Posted on 01/22/2006 3:10:37 PM PST by Cornpone
Rome - Lawyers for a small-town parish priest have been ordered to appear in court next week after the Roman Catholic cleric was accused of unlawfully asserting what many people take for granted: that Jesus Christ existed.
The Reverend Enrico Righi was named in a 2002 complaint filed by Luigi Cascioli 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, a lifelong atheist, claims that Righi violated two Italian laws by making the assertion: so-called "abuse of popular belief" in which someone fraudulently deceives people; and "impersonation" in which someone gains by attributing a false name to someone.
Cascioli says that for 2 000 years the Roman Catholic Church has been deceiving people by furthering the fable that Christ existed, and 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.
Gospels 'full of errors'
He also asserts that the Gospels - the most frequently cited testimony of Jesus' existence - are inconsistent, full of errors and biased, and that other written evidence from the time is scant and doesn't hold up to scholarly analysis.
Prosecutors, who in Italy are obliged to investigate such complaints, initially tried to have the case dismissed, saying no crime could be verified.
But Cascioli challenged them, and Judge Gaetano Mautone set a hearing for next Friday in Viterbo, north of Rome, to discuss preliminary motions in Cascioli's bid to have the court appoint technical experts to review the historical data and determine if Jesus really did exist.
Cascioli, 72, said in a recent interview that he decided to pursue the case against Righi, a priest in the village of Bagnoregio, near Viterbo, because the cleric had written in the parish bulletin that Jesus existed.
Cascioli is quick to stress that he has no problem with Christians freely professing their faith.
Righi argues that the existence of Christ is "unmistakable" because of the substantial historical evidence - both pagan and religious - testifying that he indeed lived.
"Cascioli maintains that Christ never existed. If he doesn't see the sun at midday, he can't denounce me just because I do.
"He should denounce all believers!" Righi wrote.
Born 'against Christ'
Cascioli says he fully recognises that his case has a slim chance of succeeding in overwhelmingly Catholic Italy, but not because his argument is lacking.
"We aren't optimistic - unless the Madonna makes a miracle, but I don't think that will happen," he joked.
Cascioli says he is merely going through the necessary legal steps in Italy so he can ultimately take the matter to the European Court of Human Rights, where he intends to pursue the case against the church for "religious racism".
"I was born against Christ and God," he said.
"I'm doing it (the complaint) now because I should do it before I die."
To Atheist: prove Jesus didn't exist.
What I don't understand about some athiests, is that if they don't believe Jesus existed, why make such a fuss over some one, that in there mind , never lived?
Jeff
Then he will stand before a REAL Judge and he will not have a prayer. Sad. Truly sad. He had the opportunity and decided to stand on his own laurels.
Has Italy imported the ACLU?
Because there is really no such thing as an atheist. All humans have a spiritual make-up and a lot of so-called atheists "protest too much", IMHO.
Well, you can't be against something that doesn't exist, so, with the defendant's own words, case closed.
Italy has a Michael Newdow, it appears. Well, that proves the US doesn't have exclusive rights to horses' asses who can file a court action.
That's a good point, but again what I don't understand is, they are protesting over something that they believe doesn't exist lol. They confuse the hell outta me.
I'm an atheist, and I don't get this. It's these types of things, and what that idiot Newdow did, that gives atheists a bad name. What does it matter to this guy if Jesus ever existed or not? You have your belief, that he didn't exist, the priest believes he did. STFU, and mind your business.
How can this clown be born against something he says doesn't exist?
You can't prove that Aristotle didn't exist. The only evidence is the writings of his student Plato. Aristotle may, in fact, be a literary device of Plato, just like Atlantis.
I always thought his existence was pretty much universally accepted, and the only thing open to debate was his divine nature.
To Atheists: What year is it, all over the world?
***"I'm doing it (the complaint) now because I should do it before I die."****
Why dont you just die now and save Italy a few bucks on a Wild Goose Chase.
The ACLU will now probably take up this argument.
By the very definition they deny the existence of God,so why fight against something that doesn't exist?
This is a rhetorical question.
Yes, they have a bigger agenda.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.