# Resolved: Jesus did not exist **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 3, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-jesus-did-not-exist/566230 "2011-01-03T16:11:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 23
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-jesus-did-not-exist/566230/23 "2011-01-03T21:30:05Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > … on the stories of his birth there are demonstrable errors … There was no killing of the infants, no census, nevermind one that required you to move away from your land and holdings, etc. Is it not widely agreed that the Nativity stories (present in only 1 or 2 of the Gospels) are fictional embellishments? To reject an historic Jesus based on inconsistencies in the Nativity stories would be like rejecting an historic George Washington if the cherry tree story were proven false. An historic Jesus seems like a near-certainty to me (if only via Occam’s Razor); the question is what “supernatural” powers did he have? All Gospels agree he was a very adept healer. I find this believable without supposing any miraculous aspect: psychosomatic ailment (e.g. “possession by demons”) was common in that society, and Jesus was a powerfully charismatic hypnotist/exorcist. The Gospels have internal clues suggesting they’re based on fact. As one example, consider Jesus’ baptism by John. A fiction writer who wanted to emphasize Jesus’ greatness would probably have Jesus baptize John! (BTW, can anyone address my ignorance about evidence for John the Baptist’s existence outside the Gospels?) --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-jesus-did-not-exist/566230)._