Author Topic: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all  (Read 1074 times)

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Offline velkyn

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This has been out for a year or so.  http://www.amazon.com/Nailed-Christian-Myths-Jesus-Existed/dp/0557709911/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327502802&sr=8-1  Looks like some fun and I'll get it.  You can see the blog of the writer here where you can get the basic gist of the book: http://davefitzgerald.blogspot.com/2012/01/nailed-completely-brilliant-or-tragic.html

I'm sure that some will have some problems and claim that there could ahve been some random itinerant rabbi that could have be the kernel for the JC myth but that's *never* the JC that Christians are talking about and worshipping. 
"There is no use in arguing with a man who can multiply anything by the square root of minus 1" - Pirates of Venus, ERB

http://clubschadenfreude.wordpress.com/

Offline Hatter23

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2012, 11:54:59 AM »
Is it any surprise in the nagative review of the book the following quotes exist:


Quote

A read of Hurtado's Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity and Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony offer solid credible historical arguments as to how a radically monotheistic Jewish community would so quickly espouse the worship and veneration of Jesus as Divine, despite the fact that this would be considered a huge heretical declaration to Jewish ideals. Bauckham makes a wicked case for the Gospels as accounts of eyewitnesses.

oh and how his favorite authors reference some of the Anthony Flew miasma.

Quote
For example, while discussing the reference to Jesus in Josephus' "Antiquities" XVIII.3.4 he dismisses the idea that most of the passage is original to Josephus and was simply added to by Christians as a hopeful theory by "wishful apologists". In fact, it is the majority consensus of most modern scholars. I'm sure eminent non-Christian scholars like Bart Ehrman and Geza Vermes would be amused at being described as "wishful apologists" by this amateur hobbyist.

Most theist/atheist arguments tend to boil down to this: Theists quote scriptures as if they were facts and atheists cite facts as if they were facts.

Offline jedweber

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2012, 12:25:43 PM »
I'm sure that some will have some problems and claim that there could ahve been some random itinerant rabbi that could have be the kernel for the JC myth but that's *never* the JC that Christians are talking about and worshipping.

But aren't there two different books here then? The biblical Jesus of faithful Christians is a very different (and much easier) target than a historical 'kernel' Jesus.  If one is attacking the first version, it's not necessary to go "full Myther." It would be nice to have an easy-to-read book aimed at Christians and the uncommitted that demolishes the mythical bible version of Jesus (like an anti-Josh McDowell) without the added baggage of full historical mythicism.

(Not that I'm against people making a mythicist case, it just seems like a separate line of argument that could stand on its own. It often acts as a distraction when the two are combined...)

Offline Star Stuff

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2012, 05:08:22 PM »
God is an Imaginary Friend for Grown-ups

Offline Foxy Freedom

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2012, 03:02:16 PM »
Jedweber you should read our book below. It gives you the historical Jesus you asked for.

People should make a clear distinction between the Christian Jesus and the historical Jesus. Historical analysis of the new testament can show how and why the Christian Jesus developed from the historical Jesus.

It might be helpful if WWGHA put our book on its pdf book page.
The 2nd edition of the free ebook Devil or Delusion ? The danger of Christianity to Democracy Freedom and Science.

http://t.co/2d1KcJ9V

Offline jedweber

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2012, 09:53:51 AM »
^ Thanks, I downloaded your book. Looks pretty good so far...

Offline Ice Monkey

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2012, 01:29:58 AM »
Jedweber you should read our book below. It gives you the historical Jesus you asked for.

People should make a clear distinction between the Christian Jesus and the historical Jesus. Historical analysis of the new testament can show how and why the Christian Jesus developed from the historical Jesus.

It might be helpful if WWGHA put our book on its pdf book page.

