Romans Made Up Jesus as Wartime Propaganda to Pacify Jews, US Scholar Claims

If this guy would have written the same article about Mohammad he would be in hiding now fearing for his life IMO. I have never heard this theory before as I assume many of you have not heard it either. I am sure that the ATS membership will find this stupid or interesting with a hard line in-between. Either way I am just posting for the information and possible discussion. Wouldn't it be incredible if true, regardless the faithful will not change their minds one way or the other.

“Jewish sects in Palestine at the time, who were waiting for a prophesied warrior Messiah, were a constant source of violent insurrection during the first century,” said Atwill, who authored a controversial book titled Caesar’s Messiah, which argues that the New Testament gospels were written as wartime propaganda by first-century Roman scholars.

“That's when the ‘peaceful’ Messiah story was invented. Instead of inspiring warfare, this Messiah urged turn-the-other-cheek pacifism and encouraged Jews to 'give onto Caesar’ and pay their taxes to Rome.”

Atwill argued that Jesus Christ “may be the only fictional character in literature whose entire life story can be traced to other sources. Once those sources are all laid bare, there's simply nothing left.”

He purported that the Romans fabricated the story of Jesus Christ sometime after the Jewish revolt of 66-73 A.D., which came to be the first of three major rebellions.

sputniknews.com...

If true...that was some damned fine marketing. I mean how many slogans have lasted 2000 years! And i am no jewish expert but i am pretty sure hardcore jews dont believe jesus was the messiah.

a reply to: 727Sky

Interesting theory , it would probably explain why there's no mention of Jesus in the historical record.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: 727Sky

Interesting theory , it would probably explain why there's no mention of Jesus in the historical record.

What historical record did you mean ?
The US History 8th grade text book ?

Romans Made Up Jesus as Wartime Propaganda to Pacify Jews, US Scholar Claims

What did this do to the Muslims , as they believe Jesus was a prophet. Maybe not the "Messiah" , yet still a great prophet.
What a loon that guy is.....
strong in ignorance he is ....

a reply to: Gothmog

What historical record did you mean ?

Recorded history or written history is a historical narrative based on a written record or other documented communication. It contrasts with other narratives of the past, such as mythological, oral or archeological traditions.
en.wikipedia.org...

The historical record that mentions his contemporaries but not the guy who created all the fuss.

Who cares...if you have a lock on the worlds money supply then you will be a target...if you try to control everyone ...lets get real here....there has been a battle over thousands of years to take away the fiscal power of one single group of people who absolutely refuse to give it up and who would happily ignite world wars at their whim...and who HAVE DONE THIS EXACT THING MULTIPLE TIMES COSTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF LIVES....because they view us all as expendable and not worthy....EVERY WAR IS OVER THE SAME REASON...THIS LITTLE GROUP OF POWERFUL FANATICS WHO HAVE SO MUCH FISCAL POWER IT IS UNFATHOMABLE.

Yeah right, create a religion so you can squash it and feed the followers to lions, lol

a reply to: 727Sky

Fake news on so many levels.

Never heard of this theory, but in many peoples eyes Jesus is just a theory.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Gothmog

What historical record did you mean ?

Recorded history or written history is a historical narrative based on a written record or other documented communication. It contrasts with other narratives of the past, such as mythological, oral or archeological traditions.
en.wikipedia.org...

The historical record that mentions his contemporaries but not the guy who created all the fuss.

So , there is only one account of history and that is Wikipedia ?

a reply to: 727Sky

Created by Romans to pacify Jews ???

Nobody can pacify Jews. Didn't work. Jews got him killed. What a dumb theory.

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: 727Sky

Created by Romans to pacify Jews ???

Nobody can pacify Jews. Didn't work. Jews got him killed. What a dumb theory.

BWAHAHAHA no you are wrong sir.
Him trying to overthrow a government is what got him killed.
History bro

I've always thought it funny that for someone who would have been arguably the most important person to ever exist in the entirety of human history, someone who was so important that his words were supposedly remembered verbatim and passed along over hundreds of years, nobody knows when he was born.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: 727Sky

Interesting theory , it would probably explain why there's no mention of Jesus in the historical record.

Well maybe you should ask yourself why would the Roman's or the jews who just executed a rebel write about him? A poor Peasent carpenter preacher who caused problems for them by preaching peace and a growing following

Christians wrote about him but the Roman's and jews didnt hmmmmm I wonder why.

Stupid atheist narratives

a reply to: Gothmog

So , there is only one account of history and that is Wikipedia ?

The link was to explain to you what the historical record is not as an account of history , if you don't like the link look for a better definition of "historical record" yourself , regardless it is what it is.

a reply to: JDmOKI

Well maybe you should ask yourself why would the Roman's or the jews who just executed a rebel write about him?

Because of the things he is supposed to have done and the movement he is supposed to have started .

Stupid atheist narratives

Glass houses.

originally posted by: trollz
I've always thought it funny that for someone who would have been arguably the most important person to ever exist in the entirety of human history, someone who was so important that his words were supposedly remembered verbatim and passed along over hundreds of years, nobody knows when he was born.

December 25th, 0000. Somewhere outside of Mobile, Alabama.

Source: My Southern Baptist upbringing.

originally posted by: Gothmog

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Gothmog

What historical record did you mean ?

Recorded history or written history is a historical narrative based on a written record or other documented communication. It contrasts with other narratives of the past, such as mythological, oral or archeological traditions.
en.wikipedia.org...

The historical record that mentions his contemporaries but not the guy who created all the fuss.

So , there is only one account of history and that is Wikipedia ?

The historical record is what it is, wikipedia has nothing to do with it.

Let's have an honest, respectful discourse, if you are willing?

Aside from the bible, which has no "first person" accounts, the only mention of Jesus is a passing comment by Josephus, and that was decades later.

Are there other historical records, which I am not aware of?

a reply to: gortex

I'm an atheist but asking why Romans and Jews didn't write about him lacks understanding of the story and basic critical thinking. but we all know why they push these stupid theories

a reply to: 727Sky

Irrelevant, since the concept of Jesus, the idea of Jesus, the supposed teachings of Jesus have outlasted even the Romans.


I guess (if true) their PR job was too successful.


And just to piss in the oatmeal of the anti-Jesus crowd, maybe it was "God" that planted the idea, that "gave birth" to the Romans PR campaign.