The idea that Jesus was not historical and that his story is based on pagan myths is not that intuitive. Most people reading the Gospels, even if the dismisses the supernatural would not come to that conclusion.
And yet there are more people than ever embracing the Jesus Myth Theory? Why are people drawn to it?
I think that if you are talking to a Mythicist, you should ask them why they embrace it rather than making any assumptions. There is no one reason for it.
Years ago, I had coffee with Tom Harpur, a former Anglican priest who had become a Mythicist. Harpur told me that he saw the only hope for Christianity as an abandonment of a historical Jesus, which he saw as a source of division, and a turning to a Cosmic Christ which resided in people of all or no religion.
These are some of the more common reasons that I have encountered for people to encounter the Jesus Myth Theory:
- A reaction to their Christian past, which they had seen as a negative experience.
- A reaction against organized religion. I believe the origin of the Jesus Myth Theory in France around the time of the Revolution was a push against the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Hatred toward Christians and seeing this as the ultimate insult.
- An attraction toward conspiracy theory and a desire to hold the “true knowledge” that is missed by the majority.
- Some people have read books or articles by Mythicists and were genuinely convinced.
My advice for you, if you are in a conversation with a Mythicist, is to take some time to get to know them and to understand their reasons for accepting this theory.
