Yesterday, I was asked two questions. The first one was meant for shock purposes, the second one to settle the person into a contemplative mode. Or at least that was how I saw the questions. They were easy questions for me because I had been asked them before and the two questions basically give one a clue as to IF they are in a 2010 spiritual mode of living or something more akin to the 1950′s.
Question #1- Was Jesus a real historical person?
Question #2- Does it matter?
Other than the Bible, there are less than a few sentences that can be found anywhere in antiquity that reference Jesus of Nazareth. Of course this fact doesn’t bother most people because to them the Bible is a hand-written document by God, so who cares what all the other ancient books do or do not say about Jesus.
But if one begins to compare Jesus to Horus and Christianity to other older religions, now you are in trouble! 
Question number two is of course VITAL to a fundamentalist: might we say CRITICAL! Most Christians who lived 50-100 years ago would say absolutely YES as well. The 2010 Christian community is not so adamant about an historical Jesus. Of Course the “Jesus Seminar” group and others have been challenging much of Biblical history for decades. And then you have the not so radical (could we say esoteric?) Christians who see Jesus primarily as a metaphor, and an archetype that we should all follow.
Who can disavow the need to model Jesus?
Well, maybe not in everything! I mean who wants to be crucified? Who wants to LOVE their enemies, much less even like them or have to spend an evening socializing with them. And yes, there’s other things “not to like” about what Jesus did, but I digress.
As for me, Jesus was an historical figure. More importantly for me, Jesus IS a present day Christos to whom I am a part. But, does it matter to me if Jesus wasn’t an historical person? If someone somehow showed me PROOF (what could that be?) that Jesus did not exist, would that matter?
Nope!
For you see, the Jesus that I KNOW is the one that lives within me, the incarnation of the divine to which I AM a part. Jesus was LOVE and that’s the only thing that’s important and the only thing that won’t pass away (I Cor. 13 an historical work of Paul or not). 
It is so wonderful to know who we are in Christ and that everything is possible. Lets choose to be more like Jesus, be it the historical one or the metaphorical one, either way Love lights up the way.
I agree Andreas. I believe that the day is coming when all will know. For this moment it is a personal thing and everyone is intitled to their opinion without judgement. Does God have thoughts? Can a spirit have a voice? I believe everything has a voice. I have a friend who talks to trees. It does not mean that he hears audibly, but in his mind there is a communication. If we ever figure out how the mind works! Wow! What a day that will be.
Jesus is real to me, we have communicated through visions and dreams. Was this simply God coming to me in the only way He/She knew I would be receptive. Maybe? The Universe knows we are babies and is growing us up as we are ready to recieve. Just as I gave Paul (my Son) milk when he was a baby. Today he prefers meat. I would not let him near a stove in the past. Now he cooks for himself. Burning up a few things along the way. LOL Yesterday, He cooked for me.
I do not think the fundamentalist are ready to hear that Jesus may not have been a real person, It would cause the foundation of their beliefs to crumble. Many people would possibly even go over the edge and commit suicide. I do not say this jokingly. When your whole world is built around this belief. Taking it away may cause a melt down.
Paulette: You’re so right. Worse though than suicide is that history shows us any radical departure from “fundamentalist” belief system (BS) and they burn YOU at the stake. The ego is a very dangerous thing to mess with- especially the religious ego.
1-Jack Nicholson said, “You can’t HANDLE the TRUTH”
2-Jesus said (John16:12) “I have so much more to tell you but you are NOT READY for the WHOLE TRUTH as you simply could NOT HANDLE IT.”
But………….we’re getting there (2,000 years later).
We have to consider the possibility that all we have ever believed is a lie—and even so, the loving message of the Universe is simply that it’s ok. One of my greatest moments with Spirit occurred when a fundamental belief of mine was challenged. The light of Truth then had its opportunity to dawn. Spirit’s question to me was simply: “What are you afraid this will reveal?” I try to apply that question when confronted with a fear, judgement, bias etc. We are not here to get high, as Michael Beckwith says, we are here to get free!!