Jesus said I am the way.

Like all upon whom is conferred sainthood by the Roman Catholic Church, he was party to a miracle. Visitation by angels usually qualifies as such.
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The man was married to a woman for decades and by the teaching of the Catholic faith not only accepted that his then wife to be was having a virgin birth but also never afterward had sex with the woman so she could remain the Virgin Mary!

Other then the late M. Jackson I know of no other man in the history of the world that would likely go along with either of the two conditions so it seem only fair to label him either a fool or a saint or both.

Bill, I can understand that you might not believe what religions teach, but it isn't a good idea to just disavow Jesus' existence those 2,000 years ago. If you don't like Biblical teachings, try reading the Gnostic Gospels, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the manuscripts found hidden under the sand in Egypt, plus books being published in recent years by biblical scholars (today, most are likely, not only to be biblical scholars but also are linguists and hold a degree in archeology). You seem to be curious, but don't get caught up in just proving a thing wrong - find the truth, and it will set you free. Guaranteed.
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And what does all those writing a hundred years or more after his so call life had anything to do with proof that such a man walk the earth?

I thank thee

You are most welcome and blessings my son.

As a non-Roman Catholic, I enjoy reading church history and those unique nuances that add interest and color to the vast patchwork mosaic that makes up Christian theory and practice . I remember fondly in the late 60's I was working as the public and community relations officer for a (then) large Roman Catholic hospital in Kansas. The administrator was a competent and formidable nun who oversaw all operations, and the next in command was a Catholic layman, Joe, whose favorite expletive when all hell broke loose was "Saints preserve us!"

It was during that period that the Roman Catholic heirarchy put out an edict removing a whole bunch of folks from the roles of sainthood. It seems it was determined that there was insufficient evidence of their qualifications.

So the day arrived that we were in one of those chaotic situations that occurs in all commerce and industry and Joe threw up his hands, looked to heaven, and said "Saints preserve us!"

Sister Mary dePaul, the administrator, put her hands on her hips and huffed. "Don't be silly Joe. There aren't enough saints left to preserve us."

It still makes me smile.

And what does that statement mean if most people do believe Jesus did walk the earth? Cleopatra might well have been a short, fat and smelly cross-eyed slag with a big nose and bandy legs. But anybody who has seen Liz Taylor play the role wouldn't believe it.

The fact is that most people believe that the human race is doomed without the message of Jesus. Even with that message it's future is a bit iffy. Imagine being without it. You can't actually. But you can be a member of the awkward squad just as Jesus was.

The fact is that most people believe that the human race is doomed without the message of Jesus. Even with that message it's future is a bit iffy. Imagine being without it. You can't actually. But you can be a member of the awkward squad just as Jesus was.
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Why would I or any other rational person care about the details of supernatural beliefs most people at least pay lip service to at any given time in history?

Do you care about the details about the Roman gods or the Greek gods or the Egyptian gods and their book of the dead?

I could care less except for intellectual curious about any such beliefs systems including the god/man Christ myths.

See, Spendi, you are indulging in the same wrongs you usually criticize.

Most people? Care to explain?

I think most people do believe that Jesus existed. I'm not certain. But if he didn't I think it was necessary to invent Him.

By most I meant 90%. I think most people take it for granted without giving it a great deal of thought. Some people don't think Homer existed. Did any famous historical figure exist in the way we think they existed?

Come on there was similar god/man figures before Christ was invented.

And most people do not think then it come to their religion as they are taught not to do so in childhood.

I certainly was not taught to do so in childhood. I can't remember ever being constrained when it came to study, asking for answers, questioning, doubting, accepting, or denying. At times I was informed of what it was that I should believe, but I was always allowed to reject it if I could not.

I haven't met any of those 'other gods' you mention in my lengthy and growing longer spiritual journey thus far, and while I cannot say with the certainty that you do that they do not exist, I can say with absolute certainty that I am convinced of the reality of the God I do worship. I also believe that all who want it, can have the same certainty.

Applauding Foxfyre's post. Very nicely put.

I am convinced of the reality of the God I do worship. I also believe that all who want it, can have the same certainty.
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Well it nice that you are convince with nothing but faith and what you was taught both by your family group and the surrounding society.

If you was surrounded by any of the old cultures with their others gods I am 99.999999 sure that you would had worship them to the same degree as you now worship the three in one Christian god.

Well, Bill, I really thought curiosity was innate in humanity - but, there must be exceptions. Indeed, why do you then ask what do all those things that happened so long ago have to do with anything today? You don't really want to know, dear soul, you just like all this attention, these waves you are causing. Since you don't know anything about those happenings, those people, why ask anything at all. You are being mentally lazy.

