It just seems like such a myth to me.

If there was this really great person, why the heck wasn't his influence greater?

Was reading Matthew 25 with Jesus talking about doing for the least of his brothers, etc. We just don't do enough of that. You'd think that Jesus words would have had a greater effect.

If there was a Jesus, and if he was around today, I'm sure that he would be appalled by how little we've done for the least of his brothers -- our brothers and sisters in humanity.

Focus on the message, not the messenger who is not important.

Then ask yourself...does this message contain wisdom?

Then ask yourself again....why do we not follow the wisdom of this message?

Jesus does not have to be around today. Anyone who recognizes the wisdom contained in the message that you listed is appalled.

Right. But those who care and have sought to understand the meaning in the message.

Jesus was a real historical figure - plenty of evidence of that from contemporary historians, right? What's more interesting is whether the teachings we think of as Jesus's were his own, or those attributed to him over the decades and centuries after his death.

Actually, there is very little "contemporary" evidence for the existence of Jesus. Most "evidence" is from hundreRds of years later and most points to hearsay and word of mouth evidence; rather than anything written down at the time.

http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/rmsbrg02.htm