I believe in reality. If it cannot be shown to exist, I choose not to believe in it. However, like Franklin & Jefferson, I am willing to stand up for the beliefs of others as long as those beliefs do not infringe upon the rights of others. ​​​​​
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Whether or not the story of Jesus of Nazareth is real or fabricated, what I've taken away from its reading is that Christ had ideas which were both relevant & beneficial, not only for his time, but throughout most of the last 2000 years. Unsurprisingly, this scared the hell out of the powers that be, so eventually they put him to death.

If Christ actually existed, did he desire to be defied & worshiped or understood and his teachings followed?

What of worth within Christian ideology lies beyond the mythology?

As regards the centuries long reference to a "second coming", if Christ actually died on the cross and rose from the dead a day later, wouldn't that rising from the dead actually constitute the "second coming"?

Additionally there is a reference to Christ's "second coming" being the equivalent of a "thief in the night".

Might not the defection of many of Christ's followers away from the standard Jewish faith of the time, constitute the "theft"?

Speculation as to what the historical ministry of Jesus of Nazareth may have been:

Jesus began his career as an itinerant rabbi/healer in Galilee.  Jesus may well have become a healer due to his father being a healer or having been apprenticed to a healer. The focus was more healing than religion. When Jesus was not healing, he was analyzing the Jewish faith. Jesus had some form of a religious epiphany which caused him to seek out John the Baptist. I believe that John the Baptist was a leading prophet of the Essene sect, primarily the Qumran Community.  The baptism moved Jesus enough to go into the desert and reside at the Qumran Community for some period of time. There Jesus became more prophet/rabbi than medical practitioner.  Jesus had evolved to seeing himself as a healer of not only mind and body, but of the entire Jewish community. He soon developed not only a wide following in the northern region of Judea, but a group of 5-12 disciples. Those who came to see Jesus perform just as his disciples seemed more interested in the healer than the prophet aspect of his gatherings. His disciples seemed not to fully understand Jesus’ general message. Sometime between the age of 33-35, Jesus decided to take his disciples and followers to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover. For whatever reason, Jesus' activities around the Temple greatly disturbed the Jewish leaders, who controlled it. They complained to the Romans. The Romans, who were extremely brutal, would tolerate no infringement of the public order (Pax Romana).  Jesus was put on trial and sentenced to death. He was either hung, tortured, crucified or perhaps some combination of all three. What happened to Jesus' body after his death is problematic. What Jesus was teaching was carried on by James the Just and disciples both old and new. What the people saw as resurrection was the rise of the power and promise of Jesus’ message after he had died. 

our existence is not a practice session for an afterlife

There is also the strong possibility that Christ was a watered down virtual version of John the Baptist. In any case, if either actually existed more than 2000 years ago, odds are good that they came from the branch of the Israelites which had been sent to Babylon & that they had exposure to the Taoist teachings and healing practices of that period. 

If Christ did exist, have a sneaking suspicion that if he could witness what his teachings have wrought, he would not be all the happy. Highly doubtful, Christ was pushing:

• donations to the church in order to receive eternal heavenly rewards
  
• himself as a deity mean to replace the ancient gods
• anything other than a message and practices meant to help his tribe survive
  
• the wars and horrors many of his most fervent self-proclaimed followers have been instrumental in fomenting
  

Seems strange that exterminating/eliminating/purging those, who do not have the same belief system, has become a core principle for many self-proclaimed Christians. When was it that the perceived image of Jesus of Nazareth turned from being that of a revolutionary pacifist purveyor of personal salvation to that of a malevolent avenging angel of conservative retribution?

Did Jesus of Nazareth profit from his alleged teachings? Has mankind?

Does your god speak to you or to your sense of fear?

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Whatever Jesus of Nazareth was or wasn't likely cannot be found within either the 2-4+ hand reports within the New Testament or the cherry-picked teachings of the churches which have been created in his name.

The rest, as they say, is religious theory and practice.

Most biological life on this planet instinctively understands that the purpose of existence is about, not only their own survival, but the survival of their offspring. Are modern humans lacking in this instinct or do we simply have an issue with overthinking things?

Does your god take offense at those who accurately describe reality?

Why do supposedly all-powerful, living gods allow others to put words into their mouths & commit heinous deeds in their name?

what rises from the dead is the next generation of all things
humanity creates its own gods & demons​

when you tire of empty platitudes, uncaring deities and failed prophecies, there is always the universe​
religion is a mythological state of mind used to avoid dealing with reality
religion is often fuel for institutionalizing tribalism
Why do religions, like political parties, always seem to evolve into entities built to empower their leadership?
Fortunately for humans, the universe is not looking for affirmation of its existence​

the universe does not require worship or fealty
the universe requires tolerance and adaptation

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eternal life is a religious fantasy
a rewarding, longer lasting human existence is a more realistic goal

existence is not a morality test
existence is an adaptive process

 truth will not promote itself
 truth simply is

take what wisdom lies within historical religions

leave the mythology/afterlife behind

work toward building a better human future

If God cannot be known, is God really worth knowing?

all that we truly possess is our own being