Was Jesus Atheist?

[philosopher]

The New Testament has been modified countless times.

Most importantly a lot of gospels were lost from the new testament, evidence of disagreement among the followers of Jesus.

If we strip the New Testament of ideas of other people than Jesus, that means we exclude Paul's letters as well and also take a closer look at non-canonical gospels (like The Gospel of Thomas) I think we get a very different picture of reality of Jesus:

Whenever Jesus speaks about the "kingdom of heaven" he do so in ways that are uncommon for the ancient world.

The parables of Jesus such as that of the mustard seed being similar to the heavenly paradise can only be interpreted as "paradise" being found as "islands" in a vast ocean of non-paradisical realities - that is, Earth is filled with good and bad people, and when good people come together they found a paradise - not in heaven but right here on Earth right as we speak.

Jesus also tells how this paradise can be achieved: By giving to the needy, live in peace etc.

Alot of what is attributed to Jesus though, has been modified to fit either jewish faith or roman way of life.

But I think that by looking at the sayings that are difficult to understand/interpret there's a good chance it has not been modified (simply because it became harder to censor). Few people could read and write in the ancient world, so there is a good chance that even fewer knew the correct meanings of the mystical sayings of Jesus. Today scholars are able to link the sayings of Jesus ie. in the gospel of Thomas, to the ancient mythology - symbolism which his audience would know pretty well, but which has been lost through the centuries.

[QuantumT]

There are only two non-christian sources that mention Jesus, and they only do it briefly: Josefus and Tacitus.
But their writings have been in unsupervised christian hands for more than 1½ millennia, so there has been plenty of opportunity to edit.

So, basically he could be a myth.

[vegetariantaxidermy]

He was Jewish, so yes, probably an atheist.

[philosopher]

He was Jewish, so yes, probably an atheist.

Poor argument.
Judaism is the belief in a monotheistic omnipotent, omniscient deity.

I believe the special thing about Jesus was his rejection such a deity - in a world filled with superstition and hard-core belief.

There are only two non-christian sources that mention Jesus, and they only do it briefly: Josefus and Tacitus.
But their writings have been in unsupervised christian hands for more than 1½ millennia, so there has been plenty of opportunity to edit.

So, basically he could be a myth.

It doesn't matter if THE Jesus as we know from the New Testament-writings (and similar accounts) is only a made-up myth or not.
Fact of the matter is that these teachings had a core/Q-source - Quelle and that this source was in contradiction with ancient belief-system.

[TimeSeeker]

From your vantage point Jesus' (a)theism is in superposition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superposition_principle

My (a)theism is in superposition to you also.

What measurement/observation would (in your view) settle the matter of my (a)theism?

[Walker]

Did Buddha follow Buddhism, or Me-ism?

[-1-]

He was Jewish, so yes, probably an atheist.

Most likely he was also an industrialist or a banker, and at the same time a kommunist agitator. As a Hebe, he hated Christians, and worked toward world hegemony. He was dirty, and over-sexed, too.

[gaffo]

The New Testament has been modified countless times.

Most importantly a lot of gospels were lost from the new testament, evidence of disagreement among the followers of Jesus.

If we strip the New Testament of ideas of other people than Jesus, that means we exclude Paul's letters as well and also take a closer look at non-canonical gospels (like The Gospel of Thomas) I think we get a very different picture of reality of Jesus:

Whenever Jesus speaks about the "kingdom of heaven" he do so in ways that are uncommon for the ancient world.

The parables of Jesus such as that of the mustard seed being similar to the heavenly paradise can only be interpreted as "paradise" being found as "islands" in a vast ocean of non-paradisical realities - that is, Earth is filled with good and bad people, and when good people come together they found a paradise - not in heaven but right here on Earth right as we speak.

Jesus also tells how this paradise can be achieved: By giving to the needy, live in peace etc.

Alot of what is attributed to Jesus though, has been modified to fit either jewish faith or roman way of life.

But I think that by looking at the sayings that are difficult to understand/interpret there's a good chance it has not been modified (simply because it became harder to censor). Few people could read and write in the ancient world, so there is a good chance that even fewer knew the correct meanings of the mystical sayings of Jesus. Today scholars are able to link the sayings of Jesus ie. in the gospel of Thomas, to the ancient mythology - symbolism which his audience would know pretty well, but which has been lost through the centuries.

agree with your views above, however think Jesus was a Jewish Essene (Nationalist that hated Roman rule over his people) - and why i think the author of Revalations (also an Essene, but convert to Christianity) parrelleled Jesus's views (only author of Rev saw Jesus as YHWH's Son and Jesus did not see himself as that in any way - he saw himself as prophet at first and probably as the messiah (still a mortal man - no God's son)) by the time the Roman's decided they had had enough and killed him for insurrection.

[gaffo]

There are only two non-christian sources that mention Jesus, and they only do it briefly: Josefus and Tacitus.
But their writings have been in unsupervised christian hands for more than 1½ millennia, so there has been plenty of opportunity to edit.

So, basically he could be a myth.

he could be, but willing to assume not myself.

[gaffo]

He was Jewish, so yes, probably an atheist.

???


lol

???????

[gaffo]

He was Jewish, so yes, probably an atheist.

Poor argument.
Judaism is the belief in a monotheistic omnipotent, omniscient deity.

I believe the special thing about Jesus was his rejection such a deity - in a world filled with superstition and hard-core belief.

I think Jesus fully affirmed YHWH as God, why do you see this as otherwise?

welcome discussion on the matter.

[gaffo]

Fact of the matter is that these teachings had a core/Q-source - Quelle and that this source was in contradiction with ancient belief-system.

how so?

[gaffo]

Did Buddha follow Buddhism, or Me-ism?

Siddhartha Gautama was most likely a Hindu.

[Walker]

Some say the lost years of Jesus were spent in Hindu land, picking up Buddhist tips.

[vegetariantaxidermy]

It never ceases to amaze me how desperate people are to follow...anyone. The fact that early christians were also vicious murdering mobs certainly helped to 'spread the word' so to speak.
I mean, when you think about it, what did Jesus actually 'do'?
What's all that guff about 'sacrificing' himself by being tortured to death? I don't recall that he exactly volunteered for the job. The whole unpleasant story is just sick and illogical from beginning to end.