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The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence — John E. Remsburg

The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence

John E. Remsburg

  • Essays
  • Book language: English
  • 859 pages

A collection of essays by John E. Remsburg that critically reviews the evidence traditionally offered for the existence of Jesus Christ. It surveys ancient sources and arguments with a skeptical, rationalist eye, asking how much historical basis the Gospel figure has. It remains a notable freethought text for listeners interested in religious criticism and historiography.

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Cover of the original edition (Project Gutenberg, public domain).

Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.

Opening of the book

Original Title Page.
THE
CHRIST
A Critical Review and Analysis of the
Evidences of His Existence

By
JOHN E. REMSBURG
“We must get rid of that Christ.”
—Emerson
New York
THE TRUTH SEEKER COMPANY
Forty-nine Vesey Street.
To My Wife
Nora M. Remsburg
This Volume is Inscribed

Humbly he came,

Veiling his horrible Godhead in the shape

Of man, scorned by the world, his name unheard

Save by the rabble of his native town,

Even as a parish demagogue. He led

The crowd; he taught them justice, truth, and peace,

In semblance; but he lit within their souls

The quenchless flames of zeal, and blessed the

sword

He brought on earth to satiate with the blood

Of truth and freedom his malignant soul.

At length his mortal frame was led to death.

I stood beside him; on the torturing cross

No pain assailed his unterrestrial sense;

And yet he groaned. Indignantly I summed

The massacres and miseries which his name

Had sanctioned in my country, and I cried

“Go! Go!” in mockery.

—Shelley.

PREFACE.

“We must get rid of that Christ, we must get rid of that Christ!” So spake one of the wisest, one of the most lovable of men, Ralph Waldo Emerson. “If I had my way,” said Thomas Carlyle, “the world would hear a pretty stern command—Exit Christ.” Since Emerson and Carlyle spoke a revolution has taken place in the thoughts of men. The more enlightened of them are now rid of Christ. From their minds he has made his exit. To quote the words of Prof.

Goldwin Smith, “The mighty and supreme Jesus, who was to transfigure all humanity by his divine wit and grace—this Jesus has flown.” The supernatural Christ of the New Testament, the god of orthodox Christianity, is dead. But priestcraft lives and conjures up the ghost of this dead god to frighten and enslave the masses of mankind. The name of Christ has caused more persecutions, wars, and miseries than any other name has caused. The

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Contents

  1. PREFACE.
  2. CONTENTS.
  3. THE CHRIST. CHAPTER I. Christ’s Real Existence Impossible.
  4. CHAPTER II. Silence of Contemporary Writers.
  5. CHAPTER III. Christian Evidence.
  6. CHAPTER IV. The Infancy of Christ.
  7. CHAPTER V. The Ministry of Christ.
  8. CHAPTER VI. The Crucifixion of Christ.
  9. CHAPTER VII. The Resurrection of Christ.
  10. CHAPTER VIII. Character and Teachings.
  11. CHAPTER IX. The Christ a Myth.
  12. CHAPTER X. Sources of the Christ Myth—Ancient Religions.
  13. CHAPTER XI. Sources of the Christ Myth—Pagan Divinities.
  14. CHAPTER XII. Sources of the Christ Myth—Conclusion.
  15. INDEX.
  16. Colophon
  17. THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE

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