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The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence cover

The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence

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About This Book

A skeptical, systematic critique argues that the Christ of the New Testament is a constructed myth rather than a reliably attested historical person. It assesses the silence of contemporary writers, the anonymous and late character of the gospels, and the contradictions within infancy narratives, ministry accounts, crucifixion, and resurrection reports. The author evaluates the moral portrait and teachings attributed to the figure and traces parallels with older pagan religions and divinities as possible sources of the myth. The conclusion asserts that supernatural claims lack sufficient historical support and that veneration rests on literary and theological fabrication rather than firm documentary evidence.

522

What did Jesus teach respecting the resurrection of the dead and the doctrine of immortality?

“For the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth” (John v, 28, 29).

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life” (39).

“As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.”—Job (vii, 9).

“His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”—Psalms (cxlvi, 4).

“For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts.... As one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath, so that man hath no preeminence over a beast.”—Ecclesiastes (iii, 19).