This thread is NOT intended for debating the merits of any religion or part of any religion.
Generally, both Christianity and Islam acknowledge both John the Baptist and Jesus as historical figures in their religions. At least for Christianity, John the Baptist specifically was one who announced the coming of the one who would come after him, Jesus.
Are there any significant faith communities that accept John the Baptist as an inspired prophet (or similar), but reject Jesus wholesale (this doesn’t mean disagreeing on his teachings or whether or not he was God, but means either not accepting him as forming any part of the historicity of the religion, or they claim that he existed, but was evil and in opposition to the teachings of John the Baptist, etc.).
If there aren’t any today, were there ever? I’m assuming that there were some people who accepted John the Baptist, but by the time they heard of Jesus, they lapsed into whatever their religion was formerly (e.g. Judaism), or apostatized completely into atheism. I’m talking about an organized movement.
Mandaeans, sort of. They revere John the Baptist as a great prophet and reject Jesus and Mohammed as false teachers. Their religious heritage is lot more than that though.
Except, maybe, for a handful of highly intellectually sophisticated followers of certain Greek philosophical movements such as Academic Skepticism or Epicureanism, atheism was not a thinkable option in this era. The likelihood of any former followers of John the Baptist (who were, surely, mostly if not entirely, fairly unsophisticated Jews) “lapsing” into atheism is effectively zero.
Not to hijack, but did JtB also prophesize the death and resurrection?
If not he, than who did? I have heard many references during sermons or homilies, and IIRC scripture readings, that the death and resurrection would happen “as prophesized”
These are frequently references to Zechariah and Isiah. I’m sure someone will come along with exact passages shortly. There are some significant parallels, which is probably a sign not of actual prophecy but rather that the authors of the Gospels edited their accounts to bring Jesus’ life in line with those ancient Hebrew writings.