Seems to me that the message attributed to Jesus is pretty simple - treat people the way you want to be treated yourself. This strikes me as a pretty good idea. (Some other people seem to think so too, since that notion keeps popping up in all sorts of religions across the board.) Seems the rest of "organized religion" was tacked on for a bunch of typically human reasons. (Sometimes called the "disciple syndrome.") Jesus may or may not have existed exactly as described in the bible, but that message is still a good one.
   Maybe we should heed Joseph Campbell and pay attention to the message, not the messenger.
   Personally, I'm agnostic - after thinking about it for many years I have to say I don't really know. (Dear sir or madam; you could be right.) I think of myself as spiritual but not very religious, and tend toward the earth-based philosophies like those of the Hindus and Native Americans, rather than the heaven-based philosophies like those of the Christians and Muslims. (Live with nature vs conquer nature.) Makes more sense to me.
    I think one of the problems we're having with Tunesmith's suggestion that Jesus never existed is the presumption that therefore Jesus' teachings are no good either. Maybe?

O'Meara

    ps I was in the U.S. army for several years and I'll bet I'm the only soldier to have "agnostic" stamped on his dog tags. I'm also ex-Catholic so I wondered if they could find an Agnostic priest for me if I were wounded