I break a blogfast, and look what happens. But when I saw this headline, and the story that goes with it, I couldn't resist. Leave it to elderly Roman men to decide that another, an Italian judge, should take up this theological question. On the basis of anti-fraud legislation, at that.
An Italian court is tackling Jesus -- and whether the Roman
Catholic Church may be breaking the law by teaching that he
existed 2,000 years ago.
The case pits against each other two men in their 70s, who
are from the same central Italian town and even went to the
same seminary school in their teenage years.
The defendant, Enrico Righi, went on to become a priest
writing for the parish newspaper. The plaintiff, Luigi
Cascioli, became a vocal atheist who, after years of legal
wrangling, is set to get his day in court later this month.
"I started this lawsuit because I wanted to deal the final
blow against the Church, the bearer of obscurantism and
regression," Cascioli told Reuters.
Cascioli says Righi, and by extension the whole Church,
broke two Italian laws. The first is "Abuso di Credulita
Popolare" (Abuse of Popular Belief) meant to protect people
against being swindled or conned. The second crime, he says, is
"Sostituzione di Persona", or impersonation.
Abuso di Credulita
Popolare" (Abuse of Popular Belief). I love that. Think of all our current Washington follies, let alone intelligent design, that could be brought under this statute. (I wonder howi it would sit with the First Amendment, though).
"The Church constructed Christ upon the personality of John
of Gamala," Cascioli claimed, referring to the 1st century Jew
who fought against the Roman army.
A court in Viterbo will hear from Righi, who has yet to be
indicted, at a January 27 preliminary hearing meant to
determine whether the case has enough merit to go forward.
"In my book, The Fable of Christ, I present proof Jesus did
not exist as a historic figure. He must now refute this by
showing proof of Christ's existence," Cascioli said.
Speaking to Reuters, Righi, 76, sounded frustrated by the
case and baffled as to why Cascioli -- who, like him, came from
the town of Bagnoregio -- singled him out in his crusade
against the Church.
"We're both from Bagnoregio, both of us. We were in
seminary together. Then he took a different path and we didn't
see each other anymore," Righi said.
"Since I'm a priest, and I write in the parish newspaper,
he is now suing me because I 'trick' the people."
Righi claims there is plenty of evidence to support the
existence of Jesus, including historical texts.
He also claims that justice is on his side. The judge
presiding over the hearing has tried, repeatedly, to dismiss
the case -- prompting appeals from Cascioli.
"Cascioli says he didn't exist. And I said that he did," he
said. "The judge will to decide if Christ exists or not."
Even Cascioli admits that the odds are against him,
especially in Roman Catholic Italy.
"It would take a miracle to win," he joked.
If I were Cascioli, I'd ask for a change of venue.