Hey Foxy.  Just reading over your book.  I'm impressed.  Just for fun, if you like, I could forward the book to a good aquaintence of mine.  He's the Religions Editor at Skeptic Magazine.  I'd be interested to see his critique.  I'm assuming you would too, but I'll wait for your response.
Religion. It's given people hope in a world torn apart by religion." -- Charlie Chaplin

Offline ungod

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2012, 02:42:06 AM »

Hey Foxy.  Just reading over your book.  I'm impressed.  Just for fun, if you like, I could forward the book to a good aquaintence of mine.  He's the Religions Editor at Skeptic Magazine.  I'd be interested to see his critique.  I'm assuming you would too, but I'll wait for your response.

The usual atheist BS, devoid of facts, replete with spelling errors. Atheists suck.
Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has.
Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding. - Martin Luther

"What good fortune for those in power that people do not think." - Hitler

Offline Graybeard

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2012, 06:48:39 AM »
I read quite a bit of http://t.co/2d1KcJ9V but was not impressed with the depth nor the lack of references nor bald facts. This one certainly took my eye
Quote
Now that we have seen that Jesus had no power or knowledge from God, we can ask what did he actually do? We know for certain that he was executed by the Romans who made Israel a part of the Roman Empire. Jesus was executed on a Roman cross and his crime was written on the cross.

Act 5:30  TheG3588 GodG2316 of ourG2257 fathersG3962 raised upG1453 Jesus,G2424 whomG3739 yeG5210 slewG1315 and hangedG2910 onG1909 a tree.G3586

G3586

xulon
xoo'-lon
From another form of the base of G3582; timber (as fuel or material); by implication a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance: - staff, stocks, tree, wood.

See also Acts 10:39 and 13:29 and 1 Peter 2:24

The very idea of crucifixion does not this sit well with whatever crime the alleged Christ was charged. Initially, the charge was blasphemy but
(a) the punishment for this was stoning to death: See the fate of St Stephen
(b) (point removed for lack of research)
(c ) It was Passover and the Sanheddrin would not have been sitting in judgment.
(d)The trial encroached upon the Sabbath. The proceedings were conducted on the day preceding a Jewish Sabbath, also on the First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Eve of the Passover, therefore it was illegal.[1]
(e) Even before Jesus' trial began the law was broken because His arrest was illegal. The Jewish law prohibited any part of a legal proceeding in capital offenses to take place at night, and Jesus was arrested at night.[2]
(f) Despite the Sanheddrin comprising 71 members, one member, Caiaphas, examined him alone and in secret[3]
(g) There had been no morning sacrifice[4]
(h)The trial of Jesus was illegal because it was begun and concluded in one day. Before the finding of guilty could be decreed "a night had to intervene between the trial and the decree," during which the judges could sleep, fast, meditate and pray. Yet the Gospels record clearly discloses that Jesus was arrested, tried and executed within a single day.
(i) The Condemnation of Jesus was illegal because the verdict of the Sanhedrin was unanimous, so Jesus should have been acquitted.[5]

The alleged Jesus was then taken to Pilate who is said not to have been able to see an offence.[6]

Pilate asks why the Jews had not dealt with the matter themselves, "I have asked for a specific charge against the man. You have given me an equivocal answer. I imply the crime is against your own laws. If so, you try Him. I do not wish to meddle" (John 18:31).[7]" However, Pilate, shrugs his shoulders and is relieved when he disovers that Jesus is from Galilee[8] and thus he has no authority over him.

Jesus is now taken to Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea (circa 4to 36 or 39 AD Mat:14:3-12, Mark 6:17-29 and Luke 23:5-12), who also has no authority over Jesus and sends him back to Pilate. Pilate discussed the matter with the various authorities, including Herod Antipas, and still could find no fault[9]

There then follows an erroneous claim:
Lu:23:17: (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) - There is no truth in this whatsoever. A straightforward lie, told to people who knew no better.

Now allegedly, for the sake of the unruly mob, Pilate authorised the execution of a man who had been shown to have done nothing.

Looking back on the above, you have to wonder how it was that the Gospel writers, who probably had some Jewish blood in them, did not know how the Sanheddrin worked nor how Herod Antipas's authority worked, nor that there was no "release of prisoners for the Passover."

