"But note that Joe, a Catholic, has a respect for the ancient religious traditions of the various cultures of the world. Steve, an atheist, does not."

Well I don't respect human sacrifices, the brutality of Moses that somehow manages to get him a bye, inquisitions, torture, stonings, antisemitism, the exclusion of women, circumcision, waging imperialistic wars and quite a few other religious traditions that I won't go on to list. You respect 'em if you like.

"Steve wonders why Jesus didn't get more "press coverage" in Roman documents. To most Romans, Jesus was just another Jewish preacher. There were lots of them, and many were executed as revolutionaries or zealots. Why should the Romans take any special notice of this Jesus?"

You don't know that that's what the Romans thought as there was no press coverage. Stop making it up as you go along. The more likely explanation is that there was never a Jesus as we know him. Of course, I don't know that for sure. Reading your paragraph, it seems that you have that certainty that only comes with faith.