Q Dean Sloan says: The physical existence of Jesus (Jehoshua Ben Pandira*), Siddhartha, and Krishna, etc., was known, of course, by their disciples, just like the physical existence of Apollonius of Tyana, who wasn’t connected with religion, therefore, no question about the latter’s existence, except among atheists & the biased, or partially educated. Mythology underlie’s religion, however, the esoteric¹ side of religion veils the truth within, which is known by initiates.² In addition to the foregoing, the irrefutable evidence for the existence of God is empirical/conscious (transcendental-mystical), experiential knowing: The “ancient of Days” was clairvoytantly seen & clairaudinently heard as described by Daniel & Enoch .³ Sincerely & humbly a lover of truth. http://www.qdeansloan.com “And isn't it a bad thing to be deceived about the truth, and a good thing to know what the truth is? For I assume that by knowing the truth you mean knowing things as they really are.” (Plato) http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Plato... * In the Esoteric Character of the Gospels (footnote 25 in Part 2) it’s stated that Jehoshua Ben Pandira “lived a century earlier than the era called Christian, namely, during the reign of the Jewish King Alexander Jannaeus and his wife Salome, who reigned from the year 105 to 79 B.C. Accused by the Jews of having learned the magic art in Egypt, and of having stolen from the Holy of Holies the Incommunicable Nameº, Jehoshua (Jesus), was put to death by the Sanhedrin at Lud. He was stoned and then crucified on a tree, on the eve of Passover.” Part 1 http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/hpb-sio/sio-eso1.htm Part 2 http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/hpb-sio/sio-eso2.htm º “The technique of the Mysteries was unfolded by the Sage Illuminator, the Master of the Secret House. The power to know his guardian spirit was revealed to the new initiate; the method of disentangling his material body from his divine vehicle was explained; and to consummate the magnum opus, there was revealed the Divine Name --the secret and unutterable designation of the Supreme Deity, by the very knowledge of which man and his God are made consciously one. With the giving of the Name, the new initiate became himself a pyramid, within the chambers of whose soul numberless other human beings might also receive spiritual enlightenment.” http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta09.htm Apollonius of Tyanahttp://gnosis.org/.../apollonius/apollonius_mead_0.htm ¹ The division of Christian teachings into exoteric--public--and esoteric--secret --was understood by genuine Christian teachers to be the same as in other religious and philosophic systems. This is made particularly clear in Origen's book Contra Celsus: “That there should be certain doctrines, not made known to the multitude, which are [revealed] after the exoteric ones have been taught, is not a peculiarity of Christianity alone, but also of philosophic systems, in which certain truths are exoteric and others esoteric. Some of the hearers of Pythagoras were content with his ipse dixit; while others were taught in secret those doctrines which were not deemed fit to be communicated to profane and insufficiently prepared ears. Moreover, all the Mysteries that are celebrated everywhere throughout Greece and barbarous countries, although held in secret, have no discredit thrown upon them, so that it is in vain he [Celsus] endeavours to calumniate the secret doctrines of Christianity, seeing that he does not correctly understand its nature” (extract from Chapter VII). http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/origen161.html ² http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/mysterys/mystsch1.htm ³ Daniel 7: 9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the firey flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A firey stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgement was set, and the books were opened. Book of Enoch 14: 10 They elevated me aloft to heaven. I proceeded until I arrived at a wall built with stones of crystal. A vibrating flame surrounded it, which began to strike me with terror. 11 Into this vibrating flame I entered; 12 And drew nigh to a spacious habitation built also with stones of crystal. Its walls too, as well as pavement were formed with stones of crystal, and crystal likewise was the ground. Its roof had the appearance of agitated stars and flashes of lightning; and among them were cherubim of fire in a stormy sky. A flame burned around its walls, and its portal blazed with fire. When I entered into this dwelling, it was hot as fire and cold as ice. No trace of delight or of life was there. Terror overwhelmed me, and a fearful shaking seized me. 13 Violently agitated and trembling, I fell upon my face. In the vision I looked, 14 And behold there was another habitation more spacious than the former, every entrance to which was open before me, erected in the midst of a vibrating flame. 15 So greatly did it excel in all points, in glory, in magnificence, and in magnitude, that it is impossible to describe to you either the splendor or the extent of it 16 Its floor was on fire; above were lightnings and agitated stars, while its roof exhibited a blazing fire. 17 Attentively I surveyed it, and saw that it contained and exalted throne; 18 The appearance of which was like that of frost; while its circumference resembled the orb of the brilliant sun; and there was the voice of the cherubim. 19 From underneath this mighty throne rivers of flaming fire issued. 20 To look upon it was impossible. 21 One great in glory sat upon it: 22 Whose robe was brighter than the sun, and whiter than snow.