especially the countries surrounding then Palestine.

Daviddson:
This is my first time of hearing this. The focus has always been about Jesus Christ; some just brought Mohammed to it as a form of balance.

NO, it is issue that has being trending for long, you remember the Denmark film maker who depict Muhammad in form of a cartoon? just do a simple google search, it will tell you more than i can do... but the ironic story is this, No atheist doubt that the information Plato claim to receive from Socrates after 30 years of his death were really true and valid... all the information available about Socrates today were put down by Plato after a three good decade of his master( socrates dies_ ..

vaxx:
some atheist also claim Muhammad Never exist... so it is not peculiar to Christianity alone

Even at that, Christianity happens to be the most Criticized religion by the Atheists. It is as if Christianity is the only Religion on Earth.

African traditional religion is not even as attacked by Atheists as Christianity. But the reason is boldly written on the Wall.

Truth has many enemies

Daviddson:
Jesus was never a voice in the wilderness. He was widely known far and wide. He travelled the length and breadth of the ancient world, especially the countries surrounding then Palestine.

i am currently reading a book that state Jesus likely traveled to India to learn riki practice( the act of healing with natural hands) at the age of 12, according to the bible, Jesus story was silent from that age to the age of 30 years.... it is regarded as the missing years... the book said Buddha also follow the root 500 years before Jesus did... you can get it on amazon. It is called THE AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST BY LEVI.... try and get it, it is interesting .

tamethem:


Even at that, Christianity happens to be the most Criticized religion by the Atheists. It is as if Christianity is the only Religion on Earth.

African traditional religion is not even as attacked by Atheists as Christianity. But the reason is boldly written on the Wall.

Truth has many enemies

i think the reason behind it, is most atheist are formerly Christians, so they know little to nothing about Islam... they better attack what they can defend. i once visit this website, is the first atheist website according to the founder, atheist republic.... the founder happens to be former Muslim... he majorly attack Islam... ON the case of ATR, majority of them are not interested since it is very small in number ... my opinion though....

vaxx:
i am currently reading a book that state Jesus likely traveled to India to learn riki practice( the act of healing with natural hands) at the age of 12, according to the bible, Jesus story was silent from that age to the age of 30 years.... it is regarded as the missing years... the book said Buddha also follow the root 500 years before Jesus did... you can get it on amazon. It is called THE AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST BY LEVI.... try and get it, it is interesting .

Those are made-up stories. I don't want to say much on that.

Daviddson:
Those are made-up stories. I don't want to say much on that.

ok, but do not conclude that bible is the only source of true information on the reality of Jesus Christ.... it is called fundamentalism..... since the event happens in the past, we can only study sequence of the story and how parallel they resemble before we can say this is indeed true.... i do not say bible is anyway not trustworthy, in fact it can be used alongside other information to derive the truth.... The book is well explained in a way you will have little doubt about it...

Daviddson:


I think the reason atheists do this is to attempt to wipe off the water and nudge of authenticity they have about the uniqueness of Christ/Christianity amongst other religions.

The Jesus with the following attributes:

*virgin birth
*walked on water
*worked miracle
*died and resurrected

Is a myth.

Daviddson:
Jesus was never a voice in the wilderness. He was widely known far and wide. He travelled the length and breadth of the ancient world, especially the countries surrounding then Palestine.

Your "ancient world" must have been tiny compared to the known world at the time!

Some say he married Mary Magdalene and his descendants came to Europe and became the royal families.
Cf. The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail

vaxx:
NO, it is issue that has being trending for long, you remember the Denmark film maker who depict Muhammad in form of a cartoon? just do a simple google search, it will tell you more than i can do... but the ironic story is this, No atheist doubt that the information Plato claim to receive from Socrates after 30 years of his death were really true and valid... all the information available about Socrates today were put down by Plato after a three good decade of his master( socrates dies_ ..

You generalise way too much. Just an ounce of research is required to conclude that Plato was writing fiction. He is not exactly read for historical fact by many, but for his philosophical thought which was borne aloft with his rather wonky and spurious 'facts'.

Not many atheists actually dispute the historicity of Jesus either, as there is sufficient evidence for someone of that name to have existed. The dispute usually is about the things written about him in the Gospels, which - since they were written much longer after his death than the three decades after which you claim Plato wrote about Socrates, and not by eyewitnesses - should be enough for some amount of scepticism about the facts, which is what you'd find in the atheist but would be completely nonexistent in the believer.

The Buddha also has his life detailed in similar fashion (by Herman Hess, and in the more ancient Buddhacarita by Aśvaghoṣa, Lalitavistara Sutra or the Mahāvastu for instance, to name a few), but some will tell you that it is impossible to know in such detail about the life of the Buddha, just as it is likely that not much, outside of religious rhetoric, is known about Christ.

well what I would say about the topic is this,it is possible that one Jew in the first century claimed to be the Messiah, siad he could do miracles and that he was sent by Yahweh,was baptized,had disciples,claimed he would rise again after death,and probably crucified for being a threat to social unity.
The thing is this for me I think that someone who bore the resemblance of Jesus existed,but if that person was called Jesus am not so sure,maybe he was a Joshua,I also find it had to believe that all those miracles he allegedly performed was true since there is not sufficient evident on that.

