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Updated: 8:32 a.m. ET Jan. 27, 2006

VITERBO, Italy - An Italian judge heard arguments Friday on whether a small-town parish priest should stand trial for asserting that Jesus Christ existed.

The priest’s atheist accuser, Luigi Cascioli, says the Roman Catholic Church has been deceiving people for 2,000 years with a fable that Christ existed, and that the Rev. Enrico Righi violated two Italian laws by reasserting the claim.

Lawyers for Righi and Cascioli, old schoolmates, made their arguments in a brief, closed-door hearing before Judge Gaetano Mautone in Viterbo, north of Rome. They said they expected the judge to decide quickly.

Cascioli filed a criminal complaint in 2002 after Righi wrote in a parish bulletin that Jesus did indeed exist, and that he was born of a couple named Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and lived in Nazareth.

Cascioli claims that Righi’s assertion constituted two crimes under Italian law: so-called “abuse of popular belief,” in which someone fraudulently deceives people; and “impersonation,” in which someone gains by attributing a false name to a person.

Church committing fraud?
“The point is not to establish whether Jesus existed or not, but if there is a question of possible fraud,” Cascioli’s attorney, Mauro Fonzo, told reporters before the hearing.

Cascioli says the church has been gaining financially by “impersonating” as Christ someone by the name of John of Gamala, the son of Judas from Gamala.

He has said he has little hope of the case succeeding in overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Italy, but that he is merely going through the necessary legal steps to reach the European Court of Human Rights, where he intends to accuse the church of what he calls “religious racism.”

Righi, 76, has stressed substantial historical evidence — both Christian and non-Christian — of Jesus’ existence.

“Don Righi is innocent because he said and wrote what he has the duty to say and write,” Righi’s attorney, Severo Bruno, told reporters.

He said he told Mautone during the hearing that Righi was not asserting a historical fact when he wrote of Jesus’ existence, but rather “an expression of theological principles.”

“When Don Righi spoke about Christ’s humanity ... he was affirming that he needs to be considered as a man. What his name is, where he comes from or who his parents are is secondary,” he said.

Fonza said he countered that there have long been questions of Christ’s existence and that the matter warranted discussion in the court.

“When somebody states a wrong fact, abusing the ignorance of people, and gains from that, that is one of the gravest crimes,” Cascioli told reporters.

Righi’s brother, Luigi Righi, attended the hearing and said his brother was “serene but bitter.”

Link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11057077/)
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By the way...the image in the "Link" is the accuser, when you move your mouse over the image. I always thought that looking up can only get better, but I find thats not true in every case when I thought the picture was Rev. Enrico Righi.

How many times have you seen this verse used on the Roman Catholic Church for changing the Sabbath day or the Graven Images of the Ten Commandments?

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.


JESUS IS REAL

Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Hello At_The_Cross,

I did hear something about this in a news brief and considered it to be yet another ridiculous sign of the times we live in. This story reminded me of a Christian news brief that was posted on the forum recently. A church in the U.S. was about to vote whether JESUS was God or not.

I give thanks that the absolute reality of JESUS does not depend on a court or any other organization of man.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 121:2 NASB  My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Matthew 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
Matthew 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.
Matthew 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
Matthew 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

I couldn't tell you off the top of my head how many times it is written "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ". After looking it up... six times.

Romans 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Victory for Jesus:
Judge tosses case
Atheist suing over Christ's existence
warned he could be guilty for slander
Posted: February 10, 2006
5:55 p.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

An Italian atheist who sued a local priest for claiming Jesus Christ existed has been rebuffed and his case thrown out of court.

Luigi Cascioli, 76, had charged Father Enrico Righi under a law that forbids deceiving the public, saying that the priest, who had publicly criticized him for casting doubt on the truth of the gospels, had no evidence Jesus ever existed.

Cascioli, who once trained for the priesthood, further accused the church of having profited from its deception for 2,000 years, another crime under Italian law.

Following the judges dismissal of the case, Cascioli said the matter is not concluded and he may take it to the European Court of Human Rights.

Father Righi's attorney expressed the priest's satisfaction at the verdict. "Father Righi is very satisfied and moved. He is an old, small-town parish priest who never would have thought he'd be in the spotlight for something like this."

In dismissing the case, the judge recommended that Cascioli be investigated for slander against the priest, a prospect Cascioni dismissed, saying proving the charge would still require Righi to prove Christ's existence.

"They don't have any proof," he said.

Thanks for the follow-up brother. Being out of town six days out of the week makes it hard to keep up on the topic. The circumvent by the judge reminds me of Pontius Pilate in a way.

There is loads of non biblical, historical documentation for Jesus.
There's so much in fact, that if we didn't have the Bible we could still know the following facts about Jesus.

He was worshiped as God

He was born in Bethlehem

He was seen by multitudes performing miracles including healing the blind, deaf and lame.
He was seen to raise people from the dead.

He was falsely accused by the Jewish leaders of His day.

He was sent before Pilot, and sent back to the Jews because Pilot found no guilt in him.

He was sent before Herrod, the puppet Jewish King, and was sent back to the Jewish leaders once again.

He was sent back to Pilot, and under threat of rebellion, Pilot agreed to sentence Jesus to be scourged and crucified.

He was wiped and crucified shortly before the Jewish Passover.

He was found to be dead, and did not have His legs broken to hasten death - fulfilling the prophecy that none of His bones would be broken.

There was a great earthquake and three hours of darkness at the moment of His death, and there is historical documentation of surrounding countries scientists and leaders debating as to what the cause of this darkness was.

He was placed in a tomb which was donated by a rich friend.

He was seen alive by up to five hundred people at a time after He was placed in His burial chamber.

All this and more can be found in ancient historical documents. Jesus is referred to by name in several passages in a few of these historical documents.

If you can deny the existence and ministry of Jesus, then you must be consistent and deny all historical figures and events

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.  
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? ...

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. ...

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

AMEN!!! but we must not forget to go and be fisher's of men

AMEN BROTHERS!!!

JESUS CHRIST is absolute Reality. I love HIM and HE lives in my heart. I don't need scientific proof that JESUS lives in my heart. I know Him, feel Him, and hear Him every day. JESUS walks with me every step of the way in this short life, and I know beyond any doubt at all that I will spend eternity with Him. Every Promise of God will be fulfilled completely and perfectly, so physical death for me simply means absent from the body and present with the LORD.

Now I'm thinking about the old hymn again:



Love In Christ,
Tom

Philippians 1:6 NASB  For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Psalms 139:16 NASB  Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

John 17:11 NASB  "I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.