I'm aware that this is a very controversial part of this story. Some will disagree with and be offended by it. To me, it's as real as the sky is blue. Even when I was an atheist/agnostic. From way back it was "Just so". Even was in a Sunday school Easter play where I as an ungrateful young rascal got to play "Pilate" and so wore like a pillow with holes cut for my head and arms and a purple blanket and a dry and itchy small Christmas tree wreath. And some other kid got the "The Jews" outfit which was a patchwork quilt, some felt skullcap, a Halloween pirate beard, fake big nose and devil's horns. So I, not really having my Muse yet dryly went "I am Innocent the blood of this just man, you see to it!" (see ye to it, someone whispered) and then the other kid just shouted well the words up there so powerfully it chilled me to the bone... Now, I'm aware that those powerful words have been used to justify injury to Jews ever since. I don't support that, for IMO the point of this story is that Jesus forgave them and everyone. The real miracle is that even though man had fallen and the Devil ruled, Jesus/God still loved us enough to save us all even at that point. That, incarnating himself as a man he understood us in a way an omnipotent/omniscient being could only do so by limiting himself in such a way, and even enduring life and a brutal death as a man he still loved and forgave us. That he opened up the gates of heaven to all of us and also gave us the means to create heaven on earth by forgiveness. Of course, officially "The Jews" deny this murder, their part in it... I don't support hatred in them for this, and they have the right to their beliefs, to choose their religion. I think it happened and my opinion is from someone who was mostly an outsider to this. IMO, if the Romans went around killing/crucifying everyone that to them (forgive me, JC) would seem like a kind of 'touched' person with mmmabye a dozen or so followers and a few magick trick "Miracles" and made the corrupt Pharisees sh-t their diapers since their public was sick of them and looking for anyone with a different perspective... "It was the dawning of the age of Pisces" play 60s music... ...well they'd be far too tired from it to fight the real militant Jews who were raising swords to them, not to mention the Goths or Celts or...big list. They had no reason to go out of their way to kill JC, and his "Render unto Ceaser" speech made it less likely. Rome didn't care WHAT you believed at that time, only that you paid your taxes (and wandering homeless didn't have $ so no need to shake them) and obeyed the laws. (chiefly paying Rome taxes, which he supported at least) Furthermore, their gods loved to disguise themselves as beggars and vagrants to test a wealthy man's hospitality and if they were unjust to them they'd visit doom on them. So, no a Roman governor would have to be pushed to make a sick spectacle out of killing an independent Rabbi because the Pharisees were too cowardly to kill him themselves. And he would be disgusted by it. Not so much the killing, but them too chicken to just say "That fella messed up our money making scheme in the temple, could we borrow some rope to hang him with?" ---- Credit M3 and morphs, shephard's clothes from Daz. Parrot Dolphin for fabric material