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Yeshua of Nazareth, a.k.a. Jesus Christ

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Overview:

A combination of Yeshua of Nazareth's (a.k.a. Jesus Christ's) personal teachings, the teachings of Paul, the teachings about Jesus by his disciples and by various groups in early Christianity, and the inclusion of Pagan Greek philosophy led to the development of the largest religion in the world: Christianity.

Today:

	One out of three humans worldwide identify themselves as a Christian -- a ratio that is very slowly dropping, primarily due to the increase in the number of Muslims, Agnostics, Atheists, and "NOTAS" -- none of the above; persons who are not affiliated with any organized religion.
	About 76% of American adults identify themselves as Christians -- a ratio which is still substantial, even though it seems to be dropping very gradually. Part of the loss is due to individuals becoming NOTAs; part is due to youths leaving their church in their late teens -- typically when they go off to college -- and never returning.

It is generally acknowledged that more books have been written about Jesus than about any other individual in history. Even though our office library contains over 25 feet of books which deal entirely with Jesus, this is a miniscule fraction of the books written about Jesus during the past few decades.

As a newborn, Jesus was probably given the Hebrew name Yehoshua or Yeshua. He might have been called Yeshu by his family and friends in his home region of the Galilee. We will generally use Jesus throughout this web site because this is the name with which most people are most familiar and comfortable. We do acknowledge that some consider it disrespectful to call a person by a foreign translation of his name. It is worth remembering that his family, friends, disciples and followers never called him Jesus. We do occasionally use one of his actual  names: Yeshua in our essays.

Jesus has been arguably the most influential human in history. Christianity has generated enormous passion in people. The approximate year of his birth divided history into the interval before his birth (BC and BCE) and the current era (AD and CE). The religion has given untold numbers of people hope for a life beyond death. Christian beliefs have also motivated billions of people to commit innumerable selfless acts. However, this passion has sometimes motivated horrendous events up to and including attempted hate-based genocides of entire people groups.

In recent history, people have been slaughtered, in part: 

	Because they simply try to follow Jesus' teachings (as in the recent mass murder of Christians by the Muslim central government and Arab militias in the Sudan).
	Because they followed the "wrong" denomination (as in Catholics and Protestants killing each other in the recent past in Northern Ireland).
	Because they added books to the Bible (as in Protestants attacking Mormons during the 19th century in a small-scale genocide.)
	Because they were not Christians (as in the genocide of Muslims in Bosnia by members of the Serbian Orthodox church, and in Kosovo by the former Serbian Orthodox-affiliated government of Yugoslavia)
	Because they were Christians (as the more limited mass murder of Serbian Orthodox and Roman Catholics in Bosnia and Kosovo by Muslims); or
	Because they belong to the same Christian denomination but are of different ethnic backgrounds (as in the genocide in Rwanda. mainly by Roman Catholics).

 Topics covered in this section:

	Some rather important questions: Did Jesus really exist? One cannot ask a more fundamental question than that!: Part 1: Range of views. Skeptics. Indicators of existence & non-existence. Part 2: Indicators (cont'd). Author's view. Part 3: Mythic Hero source. You Tube video. Comparing Gospel interpretation by conservative and progressive Christians: Overview Additional material Was Jesus without sin during his ministry on earth? Was Jesus gay? You cannot ask a more incendiary question than that! Was Jesus married? This is perhaps the second most incendiary question Responsibility for Jesus' execution From the Gospels to the Holocaust Where is Jesus' body now? In Heaven, in a Jerusalem warehouse, lost?
	Links between Jesus' life, and other religions: Was Jesus' life patterned after other heroes, god-men or saviors?   Two essays donated by Tom Drake-Brockman: "Happy Krishmas: Jesus, the Buddha, and reincarnation" "Spiritual Humanism & the meaning of life: Jesus, the Buddha, suffering & service to others"
	About Jesus' life: The evolution of Jesus' names Calling the Messiah "Yahshua" within the Christian Sacred Name Movement (SNM) Search for the historical Jesus -- WWJL (What Was Jesus Like?) Events in Jesus' life about which people disagree ETOTWAWKI: The end of the world as we know it, as prophesized by Jesus and Paul: Part 1 Part 2 Virgin conception (a.k.a. virgin birth) of Jesus Biblical references, ancient creeds & beliefs, beliefs of clergy Current Christian views on the conception and paternity of Jesus The Immaculate Conception: A Roman Catholic doctrine concerning original sin and Mary the mother of Yesua Were Jesus' "brothers" and "sisters" full siblings, half siblings, cousins or friends? Jesus' birth: The Christmas story -- when and where was Jesus' birth; myths, folklore, Festivus, etc. What did Jesus look like? Mel Gibson's movie: "The Passion of the Christ" Easter topics Jesus' burial shroud: Has it been preserved as the Shroud of Turin? Resurrection of Jesus: Did Jesus bodily rise again after he died? His ascension towards Heaven
	Events in our future: The rapture: When believers rise up to meet Jesus in the sky. Is it fact or fantasy?

	Jose Davis: "What's up Jesus?" a conservative Christian interpretation of the resurrection of Jesus
	Dipak Dholakia: "My own Jesus"
	James Gray: "Why is our 'Christian' society anti-Jesuan?"
	Henry Hasse: "Scandal - Justice - Faith: one person's personal beliefs"
	Allan Janssen: "Jesus, the Gospel of Thomas and knowledge" "The message of Jesus: the message of Christ"
	Arthur Levine: "Chasing Jesus"
	Ben Lomond: "Jesus of Nazareth -- God's delegated agent to the world" "How early Pagan Greek fathers hijacked Jesus of Nazareth"
	George Mercurio: On the Existence of Jesus Christ
	John S. Morgan: "An outline & review of Bart Ehrman's book: "Misquoting Jesus"
	Jeffrey Small: "Was Jesus influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism?"
	R.C. Symes: "The resurrection myths about Jesus;" a progressive Christian interpretation
	Arthur Trafford: "An essay about Jesus and the virgin birth"
	Daniel Unterbrink: "About Jesus the Galilean"
	"Reni:" "Jesus as a Pagan deity"

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Dr. James D. Price, "Yehoshua, Yeshua or Yeshu; Which one is the name of Jesus in Hebrew?," at: http://www.direct.ca/
2. Cryptonomic, "God and Jesus' many names," at: http://www.faithforum.org/

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Copyright © 2001 to 2012 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2012-SEP-19
Author: B.A. Robinson

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