ffscatter - that you want to believe Jesus didn't exist so that you don't have to deal with His teachings about how to reconcile with God has no bearing on his actual existence, and that you won't carefully investigate these issues, given what's at stake (your soul and eternity), is a type of insanity. Simply Google "Pope Leo X quote 'how well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for us and our predecessors.' " - it's very likely a false quote or false attribution, and the same will be found if you Google and research "Eusebius quote 'it is an act of virtue to deceive and lie, when by such means the interest of the church might be promoted.'". There are multiple 1st and 2nd century references to Jesus' existence by sources hostile to Christianity - who he was/is is the issue to be dealt with, but trying to say he never even existed doesn't work. And even if the above quotes were true, the Bible itself repeatedly warns that there will be false Christians.