But, I love the stacks and stacks, dozens and dozens of books I've read on the subject over the past several years, actually since about 1960, so I will say this: It took reading uncountable numbers of books to come to the realization that any and all people who robbed & killed over religions are really after ever more power, sex, treasure and land.

Example: The Catholics (assisted by Royalty) who had the Inquisitors kill every last one of the "Cathars" never knew that these were the people who were taught by Mary Magdalene and the others who sailed across the sea, from Jerusalem to France, to live among them. (The "others" included Lazarus and Martha, who were brother & sister to Jesus). The Cathars were extremely wealthy, as they were highly educated and worked hard - actually, nobody knows how they got so rich. Did you know, Bill, that the Knights Templar saved most of the treasure (coins, I'd guess) owned by these Cathars, and somehow managed to carry heavy bags of some sort down those mountains (I'm assuming they lived in the French Alps).
Most people don't know, maybe, that the Templars were on the side of the Cathars. Did you know that we would know nothing about the Cathars if the Inquisiors didn't keep such perfect records of all the millions they killed?

You don't know any of these people, Bill? You don't care to? How very odd that you think history doesn't affect your life. You might be surprised by the beliefs of the Cathars - you could probably understand them more than today's religions.

Did you know, BillRM, that Joseph of Aramithia (you remember don't you, the fellow who gave his tomb to the family of Jesus for his burial?) was sent to England to teach there, just as Paul was sent to Rome?

I have all faith, Bill, that you will some day develop a little curiosity about the world you live in, and understand why knowing history could assist you in understanding yourself a little better - never mind your fellow man/woman.

When I graduated from high school I didn't know much, but I educated myself through reading, and later attended college. But, my greater education came from the reading after college to the present. And, incidentally, I don't think people, or religions today should share guilt of what their ancestors did. We can only live in our own time. I'm part Native American but I don't hate descendants of the cowboys

nice post

Agreed

really? I found the post similar to many Nostradamus sites.

Of course evil is done in the name of one religion or another all during mankind history however the details of the silly irrational beliefs is beside the point.

When you can be convince that some god or gods are real and one person or another had a pipeline to that god or gods then you can be told what to do up to killing your own children on command. See Jone Town as a modern example of that.

Anyone who had blind faith in any beliefs system is not completely sane be that belief in some now long forgotten tribal god or one of the major world religions and can therefore be used as a tool by others.

We lost two buildings in the heart of one of our major cities also not that long ago by men acting on behalf of their god and they was at the time just as sane or insane as our friend Foxfyre for example.

If Foxfyre could be convince that her god wish her kids kill or that some buildings needed to be destroy then you had a great weapon/tool to do either.

How do you know who is or is not sane? Especially if you only read about them in the newspapers?

How do you presume to know what a person believes or thinks or what path he or she took to get to that point when you have neither been informed nor traveled the road with him/her?

How can you be so certain of what somebody else has experienced?

Would you accept my assessment of how you became an non-believer or denier? If I explained to you why you are so contemptuous of those with religious faith? Why you presume to declare as not real that which you do not want to believe?

Would you not consider me improperly, perhaps even irrationally presumptious if I spelled out your life's history here drawing on my personal prejudices and biases to form my conclusions about why you are the way you are?

If the nihilist acts destructively for the reason that all is vanity and there is no purpose in going on, would you accept his acting on his non-belief as a condemnation of all those who do not believe?

Probably as many people on Earth believe in ghosts or visitations of extraterrestrial beings or other supernatural phenomenon as believe in the Christian God. Do you spend as much time, energy, and passion in disavowing those people or their testimony? Do you care as much what they believe? Is it possible that you are so bothered by the convictions of Christians because God is asking for your attention and this is something you feel you must resist?

There are mysteries upon mysteries in the universe, and sometimes an open mind instead of denial of all that you do not wish to believe can be very interesting, exciting, illuminating, and rewarding.

Yes, it indeed is a bunch of mindnumbing crap. ...

Most of his post are factually untrue statements.

There are mysteries upon mysteries in the universe, and sometimes an open mind instead of denial of all that you do not wish to believe can be very interesting, exciting, illuminating, and rewarding.
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When you can give me proof of any supernatural event just one solid no question about it supernatural event in the known history of the universe I will give you a hearing on your beliefs system driven by blind faith.

Yes I view the universe as a wonderful place also and likely a far more wonderful place then you do. A place that have no need for silly gods running around playing games with humans.