That argument has been made that Christianity is the invention of St. Paul (a Roman citizen), rather than on what Jesus said in the Gospels. That's bandied about. But there was a historical Jesus, many records indicate a trouble making named rabbi was crucified. Was he the living son of God? Well, lots of people say no, and that's fair enough, but he did walk the earth at the time.
The bible itself is a historical record, as is the writing of Josephus, among others. The noted Roman historian Tacitus mentions him.
However, you're getting things backwards. The 12 apostles were not Romans, they were Jews and Gentiles, but not culturally, Roman. They were only "Roman" in that the empire conquered their homelands. It would be like calling someone from Texas a Canadian if Canada annexed Texas. The only Roman citizen was Paul, who was not an apostle, who was a Jew and Roman citizen who converted. Much of what the Christian religion is today is on account of his writing. For instance, because of Paul, Christians are not obliged to follow Mosiac dietary laws or get circumcised.
By the time the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, the tenets and background of the faith were largely in place, thus you cannot say it was a joke created by Romans.
You're very amusing on this topic. I've debated whip sharp atheists and am willing to concede a lot is a matter of faith, but you're just wrong on the history here.
That argument has been made that Christianity is the invention of St. Paul (a Roman citizen), rather than on what Jesus said in the Gospels. That's bandied about. But there was a historical Jesus, many records indicate a trouble making named rabbi was crucified. Was he the living son of God? Well, lots of people say no, and that's fair enough, but he did walk the earth at the time.
The bible itself is a historical record, as is the writing of Josephus, among others. The noted Roman historian Tacitus mentions him.
However, you're getting things backwards. The 12 apostles were not Romans, they were Jews and Gentiles, but not culturally, Roman. They were only "Roman" in that the empire conquered their homelands. It would be like calling someone from Texas a Canadian if Canada annexed Texas. The only Roman citizen was Paul, who was not an apostle, who was a Jew and Roman citizen who converted. Much of what the Christian religion is today is on account of his writing. For instance, because of Paul, Christians are not obliged to follow Mosiac dietary laws or get circumcised.
By the time the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, the tenets and background of the faith were largely in place, thus you cannot say it was a joke created by Romans.
You're very amusing on this topic. I've debated whip sharp atheists and am willing to concede a lot is a matter of faith, but you're just wrong on the history here.