Jerry so rightly says "Respecting someone doesn't mean that you can't strongly disagree with them."

Unfortunately many people in contemporary society cannot see the truth of that statement. The thought seems to be "if you disagree with me we cannot be friends". Surely this reaction is the politics of the school playground, and we should have matured beyond that point to a place where we can agree to differ, and maintain relationship, rather than trade insults.

Leftydee's post shows the way it can be. Gawd bless yer, Lefty!

Clinton claims that Jesus never existed, but there is evidence for an historical Jesus, particularly from Flavius Josephus, the Jewish (not Christian) historian (c37-100AD), who wrote:

"About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease. He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him. And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared."
                               - Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63

There is actually more documentary evidence for Jesus Christ (26,000+ documents) than for Julius Caesar (approx. 43 documents), yet few doubt his existence.

Thanks Bobert for starting this thread, as it gives me opportunity to wish you, Jerry, Clinton, Leftydee, Breton Cap (see you at Tenterden next year?) et al, Christian and otherwise, a really joyous Christmas and a wonderful new year!