You can only conclude that the entire story is rubbish and it never happened at all.
 1. The Law stated, "Court must not be held on the Sabbath, or any holy day." (Betza, chapter Vol. II)."They shall not judge on the eve of the Sabbath, nor on that of any festival" (Mishna, Sanhedrin IV. 1.)
 2. "A capital offense must be tried during the day and suspended at night" (Mishna in "Sanhedrin" Vol.1) and "Criminal cases can be acted upon by the various courts during the day time only." (Mendelsohn in "Criminal Jurisprudence of Ancient Hebrews" p. 112).
 3. The Law stated, "Be not a sole judge, for there is no sole judge but One." (Mishna, in "Pirke Aboth" IV 8) and "An accused man must never be subjected to private or secret examination, let in his perplexity, he furnish damaging testimony against himself." (Salvado in, "Institutions de Moise" pp. 365-366).
 4. The Law stated, "The Sanhedrin was to set from the close of the morning sacrifice to the time of the evening sacrifice." (Talmud, Jerus, Sanhedrin - Vol. I, p. 19)
 5. Paradoxically, the Law stated, "A simultaneous and unanimous verdict of guilt rendered on the day of the trial has the effect of an acquittal." (Mendelsohn in"Criminal Juris- prudence of the Ancient Hebrews" p. 141). And "If none of the judges defend the culprit, i.e. all pronounce him guilty, having no  defender in the court, the verdict guilty was invalid and the sentence of death could not be executed." (Rabbi Wise in "Martyrdom of Jesus" p. 74)
 6. A single verse in St. Luke contains the indictment: "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ a King" (Luke 23:2).
 7. A few days earlier, there was an offence, a disciple of Jesus had cut off the ear of a soldier but had miraculously restored it (or the ear might not have been fully secered, etc; the story is vague.)
 8. NB - Not Bethlehem of Judea
 9. Lu:23:13: And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
Lu:23:14: Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
Lu:23:15: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
Lu:23:16: I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2012, 06:54:05 AM by Graybeard »
RELIGION, n. A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable. Ambrose Bierce

Offline Ice Monkey

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2012, 11:34:22 AM »

The usual atheist BS, devoid of facts, replete with spelling errors. Atheists suck.

Was there something specific you wanted to address, or are you just fighting a nasty hangover?
Religion. It's given people hope in a world torn apart by religion." -- Charlie Chaplin

Offline Ice Monkey

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2012, 11:38:34 AM »
It is a highly suspect story.  The idea of Pilate trying to placate a rabble of conquered people with anything but a few war chariots clearing them out is hard to fathom.
Religion. It's given people hope in a world torn apart by religion." -- Charlie Chaplin

Offline Tero

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2012, 12:40:11 PM »
Ice, LOL
The scene from monty python Brian with at least a dozen criminals lining up for crosses could also work.

Offline Ice Monkey

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2012, 04:08:18 PM »
Ice, LOL
The scene from monty python Brian with at least a dozen criminals lining up for crosses could also work.

Just two more big sleeps til the LOB marathon begins in the Monkey House!

The idea of Pilate peeking out through drawn curtains at the scary Jews ... Just another discussion where I do feel like I'm in a Python skit.

"Goodmorning sir.  Are you here to book a trip, learn some history, or get a blowjob?

"I'm not here for a history lesson.  I'm here to blame the Jews".

"Ah, good sir.  You're looking for the Stupidity & Bigotry Department.  Down the hall, past the Arguments offices."

"Thanks muchly.  Wait, what was that third thing?"
« Last Edit: April 05, 2012, 04:26:33 PM by Ice Monkey »
Religion. It's given people hope in a world torn apart by religion." -- Charlie Chaplin

Offline Nodak

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Re: Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that Show Jesus never existed at all
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2012, 07:12:25 AM »
Graybeard,
Have you ever brought these points up in your debates w scholarly christians? I would be interested in how they refute those points.....or do you have a refrence of a scholar refuting ...or explaining away...those historical facts?