There is also serious research into Jesus' having left a bloodline--children. Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln got into that. The different accounts of his arrest, crucifixion, interment in the cave, his rising after three days--are all up for grabs. That I grant. I have some problems of belief in many of the aforementioned areas. But, the thread title is "Jesus-Did he exist?" If he didn't, lots of the world has been conned (and most 'catters who responded to this thread), or indeed he did. There has been some excellent 'debate' on this thread. What I found most interesting was the propensity of people to yea or nay religions built around the guy (or Guy, depending on your belief and adherence to language conventions) over what is an article of faith for many. Logic just don't enter into it.
As Guest pointed out, mythology is a part of our world, for better or worse. Jung spoke of archetypes in the human subconscious, and people who think aliens intervened in human genetic affairs posit that humans have been altered, and the mythologies are a quest to make 'sense' of the human condition. The 'human race' memory holds many things we have trouble understanding, and regardless of one's professed beliefs, the myths, tales and fables keep on keepin' on. There seems to be a need for that in humans. Neat thread.
The issue as some have seen it is one of religion vs truth, or Jesus the man vs Jesus the G-d. Fact is, that doesn't matter to people who believe in the Christian religions (or any other religion for that matter), nor does it matter to those who believe in any other ism. Truth is what we believe--rightly or wrongly. We can argue that light speed is a constant. Does that make it a truth? So many truths have been rewritten. I think that one will be, too. Maybe one day we'll be privy to it. Right now, anybody's guess is as good as anybody else's. And I see I've held forth enough, already. Y'all have a good evening.