Did Jesus Really Exist?

I was perusing the Internet looking for trouble this morning :-). I found this piece by Jim Walker, originally penned/keyboarded in 1997, which suggests--loosely--that Jesus was a sort of messianic King Arthur. IOW, a creation of mythology and literary sleight-of-hand. The discussion essentially says that any "evidence" that Jesus existed is all hearsay, because the gospels were written by people thrice (or more) removed from the original events who had not spoken to eyewitnesses. Interesting take, and a long one, but very well written.

I frankly don't care whether or not Jesus existed (if he didn't then the Muslims at least have one up on the Christians--nobody doubts the historical existence of Muhammed.). What's important is what has been done in his name. To whit: terrifying gullible children with visions of eternal hellfire for being disobedient to parents. Setting up your priesthood as the representatives of God on Earth, setting up celibacy as the ideal of that priesthood, letting them rape little kids (boys AND girls), and then rather than doing the right thing, buying the silence of the victims and rewarding the people who effect the coverups. Persecuting gays when their sexual orientation is a biological trait rather than a conscious choice. Bilking your followers for billions annually, and then using their proceeds to buy off rape victims (no, I'm NEVER going to let it go). Advising people that using condoms is a sin, when AIDS is still a killer disease in the third world where your church is gaining influence.

In short, you are an outmoded belief system, and we who know better will never rest in holding you accountable.