text: can you be persecuted if you don't really exist? several writers have suggested that christianity was not formed until several hundred years after christ.  this notion has absolutely no basis in fact whatsoever.  if you want secular sources alone, fine, take roman historians (such as tacitus).  nero persecuted/killed hundreds of christians around 64 ad.  domitian did the same at the close of the 1st century.  how did they persecute a group that didn't exist? to whom are you referring? do you have any citations? jesus' followers during his lifetime and shortly after are considered christians, and christianity started out as a jewish sect. i don't think this is in dispute by reputable religious scholars, so some citations from you would be helpful to get to the bottom of this.   a timeline for christianity can be found below.  eta: anyone who thinks christianity started in the garden of eden is completely wacko. do a little reading, please.