Priest sued to Prove Jesus was real

[cosmosdan]

In looking for info on another thread I found this and thought it was interesting enough to link to

Highlights

AN ITALIAN judge has ordered a priest to appear in court this month to prove that Jesus Christ existed.

Signor Cascioli’s contention — echoed in numerous atheist books and internet sites — is that there was no reliable evidence that Jesus lived and died in 1st-century Palestine apart from the Gospel accounts, which Christians took on faith. There is therefore no basis for Christianity, he claims.

Father Righi said there was overwhelming testimony to Christ’s existence in religious and secular texts. Millions had in any case believed in Christ as both man and Son of God for 2,000 years.

“If Cascioli does not see the sun in the sky at midday, he cannot sue me because I see it and he does not,” Father Righi said.

[Lord_Ashtar]

Even after reading the article, I’m having a hard time determining what it is the priest is being sued for.

[Menocchio]

@Lord Ashtar

Even after reading the article, I’m having a hard time determining what it is the priest is being sued for.

“Abuse of popular credulity” and “impersonation” whatever those mean.

I’m really not comfortable with the idea that everyone has to be able to prove everything they say to a court of law. The belief in a historical Jesus, even if not substantiated by the evidence, neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket, and thus ought not to be a subject for the courts.

[smiling_bandit]

Fraud, I believe. Of course, according to that idea, we have no reliable evidence of anyone which we do not have on film (and fim can be faked, too, so…). Frankly, we have vastly more evidence of Jesus’ existance than of most people of ihs day. Even some Roman Emperors often have little more than a couple odd mentions in some poet’s notes.