So my conclusion is this,Jesus(may not have been his real name) existed and was a Jewish preacher in the 1st century who like various other people before and after him claimed to be the Messiah,gathered followers,was baptized by a Jewish preacher and crucified by the Roman government,however I don't think his representation on the Gospel is correct.

Jesus did exist, have no iota of doubt about that.

However, the Jesus that today's christian are calling as God, son of God or part the Trinity is the construction of the Roman pagans.

budaatum:

Your "ancient world" must have been tiny compared to the known world at the time!

Some say he married Mary Magdalene and his descendants came to Europe and became the royal families.
Cf. The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail

These are concocted tales. No shred of evidence to back them up, unlike the innumerable strings of evidence about the fact of Jesus's being, apart from the Bible account.

Auki:
Jesus did exist, have no iota of doubt about that.

However, the Jesus that today's christian are calling as God, son of God or part the Trinity is the construction of the Roman pagans.

Do you have any evidence to this effect?

vaxx:
ok, but do not conclude that bible is the only source of true information on the reality of Jesus Christ.... it is called fundamentalism..... since the event happens in the past, we can only study sequence of the story and how parallel they resemble before we can say this is indeed true.... i do not say bible is anyway not trustworthy, in fact it can be used alongside other information to derive the truth.... The book is well explained in a way you will have little doubt about it...

You don't sound like you're either a Christian or an atheist. What's your faith description please?

Auki:
Jesus did exist, have no iota of doubt about that.

However, the Jesus that today's christian are calling as God, son of God or part the Trinity is the construction of the Roman pagans.

I'm inclined to agree with you on this.

https://www.nairaland.com/3206708/reasons-scholars-know-jesus-christ


That's a thread that gives intelligent arguments on why OP's imaginary friend never existed

vaxx:
some atheist also claim Muhammad Never exist... so it is not peculiar to Christianity alone

There are more archaeological evidence that supports existence of Muhammed than Jesus, the evidence that Jesus existed isn't strong but we can't deny he existed but not the bible super Jesus.

Daviddson:
Those are made-up stories. I don't want to say much on that.

The bible is heaven made stories?

budaatum:

You generalise way too much. Just an ounce of research is required to conclude that Plato was writing fiction. He is not exactly read for historical fact by many, but for his philosophical thought which was borne aloft with his rather wonky and spurious 'facts'.

Not many atheists actually dispute the historicity of Jesus either, as there is sufficient evidence for someone of that name to have existed. The dispute usually is about the things written about him in the Gospels, which - since they were written much longer after his death than the three decades after which you claim Plato wrote about Socrates, and not by eyewitnesses - should be enough for some amount of scepticism about the facts, which is what you'd find in the atheist but would be completely nonexistent in the believer.

The Buddha also has his life detailed in similar fashion (by Herman Hess, and in the more ancient Buddhacarita by Aśvaghoṣa, Lalitavistara Sutra or the Mahāvastu for instance, to name a few), but some will tell you that it is impossible to know in such detail about the life of the Buddha, just as it is likely that not much, outside of religious rhetoric, is known about Christ.

sir budha . omo baba ilu oyinbo. i hail your present sir.......

tintingz:
There are more archaeological evidence that supports existence of Muhammed than Jesus, the evidence that Jesus existed isn't strong but we can't deny he existed but not the bible super Jesus.

Are you saying the bible in its entirety is giving a false information about Jesus and there is no any iota of truth in it we can hold as evidence?

Daviddson:
You don't sound like you're either a Christian or an atheist. What's your faith description please?

i am rooted to my tradition, in other word , i am a traditionalist with respect to every religion on our planet.

tintingz:
The bible is heaven made stories?

The Bible is a compilation of facts whose content is attested to by different scientific sources, research and diverse studies. It's like saying an event that took place in the 1960s didn't take place just because you weren't born then.

Daviddson:
The Bible is a compilation of facts whose content is attested to by different scientific sources, research and diverse studies. It's like saying an event that took place in the 1960s didn't take place just because you weren't born then.

When you have fact and evidence for Adam and Eve, Noah's flood event, Moses exodus story, talking donkey, flying chariot, virgin birth, Gog and maggog, walking on water etc Then I will take the bible serious.

From various historians, the bible is full of ancient-cultural myths.

Daviddson:
The Bible is a compilation of facts whose content is attested to by different scientific sources, research and diverse studies. It's like saying an event that took place in the 1960s didn't take place just because you weren't born then.

what are the "scientific sources" that attest to talking snakes, talking donkeys, rib woman, IQ raising fruit, virgin giving birth, Dead people waking up and walking around Jerusalem, Demons being the cause of diseases, anointing oil healing sicknesses etc?

vaxx:
Are you saying the bible in its entirety is giving a false information about Jesus and there is no any iota of truth in it we can hold as evidence?

There might be some little truth about the story of Jesus in the bible but I'm yet to believe them as true as there are no historical evidence to back it up, although the person of Jesus might have existed but many of what is said about him in the bible are myths.

What I can accept about Jesus is he's just a motivational speaker, teacher that as knowledge about the Jewish scriptures, charitable man, sentence to death.