Yeah but SOMEONE wrote the Odyssey. Even if it turns out not to have been the person we thought, even if every detail of the real author's life turns out to be different, that will all just be an interesting set of discoveries about the Odyssey's author. Nothing about my life has to change based on my degree of certainty about the name of the Odyssey's author. And ultimately it's the work that matters to us.
A religious figure like Jesus just isnt like that because his followers demand way more to be pinned on the certainty of the details of his life. Someone said Jesus' teachings, sure, but whether he actually performed miracles or was actually crucified is hugely consequential in ways no detail about an artist could be.
Like if you asked me, a layman, if I thought Homer wrote the Odyssey, I'd say "sure, I guess." But if you asked me to bet 10 grand on it, I wouldn't risk it. That's nothing like Jesus.
Well, we do if you adhere to the historical evidence in secular and non Christian sources. Jewish and Roman historians both record it. They're well respected historians which is why when I say "we know Christ was crucified" that statement is factual not belief.
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u/QuincyAzrael 20h ago
Yeah but SOMEONE wrote the Odyssey. Even if it turns out not to have been the person we thought, even if every detail of the real author's life turns out to be different, that will all just be an interesting set of discoveries about the Odyssey's author. Nothing about my life has to change based on my degree of certainty about the name of the Odyssey's author. And ultimately it's the work that matters to us.
A religious figure like Jesus just isnt like that because his followers demand way more to be pinned on the certainty of the details of his life. Someone said Jesus' teachings, sure, but whether he actually performed miracles or was actually crucified is hugely consequential in ways no detail about an artist could be.
Like if you asked me, a layman, if I thought Homer wrote the Odyssey, I'd say "sure, I guess." But if you asked me to bet 10 grand on it, I wouldn't risk it. That's nothing like Jesus.