For me it’s not a question of whether or not Jesus existed; it’s more a question of: “Is he really the son of God?” Since that’s a question that I’ve not come to a satisfactory answer to in my own mind I’ll leave it at that.
Well, when you consider that Jesus is without sin and the like, he ain’t nothin’ like anyone I ever met.
Batman just wears funny clothes.
The fact that a person of his significance is not reliably attested at all by unbiased contemporary sources. Robin of Locksley has the appearance of being a composite drawn from multiple sources, it is not really unreasonable to guess that Jesus of Nazareth is probably of similar-type origin. Which would make him mythical in terms of being a person.
Pretty much this. I think Jesus (the man) was a real person, while I don’t think there is a real Batman behind the comic book character. But if we are talking about Jesus the Son of God (which is also an aspect of God) then I’d go with Batman as more plausible.
I’ve met a handful of spiritually inclined people who make their life’s task to perform acts of charity, decry injustice, preach against bad behavior, and would likely lay their lives down for others.
I’ve met no stark raving mental billionaire polymath socialite-by-day, vigilante-by-night types.
Then again I’ve never actually met on the street a dude who with his mere word can turn water into wine, heal the sick and disabled and stop a storm; or who got up and about just three days after being killed in a brutal manner.
And I have met people who never let go of avenging whatever they consider a wrong.
But overall I have met more people who try to live like Jesus than who try to live like Batman (OK some dream of becoming super rich, owning awesome technology, kicking the ass of anyone who’s a pest around them, and retiring to bang Anne Hathaway or someone in her league happily ever after… Hmmm… Then again, would the first group be even trying to live like Jesus if not for the example of the mythical Jesus…)
I have no reasonable evidence that says Jesus definitely didn’t exist, but the evidence he did is thin on the ground. Outside of the Bible it’s tenuous at best, and as the Bible is full of allegory and parables, basically admitted fiction, amongst the “true” facts, we can’t rely on its veracity either, not least because it attributes Jesus with doubtful miraculous abilities, which seem to be borrowed from other historical or mythical figures from centuries before his time.
I can’t say for certain he didn’t exist, but, if he did, he was probably a vocal trouble-making figure, upsetting the powerful with his radical ideas of being nice to people for a change, rather than the miracle-wielding son of God.
I absolutely believe in Jesus
Than do you believe in Superman?
Sure. He lives just down the street. Of course, he’s been exposed to Gold Kryptonite…
Very good 
So you’re not convinced that Jesus was entirely mythical.
Okay. 
What ‘admitted fictions’ (in the New Testament specifically are you referring to? The Gospel accounts present themselves as straight up historical accounts of what Jesus said and did. Obviously you don’t have to believe them, but I’m struggling to see what you mean by ‘admitted fictions’. I’m not impressed by the evidence that the stories about Jesus were ‘borrowed from other historical or mythical figures’ either.
I’m an atheist.
Jesus of Nazareth was almost certainly a real person. Batman is a cartoon character. Jesus’ PR exceed the reality, but he was real.
Ambiguous much? What do you very seriously doubt?
That there was a preacher named Jesus in the Holy Land?
That he didn’t have supernatural powers?
That he had them but never claimed them?
That Batman is completely fictional?
To quote Wikipedia on the Historicity of Jesus: “There is near unanimity among scholars that Jesus existed historically”
To quote Stan Lee on what he thinks of batman: " I find Batman a little more interesting than Superman because he’s more fallible."
If I were out late at night and got jumped by a gang of bikers who mistook me for someone they had a beef with, I’d be less shocked if The Batman showed up and saved me then if The Jesus did the same.
I guess the problem with the OP is some of us assume the questions was “God Jesus” not “person Jesus.” It’s not a very interesting question if it’s just about historical Jesus vs. fictional Batman. However, the question about whether a fictional Jesus or a fictional Batman “seems more real to you” is a good one.
I was intentionally vague. I didn’t specify which Jesus because I wanted people to pick their own Jesus. Which Jesus they picked, as well as how they chose to interpret the question, is of interest to me. My “clarification” upthread was intentionally vague for the same reason.
FTR, Batman seems more real than Jesus to me.
Yeah, it would make an interesting question for a first date. :eek:
The question is who SEEMS more real. I can believe one nut case dressing up playing good guy. I can not believe any one person getting about 20% of the planet to think he is an embodiment of a god.
LARPers periodically dress up as Batman and walk around casually in public, I cannot remember the last time I saw someone on the sidewalk dressed to look like Jesus. Though, maybe the mask helps, in terms of not worrying who might see them looking like that.