Atheists Skeptical of Atwill’s Claim of a ‘Fabricated Jesus’

Las Vegas Guardian Express ^ | October 10, 2013 | Rebecca Savastio

[Olog-hai]

Self-proclaimed Biblical scholar Joseph Atwill has written a book in which he claims that Jesus was fabricated by a little-known group called the Flavians.

He also claims he has some sort of “smoking gun” type of “confession” from these ancient people that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that they entered into a conspiracy with the Roman government of the time to fabricate a character called Jesus as a “gentle Messiah” figure to wage psychological warfare on, and control, the masses so they would pay Caesar taxes without complaining. He is apparently going to present this evidence at a symposium later this month to which he is selling tickets.

Atheists don’t believe in God, and therefore, don’t believe in Jesus, so Atwill’s claim must be immediately adopted and enthusiastically promoted by Atheists, right? …Wrong. Atheists are a notoriously skeptical lot, and when reviewing this claim by Atwill of a fabricated Jesus, their famous skepticism is not only alive, but thriving. …

[GeronL]

Yep

[dadfly]

i think his “little known group” was actually called the Pythons. he just was a little mixed up.

[TBP]

Some atheists are friendly to religion.

[RedMonqey]

B.S.

[melsec]

Bookmarked for later as I am sure some smartypants is going to come up to me and repeat this nonsense. At least I can point out that even atheist see the stupidity of this bull!

[MuttTheHoople]

There's no such thing as Darwin. He was invented by a cabal of Illuminati Elitists to keep idiot students and college professors in line.

Don't tell me there's "pictures" or "written proof" of a "historical Darwin". I'VE never seen him, you'll have to produce the man in person for me to believe in him.

MY personal scientific theory is that Charles Darwin is based on Santa Claus. Now college professors and so-called "intellectuals" will tell you that Santa is a myth and Darwin was a real person...MY theory is that it's the other way around, that "Charles Darwin" was created Agnostic Monks to counter the joy and fun that comes from Santa Claus at Christmas.

[Vanders9]

Good grief, what is it with Americans? I dont want to be critical guys, but is there a problem with the water supply over there? Are you all really this paranoid?

I know that a lot of you are (rightly) suspicious of government but really, this preoccupation with conspiracy theories is getting way over the top. It's bad enough that a double digits percentage of the population honestly believe that 9/11 was an inside job and that NASA never landed anyone on the moon, but now we got this kook making up complicated conspiratorial ideas about the Roman government, 2000 years ago, conducting some kind of subornation operation on Judaism? This being the same government that regularly derided the social upheaval caused by Christian ideas on recipricol obligation and systematically massacred them in immense numbers over the next two centuries - but really they were all on the same side? And this is pretty much completely based on Jesus' famous quote of "render unto Caesar"? Did this guy consult any theologians - you know, people who are expert in this kind of thing - before he wrote his book?

The depressing thing is that in spite of the contention of the article's author, some people are really going to be convinced by this.

[Vanders9]

LOL - very good.

[daniel1212]

Actually it was the Klingons

[daniel1212]

"...and all the world wondered after the beast." (Revelation 13:3) After they were deceived by the likes of Atwill. What the supposedly proRoman Lord said to Herod applies to him:

"And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." (Luke 13:32)

Tell that fox - A fox is an emblem of slyness, of cunning, and of artful mischief. The word is also used to denote a dissembler. Herod was a wicked man, but the “particular thing” to which Jesus here alludes is not his “vices,” but his “cunning, his artifice,” in endeavoring to remove him out of his territory. He had endeavored to do it by stratagem - by sending these people who pretended great friendship for his life. - Barnes

That fox (tēi alōpeki tautēi). This epithet for the cunning and cowardice of Herod shows clearly that Jesus understood the real attitude and character of the man who had put John the Baptist to death and evidently wanted to get Jesus into his power in spite of his superstitious fears that he might be John the Baptist redivivus. The message of Jesus means that he is independent of the plots and schemes of both Herod and the Pharisees. The preacher is often put in a tight place by politicians who are quite willing to see him shorn of all real power. - Robertson

In calling him a fox, he gives him his true character; for he was subtle as a fox, noted for his craft, and treachery, and baseness, and preying (as they say of a fox) furthest from his own den. And, though it is a black and ugly character, yet it did not ill become Christ to give it to him, nor was it in him a violation of that law, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. For Christ was a prophet, and prophets always had a liberty of speech in reproving princes and great men. Nay, Christ was more than a prophet, he was a king, he was King of kings, and the greatest of men were accountable to him, and therefore it became him to call this proud king by his own name; but it is not to be drawn into an example by us. “Go, and tell that fox, yea, and this fox too” (for so it is in the original, tē alōpeki tautē); “that Pharisee, whoever he is, that whispers this in my ear, let him know that I do not fear him, nor regard his menaces.. - Henry

[Gene Eric]

With 99% of the population naturally willing to believe in something, atheists will remain the idiots in denial regardless of any “facts” they manage to muster.

Sucks to be an atheist.

[daniel1212]

The absurdities so many atheist types pull out of the Bible is a fulfillment of the warning against giving “that what is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Matthew 7:6)

[BenLurkin]

bttt

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Olog-hai. Let's get this party started!

[zencycler]

Good point - but in making that statement, I really wasn’t thinking about how Academia might respond. I was naturally imagining something that began with a shout of “Allahu Akbar”.

[a fool in paradise]

Self-proclaimed Biblical scholar Joseph Atwill has written a book in which he claims that Jesus was fabricated by a little-known group called the Flavians.

[Bigg Red]

Why does this writer capitalize “atheists”?

[ThanhPhero]

Atheists as a group seem to be a lot more respectful of the desert pirate.

[Towed_Jumper]

This author should have read “The Golden Bough” by Sir James Frazer. Among other related mythology and religious topics, Frazer writes at length about the “dying and rising” gods of many ancient culture as well as of the “scapegoat” used to purge a people of sins.

To think that the Roman elite thought up a “Jesus figure” is nuts.

[Yollopoliuhqui]

The idea that Jesus was an invention of the “Roman CIA” as a pacifier religion is based on the genealogical research and conclusions based therein of Abelard Reuchlin in his book “The True Authorship of the New Testament”.