Was Jesus Christ real? Part IV: the conclusion

As I've said before, be sure to read the first three parts of this series before reading on.

In trying to wrap up this series, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the remarkable "coincidences" the story of Jesus has with other deities/messiahs/saviors. While many theists will go to great lengths to disprove what they can (and ignore what they can't), there are just too many details that are exactly the same to ignore them.

From virgin births and resurrections to fleeing from infanticide and raising the dead, the miracles associated with previous deities fall peculiarly in line with those of Jesus. It's almost impossible to not think his story is a collection of tales from other cultures and religions, taking what they consider the best of the rest and forming their own god.

Bits and chunks of Horus, Mithras, Krishna, Dionysus and many others can be found in the Christ story, some almost verbatim. Take Krishna, which predates Jesus, for instance.

Both were called the Son of God. 

Both were sent from heaven to Earth in the form of a man.

Both were called savior, and the second person of the Trinity. 

Both had adoptive human fathers who were carpenters. 

Both had a spirit or ghost as their actual father. 

Both were royal descent. 

Both were visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by a star.

Both had angels warning of a local dictator who planned to kill the baby. 

Both had parents who fled. Christ's stayed in Muturea; Krishna’s stayed in Mathura. 

Both withdrew to the wilderness as adults, and fasted. 

Both were called “the lion of the tribe."

Both claimed: “I am the resurrection.” 

Both were “without sin.” 

Both were god-men, considered human and divine. 

Both performed many miracles, including the healing of disease. 

Both made a leper whole. 

Both cast out indwelling demons and raised the dead.

Both selected disciples to spread his teachings. 

Both were meek and merciful. 

Both were criticized for associating with sinners. 

Both celebrated a last supper. 

Both forgave his enemies. 

Both were crucified.

Both were resurrected.

And that's just Krishna, which looks a lot like plagiarism to me. But, if you think these are common deity characteristics and a little overlap is bound to happen, then what if I told you some of the strongest evidence that Jesus didn't exist comes again from the bible itself? And that Christ was just a reinvention of someone else who comes from the Old Testament, where we find Joseph and his story's unbelievable resemblance to Jesus.

Here is a link that sums it up much better than I can, but some of the highlights include both being born through miracles, both starting their ministry at 30, both going to Egypt at a young age, Joseph miraculously gave bread to the people around him because he received God's revelation which saved the people from dying during the famine. Jesus miraculously gave bread to the people around him because he received God's revelation which saved the people from the spiritual famine.

The list goes on and on, as the link will attest. How can anyone read the story of Joseph and not think of Jesus? How can anyone, given the parallels and evidence I laid out in this series, plus my comparisons of the gospels to show their inconsistencies, believe this character existed? It's safe to now say that I think he could have been a person, but the evidence just isn't there in the end.