My take is the same as L.H.as to the "Son of God" factor, and as to the claims to being the exclusive "way" which I suspect were filtered back into the stories of Jesus by later followers. He may have been Essene; if not a "full member", quite likely he had some association there, as it seems at least very plausible that John the Baptist was Essene. About the only head-on point where I see "J.C. and me" having to respectfully disagree with you (Raedwulf) is monotheism itself. I can't swear that that doesn't involve some degree of "thinking what I believe"; there is some pretty deep conditioning here. But grant me that I have no intention of taking sword in hand and setting out to save everyone from believing other than I do.