DO YOU KNOW
JESUS?
Hugh Fogelman and John Stone
Do not
fall into the subtle trap set by Christian clergy or missionaries when they
want to discuss Jesus. They love to start questioning you right off with; “Do
you know Jesus?” For you to answer this ridiculous question requires that you
accept their premise ― that Jesus actually lived. REJECT that premise
right at the start, for it is false!
Instead,
demand that the Christian “prove that Jesus ever existed!” Then follow-up with;
”if he did exist, prove that he was more than a simple man.”
If they
cannot prove that he existed AND with super human powers, then you have no
reason to discuss Christianity any farther. Don’t ask them – instead tell them:
The Ancient
Historians Are Silent About Jesus! John F. Remsburg (1848-1919) wrote 1 that at least 41 writers/historians who lived
during the time or within a century after the time that Jesus is supposed to
have lived were silent about Jesus, his disciples,
crucifixion or resurrection. 2
R.
Joseph Hoffman, a senior research fellow of
Although there is a large amount of written material from the
0-100 CE period there is only one reference to Jesus the Christ and that is in
the writings of the Jewish historian Flavius
Josephus (37- 101 CE).
Historians have concluded this reference to be a forgery as it only occurs in
later translations of the work and the wording is inconsistent with the
original. This is surprising as Josephus mentions large numbers of minor
historical figures. His failure to mention Jesus suggests either that he did
not exist or alternately he was not thought important. In a similar way there
is no mention of events such as the massacre of the innocents or the natural
events which were have meant to have taken place at the crucifixion. Even if one accepts this forged insert, Jesus is only
mentioned as an isolated passing remark. Josephus silence of Jesus’ miracles, crucifixion
or resurrections is deafening.
Aside from FORGED passages there isn't ANY mention of Jesus the
Christ anywhere in any non-Christian work in this world ― none at all.
There is NOTHING about Jesus’ life or the events in which he was
supposedly involved. No miracles, no crucifixion, no resurrection, no virgin
birth, no wise men, no Herod’s slaughter of innocent babies and on and on and
on. NOTHING, NADA, ZIP, NIL!
Jesus
is a fictitious character set in a fictitious tale – the New Testament. It is
no different that the “adventurers of Harry Potter,” or the “Memoirs of the
Tooth Fairy.”
If
someone came up to you and asked “Do you know Harry Potter” or “Do you know the
Tooth Fairy,” you would think they were
at best loony, at worst certifiably insane. So REJECT the premise of the clergy
and the missionary; they are trying to sell you fiction, pure and simple.
THINK for yourselves. Logic would
demand that if the so-called miracles which Jesus performed or surrounded him,
such as:
1. Jesus being born of a
virgin mother;
2. Three Magi
following the brightest star ever to see the demigod;
3. Herod’s
slaying innocent children under the age of three;
4. Jesus raising
the dead, healing the blind and lame;
5. The sky
turning to blackness when Jesus died;
6. Earthquakes
in the region;
7. The dead
Jewish saints coming out of their graves AND going to
8. The
crucifixion;
9. The
Resurrection, which Paul wrote IF it never happened, Jesus then died in vain;
10. And many more claimed
miracles, events and actions by Jesus;
that at least one of these world headline news events would have at least merited a small mention by at least one of the contemporary
writers/historians. But, NO,
they are totally silent!
Ask yourself:
Why is it ONLY
Christian writers wrote about
this stuff?
Do you think they were biased?
Were
the stories true or did Christian writers just continue their brand
of pagan mythology?
Were
they trying to promote a new religion acceptable to the Gentiles?
Christians, when confronted with the fiction of the
Jesus story, will almost always change the subject by trying to quote from
Hebrew Scriptures that he existed. However, when asked to show those verses in
the SOURCE Bible ― the Original Text in Hebrew ― they can not.
Why is this? Because there is absolutely no/zip/zero/nada/nil reference to
Jesus in the SOURCE document. The
Christian “old testament” is just another example of Christian creative
editing, inserting and mistranslations [see analyses under the menu: CHRISTIAN ].
With nothing left to stand on,
Christians will resort to other camouflages of the truth. They may bring up this
childish response; “well, can you prove Abraham or Moses existed?” That does
not have to be proven; Christianity has accepted it as a fact. What you ask?
Yes, Christians carry their version of the Hebrew Bible in the very front of
“their bible” for authority, validation, and substance.
So, the next time you are asked “Do you know Jesus;” ― REJECT THAT PREMISE! Who knows, maybe
you will get a Christian to use his/her “head for something besides a hat rack?”
Footnotes:
1. John
E. Remsberg, The Christ: A Critical
Review and Analysis of the Evidence of His Existence, Prometheus Books (October 1, 1994)
2. Josephus; Philo-Judææus;
Seneca; Pliny the Elder; Arrian; Petronius; Dion Pruseus; Paterculus;
Suetonius; Juvenal; Martial; Persius; Plutarch; Pliny the Younger; Tacitus;
Justus of Tiberius; Apollonius; Quintilian; Lucanus; Epictetus; Hermogones
Silius Italicus; Statius; Ptolemy; Appian; Phlegon; Phæædrus; Valerius Maximus;
Lucian; Pausanias; Florus Lucius; Quintius Curtius; Aulus Gellius; Dio
Chrysostom; Columella; Valerius Flaccus; Damis; Favorinus; Lysias; Pomponius
Mela; Appion of Alexandria; and Theon of Smyrna.
3. R.
Joseph Hoffmann, Jesus Outside the
Gospels, Prometheus Books (March,
1987)
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