Just as declaring oneself an atheist does not make one automatically an expert in religion, seeing Jesus as a myth does not make someone an automatic expert in Christian origins. There are many people calling themselves " mythicists " - i.e., someone who views various biblical/supernatural figures as mythical , not historical - who are not experts in the large body of Jesus mythicist literature dating back centuries. In fact, some of these "experts" take glee in deliberately ignoring this scholarship ; hence, they cannot be considered experts after all. "Seeing Jesus as a myth does not make someone an automatic expert in Christian origins." Certain individuals act as if they just came up with this notion of Jesus as a mythical figure on their own. They did not, and they obviously are ignorant of the massive mythicist scholarship that preceded them. This ignorance allows for them to make mistakes, not realizing that there have been others - many of them credentialed and professional scholars - who have already investigated the relevant subjects and provided excellent, accurate and/or sufficient analyses of most if not all elements of Christian origins studies. This lack of study and blatant ignorance do NOT make someone an expert. If you encounter people claiming to be mythicists and experts at Jesus mythicism, feel free to ask them if they've actually studied this massive body of scholarship dating back centuries in multiple languages over a period of decades? Or are they simply pretending to be experts, based on cursory scanning of encyclopedias and a couple of mythicist books by others who themselves are ignorant of this scholarship? Ask also in what other field can one be considered an "expert" if one hasn't studied the past scholarship and scientific research? I see far too many people running about giving talks, doing interviews and writing books and articles about mythicism who really don't know what they are talking about. In fact, the bulk of them have not studied the scholarship and are not experts in this field. "The bulk of mythicist 'experts' have not studied the scholarship and are not really experts on mythicism." The same individuals also claim to be experts in comparative religion and mythology, when they clearly are not. Reading about a few parallels in encyclopedias or other books does NOT make one an expert. I see these people try to minimize the parallels, similarities and comparisons, because they themselves are ignorant of comparative religion and mythology, and do not know about the other parallels. Needless to say, these non-experts on comparative religion and mythology should not be paid attention to when the discussion turns to comparisons between pre-Christian traditions and Christianity. If these "mythicists" had studied the mythicist literature, including my works, they would know exactly where these MANY parallels come from and what they mean. (Below is but one of these series of parallels that most mythicist "experts" are ignorant about. There are many more, some of which you can find by clicking on the image and others in the "Further Reading" section at the bottom of this article.) I do not consider anyone an "expert on mythicism" or a "mythicist scholar" who has not studied the mythicist literature going back centuries. And, neither should anyone else treat them as such. This study takes YEARS, so one doesn't just have an epiphany and become an expert overnight based on one's new-found disbelief. This sort of fallacious pretense sullies the field with a lack of integrity, so I request that it not be allowed to continue unchallenged. Thank you. "I do not consider anyone an 'expert on mythicism' or a 'mythicist scholar' who has not studied the mythicist literature going back centuries." Newbies Furthermore, newcomers to the field of Jesus mythicism also often believe that there is a single, "sexy" solution to Christian origins, such as Constantine inventing the whole religion in the fourth century, or the Flavians doing likewise during the first. However, there isn't a single source for the gospel story, and such theories ignore the bulk of the mythicist iceberg beneath the water. The best summary is that the "Jesus Christ" of the New Testament is a fictional compilation of characters, not a single individual. A compilation of multiple "people" is no one. When the mythological and midrashic layers are removed, there remains no historical core to the onion. The gospel story is mythology historicized, not history mythologized. http://youtu.be/63BNKhGAVRQ Further Reading TruthBeKnown.com StellarHousePublishing.com Astrotheology.net What is a Mythicist? What is Mythicism?

abrahamic religion – Stellar House Publishing

Q: Come join us on the winter solstice!

Hi there - Tomorrow, December 21st, I will be doing a radio program hosted by Mythicist Milwaukee, beginning at 8:00 PM EST/7:00 PM CST/5:00 PM PST/1:00 AM GMT. The show can be heard live here: http://www.riverwestradio.com/ Scroll down to the audio box or "bambuser," where you will see our program, which should show up at the top when it is live. We will be discussing the winter solstice, Christmas and related "festival of light" subjects. There's a very good reason why this time of the year in the northern hemisphere has been one of great rejoicing! Be there or be square! :)

Q: What is more logical, rational and scientific?

A. Believing there was a supernatural Jewish man 2,000 years ago who was born of a virgin, battled with Satan in a desert, cured the blind with spit, raised the dead, walked on water, multiplied fishes and loaves, transfigured on a mount, resurrected from death and flew off bodily into the sky. B. Believing the above story is a MYTH.

Q: Paul Weston speaks TRUTH about child rape in the UK

Paul Weston is a great man. He names the "driving ideology": ISLAM. Everyone should listen to this courageous man. Where are UKIP, Labour, the Tories and Liberal Democrats on the Muslim grooming gang issue? Liberty GB is the only party talking about this atrocity, and why it happens - Islam, Muhammed and the Quran. http://youtu.be/vAm53JShDAc

Q: Which savior, Jesus, Caesar or Mithra?

Ken Humphreys is one of my favorite fellow mythicists. Unlike some of the others who are very rude, misogynistic, conceited and shallow-thinking , Ken is cordial, social and courageously follows where the evidence leads and is not afraid of presenting it boldly. When I read or hear the remarks of several other prominent skeptics and mythicists, I often cringe, as they clearly are not very intelligent, well educated or visionary . With Ken, I feel a kindred spirit, however, as he dares to forge his own path without rancor or fear of what rabid credentialists have to say. Of course, Ken is not the target of venom and vitriol from these individuals as much as I am, even though we propound many of the same or similar ideas. That fact alone makes me consider that these critics' "anti-Acharya" biases and bigotry have more to do with sexism and misogyny than with the facts I work so hard to bring to light. In any event, Ken's information is always welcome and illuminating! http://youtu.be/Ug56d5I8Q9w Further Reading JesusNeverExisted.com

Non-Religious Minority Largest of Them All

Bible-abuse victim: 'I'm a psychic slave to religion out of fear'

Ex-Muslim: 'Fear of hell and the death penalty for apostasy kept me from leaving Islam'

What does the Quran say about Jews?

Ex-Muslim imam: 'I wasted a significant part of my life believing in this load of crap'

The Islamic State, apostasy and 'real Muslims'

What is a mythicist?

Come join us on the winter solstice!

Bart Ehrman caught in lies and libel?

What is more logical, rational and scientific?

Popular Dutch politician Geert Wilders gives one of the most important speeches in history

A skeptical life raft in a sea of supernaturalism

Danish scholar speaks on the Christ myth

Devout Muslims decry label of "extremist" and say they're "normal" for Islam

Message to Affleck: Ideology does not equal people

Paul Weston speaks TRUTH about child rape in the UK

Ex-Muslim preacher: 'I say to Muslims, get away from this evil religion!'

Which savior, Jesus, Caesar or Mithra?

Is the Vatican in shock over a 'newly discovered' Bible that says Jesus wasn't crucified?

An exchange with a Christian fundamentalist

Bigotry in the nonbelieving and mythicist fields

Brunei seeks to impose death penalty for citizens declaring themselves non-Muslim

American pastor: Women need to shut up in church

France: Muslim gang beats Jewish man to a bloody pulp, calling him a 'dirty Jew'

A society of cowards submitting to cultural terrorism