What would the World be like if JESUS had never been Born?

Who has the signature line... "Everybody needs to believe in something... I believe I'll have another beer."?

I believe I did. But not on this thread.

Steve! It was you??? Oh. Didn't mean to blow your cover!

Confession time. No it wasn't me but I wish it was. Just like I wish another beer...

All right. Good. Do you have a favorite pub you go for beer? Or do you have some in your refrigerator at home (do you keep beer in the frig?).

To get back to this question... if we ask, What would the world be like iif Jesus had not been generated (in order to bypass any historical arguments and move straight to the current reality... which is that a large number of people believe in Him)... then, I would say, probably fewer people would be able to read and write.

I think, but cannot cite a specific source, that many common folk began to read so that they could read their Bible, maybe to check on whether the priest was correct, maybe... I don't know... because they liked to do so. Before we became politically correct, many people read the Bible for the beauty and truth of its literature, as well as for soulful inspiration.

If Jesus had never been born, Santa Claus wouldn't be around this time of year either.

The German weekly magazin "Der Stern" has this weeks leading main article about this subject

The Truth Behind The Legend

I don't think, anyone waits for my translation. (Which means, if you wish this, you get nothing else for christmas!)(Everyone on this threat, I was just told by a voice out of a cloud.)

Well, the tendence of the article is the same as already said here (nearly, as there it is said that Jesus was real): no-one knows anything exactly, all is more or less tendency of the writers or those, who collected the different writings for the bible.

I didn't read this whole thread but to answer the initial question (and a post on the 1st page):

If he didn't exist we'd have some other fantasy that would grant us immortality and the like.

Secondly, we didn't make up Jesus, humans just bought his line about being the son of God.

We would still have christmas!!!!!! It would be called something different - there has always been (for you northern hemisphere folk) a midwinter festival.

Zoroastrians had a birth in a cave - (can't recall if it was a virgin one or not, but gods/prophets were often born of unions between mortal women and a divinity of some sort) - of a divine prophet at about this time, long before Jesus.

There was a show on Seinfeld, where they talked about people who did not celebrate Christmas, but wanted to get involved in the holiday spirit, which was everywhere. They made up their own holiday called,

"Festivus, for the rest of us!"

I celebate a sort of Festivus thingie at this time of year - but it doesn't involve torturing poor George....

This is a question worth really thinking about - I will come back and read this thread properly tonight...

Piff

We can't afford refrigerators and beer. Thats why English beer is warm.

There's a couple of pubs I use, The Cock Inn which dates back to about 1500 (thats 1500 AD not 3pm), which as you might expect was named after a cockerel (for some reason that is lost in the mists of time) and the Archer's Dart which was built in 1974 and is named after the butterfly of the same name.

I don't know about Jesus's contribution to literacy. If he had never been born we might all be reading the Koran in Arabic and not drinking beer, so that's something to be thankful for.

Walter I think the Stern article is probably similar to several others that appear in various publications. No need to translate! I am willing to bet it tells us nothing new!

To extend this question a bit further, let's think about the following:

The three Monotheistic religions that have dominated world History over the past two millennia have been Christianity, Judaism and Muhammadanism.

If these monothiestic belief-systems had never existed, then what do YOU think would be the predominant Religion of today?

How is this for an answer. Only God knows.

Steve, There's an old pub that supposedly Shakespeare frequented near Dr Johnson's home just off of Strand. What is the name of that pub, and the year it was established? I've had a pint or two there.. c.i.

If Jesus wasn't born, most of humanity will still worship the sun. c.i.

Wait a minute - that's still going strong in California right? (sun worship)....

I prefer "SON" Worship

ci

I think you are talking about Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

http://www.worldroom.com/pages/cg_london/coverstory.phtml

Bib

Not sure if there ever was "Mohammedism"

I don't know what the predominant religion would be but it would sure leave a fantastic marketing opportunity for someone.