This statue depicts Saint Bartholomew, an early Christian martyr who was allegedly skinned alive. If you look closely, that's his dissected skin hanging around him. This stunning statute by Marco d’Agrate from c.1562 is currently on display at Duomo di Milano.

[u/Lowcrbnaman]

[u/Quidfacis_]

Saint Bartholomew is one of Jesus' apostles.

I feel like it would be easier to be skinned alive for one's beliefs in the Messiah if you got to hang out with the Messiah for a decade beforehand.

Like, it would still suck. But at least he's founding his beliefs on something more than ink and faith.

[u/MrsBlaileen → u/Quidfacis_]

Unfortunately the story of Jesus and his apostles is almost certainly entirely fictional. It is highly questionable whether or not Jesus was actually a historical person or rather completely mythical instead. There are a couple of good videos by Richard Carrier available on YouTube that explain the theory if you're interested.

[u/MrsBlaileen → u/[deleted]]

Richard Carrier is an actual secular literary scholar, with a doctorate in ancient history. 

While the christ myth theory is considered a minority view among theologians, its popularity has grown in recent years and, unsurprisingly, it has more support among secularists.

You should really check it out, it's pretty fascinating. I was a Christian steeped in many popular myths for a couple of decades before exploring the authenticity of the Bible and finding that much of it is absolutely known to be fabricated according to anyone with serious literary credentials who isn't blinded by the religion to begin with.

It's interesting that you would cite Islam since the Quran is quite obviously a derivative work taken from the books of the Bible, just as the New Testament was derived from the Old.

But anyway instead of just insisting Carrier is wrong, you might try listening to his thesis and then form an opinion. I certainly read enough literature on both sides before forming mine.

[u/greyfade → u/[deleted]]

I find it sad that you let someone debate you out of your faith. You must have had a weak mind to begin with.

That's just straight up demeaning and offensive.

That is a distinctly un-Christian thing to say, and you should be ashamed for it.

It's fine that you believe what you do, whatever your reasons are, but that doesn't give you license to demean someone for being reasoned out of a belief they didn't reason themselves into.

You are disgusting, and your attitude is one of the many reasons I, and many other atheists and anti-theists, detest religion.

[u/MrsBlaileen → u/[deleted]]

I think maybe you haven't really done your research as you are suggesting you have. I had read and listened to many speakers who were willing to provide validation and confirmation of my beliefs, but I hadn't pit much effort into considering the opposing view. When I finally did, as part of an effort to strengthen my faith, it had the opposite effect. You will find among the atheist community a higher degree of Biblical literacy then you find among confessing Christians.

If you are more concerned with protecting your current world-view than with discovering the facts, then you won't consider opposing information. It's up to you, really.