The real question of whether Jesus existed, is not a spiritual issue, yet it ought to be a reasoned philosophical one. Saying "we do have historical pointers which are suggestive of him being more than a mere man" is a bare assertion until someone can provide more substance to support it.

Trav is right to refer to

"1. Massive distortions and implausible interpretations of the [little] historical evidence we do have for Jesus, plus

"2. Improbable inferences based on ..." those implausible interpretations.

Arguments from reference to an 'authority' of "mainstream scholars" infused with confirmation bias does not negate arguments against a historical Jesus, especially when there are no verified primary sources, or some viewed as primary are contradictory

eg. the "Pauline" 1 Cor.15

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that *he rose again the third day according to the scriptures*:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.......
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all *he was seen of me also*, as of one born out of due time.

yet, the "Pauline" Galatians 1 says

11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that *the gospel I preached is not of human origin.*
12 **I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it**; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
.. and ...
16 ... *my immediate response was not to consult any human being.*
.. and
19 *I saw none of the other apostles* — only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

paul...i feel..jesus as a real person..[not god]
for me wether he actually lived is mute..he lives within my heart
just as much as god sustains the living from within me

if you like..i plus..jesus and god within me
is my sacred 'trinity'...but of course there is much more i hold dear[true]..within me...

so many lives experiences/teachings loves hates..within me...that i know how that guy felt..in the new testiment..[how i think of it as like romeo/juliet..may or may not have ever lived..but their lives..hold their own logic..[even if only within my mind]

its much the same re jesus..[i couldnt care less re his birth
but he WAS born...[thus cant be god..[god has no mother]
so god and jesus are two different things

[as much as the 'old man and the sea]..is about a man plus a fish]..real or imagined...they have a liogic...progression/life experience...i have noted..and accorded to it..and attatched into it

i chose to buy into it
i chose to learn by it
i chose to try to realise its intention
as it related to what i intend doing...i see god as ALL good..[to all of us]..the be all and end all...that we do to others..we do unto him

jesus..taught of the things of spirit
and of ritual..subverting reason

i know that of god is all good
and that of the christ..as being of higher human spirit
that kids can grasp god via the chist at a superfisial level
but adults can fill in more of the neuances..behind the fact

[the words are fact
wether they describe fact is irrelivant]
they talk of spirit/life...introducing concepts
rational...explaining..far beyond other writings]

jesus lives
in me..wether or not i live in him..well only time can reveal

he dont own me
i dont own him

but i
am gratefull to know of him
and thank him that the few words he spake..survived
just as he survived 'death'..just as i know..we all survive...'death'

great tidings
of great joy in...*DEED
only by our works...not our words

"" ... i feel..jesus as a real person..[not god]
for me wether he actually lived is mute..he lives within my heart
just as much as god sustains the living from within me

"if you like..i plus..jesus and god within me
is my sacred 'trinity'...but of course there is much more i hold dear[true]..within me... ""

Posted by one under god, Wednesday, 28 December 2011 7:51:36 AM

This emphasizes the theme that a lot of belief is about the personal; the internal ...

Yes Trav, and had you actually read my responses to your comments on that thread, you would’ve seen that I had demonstrated that your sniping and accusations of stone-throwing and “Gish Galloping” were unfounded and, ironically, amounted to nothing more than stone-throwing themselves.

But I’m not surprised by your response here, because we’ve discussed the evidence for the divinity of Jesus and it turns out that you don’t actually have any unfortunately. Nor do I think you can provide us with any meaningful definition of “spiritual” for that matter.

spritual...include's the ritual[rite]
as the be all and end all
that sustains their special creed's diversions di-visions

allows them
to lord it over their fathfull
much like a wolf farming a herd of sheep
hoping the innocents take their right to own the rite
as verifying their own brand..of loyalists..into their assumed

wolvereen staus
drink his blood
eat his flesh

eat his heart/liver
its all just too tribalistic
so passe...primate like[prim-ative]

demons rushing in..where angles fearlessly go
lets forgo the rite and ritual jesus said we can know good..one to one

no churches needed
infact avoid churches
so a church holds his corpse on its church wall
thats what demons do...just as demons kill the sacrifical sheep
bleed them dry..drink their blood...eat their flesh...ignorance of creed

see what they do
know them..by their works..

not their words
nor narrow definitions..
small petty rite...

[its all just a tad trite]
there is living to be lived

no death
honours..the life giving good[god]
who filled this life with good's...
good of god..

with grace/mercy..love thrown-in

en-joy

Greek authorities on Wednesday jailed the abbot of a 1,000-year-old Greek Orthodox monastery pending trial for his alleged key role in a $131 million land swap deal. Abbot Efraim was led to Athens' Korydallos prison. Efraim is from the Orthodox monastic sanctuary of Mount Athos — from which women and female animals have been banned since 1046.
Abbot Efraim will stand trial on charges of embezzlement, money laundering and making a false statement.

I thought I would post the above news story as its typical of what I'm always banging on about. The HYPOCRISY OF RELIGION. This time its the Bushy Beard Crowd of the wacko orthodox mob. No females allowed including sheep, but a bit of embezzlement, money laundering.etc is okay. With no women, including sheep, for the last 1,000 years can anyone tell me how the Bushy Beard Boys have been getting their 'jollies'. I wonder if they know the Pope said "Stop it or you'll go blind!" The hypocrisy of religion it never ends.