Jesus was not executed because he was "a mild-mannered man exhorting a mild-mannered flock to be more mild-mannered." He was executed because he claimed that undivided allegiance to him was the only way to God and that all who refused to honor him as their king were damned.

ummm.. no?

He was killed for claiming that He was the Son of God. He never cursed nor damned anyone during his life. Go back and read the Bible.

It was for knocking/rocking the establishment.

he was executed because that's what his daddy wanted.

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

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True, unless I was totally misinformed during all those years of church school, Christian theology traditionally teaches that dying was the whole point of his conception and birth.

The individual would have to had existed to have been killed in the first place. It is a mildly interesting mythology though.

It's far more likely that, if he was an actual historical figure, Jesus was simply rounded up and executed in a sweep of Jewish troublemakers that the Romans did from time to time.

It is highly doubtful that he ever saw Pontius Pilate, or any magistrate for that matter. And was likely just nailed up on the say so of the Centurion in charge.

That being said though, His message was still important and valid.

Oh, and he did say: "Render unto Caesar..." Which pretty much shoots a hole in your second sentence.

It would be all the more interesting if it had the benefit of originality.

Even the "Render unto Caeser" is a filk from the OSM. Nothing is original in the xtian mythology.

I've often considered Christianity to be an amalgam of several two-bit cults that were floating around the middle east back them. Most of those cults had at least some of the major aspects of Jesusism such as the virgin birth, the resurrection and the ability to perform "miracles".

Mix all that with 2000 years of religious nutjobs twisting it for their own benefit and hey, presto you've got a hit!

You will find no disagreement from me on that.

All true, the birth of Christianity was a very long and painful one and it is fasinating tracing its history and its messeges, polotics etc from the compfortable position that most of are now sitting, as Gods in a way. But no matter how? what or why? it is still the base from which most of us live spiritually and physically.

Comparing the birth, life, miracles, death, and resurection of Christ with any other "similar" pagan myth is obsurd. If you have actually traced history and read these pagan stories, as I have, you would come to the same conclusion. They're actually quite silly and the story of Jesus is historical fact, and in no way resembles or has any "roots" in these ancient Greek myths.

However, there are pagan stories and myths that do indeed parallel the life of Christ and tell similar stories ... I do acknowledge that. Guess when historians and scholars agree when those were written? The 4th century AD.

People have always and will continue to try and discount the work Jesus did to give us salvation and people will always attempt to try and disprove that the resurection of Christ never occurred. No one has beeen able to offer any solid explanation in over 2000 years. It can't be explained other than accepting the fact that it really happened.

Ferdoc:

ummm.. no?

He was killed for claiming that He was the Son of God. He never cursed nor damned anyone during his life. Go back and read the Bible.

Actually, Jesus made multiple claims to being the exclusive way to salvation. I know, because I have read the bible.