Is the James in Galatians 1:19 evidence for a historical Jesus?

[Jagella]

Early Christians did say Zeus existed .. as a demon to confuse the faithful.

Did the "consensus, the overwhelming majority" of Bible scholars of that era assure everybody that Zeus "almost certainly existed"? After all, they had multiple attestation for Zeus not to mention that much of the evidence for Zeus also passed the criterion of embarrassment with flying colors. Nobody would have made up stories of Zeus shamefully committing adultery all the time! Only the wackos on the fringe would have been so foolish as to think Zeus never existed. They weren't qualified.

[Baruch]

Did the "consensus, the overwhelming majority" of Bible scholars of that era assure everybody that Zeus "almost certainly existed"? After all, they had multiple attestation for Zeus not to mention that much of the evidence for Zeus also passed the criterion of embarrassment with flying colors. Nobody would have made up stories of Zeus shamefully committing adultery all the time! Only the wackos on the fringe would have been so foolish as to think Zeus never existed. They weren't qualified.

Ha, so which pre-Nicene Church Father are you?

There is nothing wrong with Zeus preferring human women, married or not.  Have you ever been to bed with Hera?

[Baruch]

How about sex with a vampire? Would that make one a necrophile? Or a zombie...I suppose that definitely would.

If an animal zombie, then bestiality too ;-}

[Jagella]

Ha, so which pre-Nicene Church Father are you?

Jagella the Apostate

There is nothing wrong with Zeus preferring human women, married or not.  Have you ever been to bed with Hera?

Yes. It was surely a historical event. You know full well I never would make up such a shameful tale.

[Baruch]

Jagella the Apostate

Yes. It was surely a historical event. You know full well I never would make up such a shameful tale.

That is the criteria the Jesus Seminar used.  If Jesus said/did something embarrassing to Judaism, not orthodox/orthopraxis, then that was him.  Notice this is an tendentious assumption.

People not only make up shameful things, they do them.  I have.

[drunkenshoe]

From a modern historical point, even the question of the existence a historical Jesus is laughing matter.

[Baruch]

From a modern historical point, even the question of the existence a historical Jesus is laughing matter.

It is hard to prove, given his pervasive propaganda, who Augustus was.

[Cavebear]

Historians are liars, and judged can be bought.  Please prove me wrong.

You didn't get my point … there can be no Presidents, because there is no USA, just rebellious colonies.

I love it when you post stupid...  Cracks me up.

[Baruch]

I love it when you post stupid...  Cracks me up.

Shibboleths to the right of them, shibboleths to the left of them, onward posted the Internet glitterati!

[Cavebear]

Shibboleths to the right of them, shibboleths to the left of them, onward posted the Internet glitterati!

Merriam Webster 1a definition ": a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning "

I'll agree with that.

[Unbeliever]

I think a shibboleth is like a password.

[Baruch]

I think a shibboleth is like a password.

So which door do you think it opens?

All words are magic talismans/charms.  They are power, particularly the correct name for a thing.  See Muad-dib.

Every word that humans use ... devoid of real meaning.  See MikeCL and others here.  They only use the dictionary as a rhetorical weapon, not because they believe in the dictionary, or understand it is a tool to be freely used for free thinking.

[Jagella]

From a modern historical point, even the question of the existence a historical Jesus is laughing matter.

Well, it should be a laughing matter. I've told real-Jesus apologists that they're trying to tell us that a magic man from the sky who became a flying zombie was historical. They had a hissy fit and called me names--seriously. As long as people insist on acting like fools religion will survive.

[Baruch]

Well, it should be a laughing matter. I've told real-Jesus apologists that they're trying to tell us that a magic man from the sky who became a flying zombie was historical. They had a hissy fit and called me names--seriously. As long as people insist on acting like fools religion will survive.

The stories are symbolic, like George Washington not telling a lie to his father (about chopping down their cherry tree).

[Cavebear]

So which door do you think it opens?

All words are magic talismans/charms.  They are power, particularly the correct name for a thing.  See Muad-dib.

Every word that humans use ... devoid of real meaning.  See MikeCL and others here.  They only use the dictionary as a rhetorical weapon, not because they believe in the dictionary, or understand it is a tool to be freely used for free thinking.

I sometimes check my good Merriam Webster dictionary when I suspect I'm using or misunderstanding a word inaccurately.

I do not consider word definitions a "rhetorical weapon".  Rather, I consider them a way to examine slight differences in application and meaning.  Without a common dictionary, we are just Babel.

And, BTW, I know 'Dune' quite well.

I disagree with you about words being "devoid of real meaning".  In the sense of them being only series of symbols representing sounds, yes.  But in the sense of them being expressions of thoughts that mean known things to other humans, no.  Otherwise "theu hpehcfmg eh ths ijamn80qt 34hu9g" would mean as much or little as "liberty and justice for all".