'Jesus' Loses Defamation Suit Against Churches

May 25, 2000 12:17 pm EST

MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Three theologians representing Jesus Christ sued the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches for bringing his name into disrepute -- and lost in a German courtroom.

The theologians, calling themselves "brothers in spirit" of Christ, sued under a law that lets people defend their dead relatives' reputations. They argued that the churches' role in wars had disqualified them from calling themselves "Christian."

"In view of their bloody history, it's a fraud," one told the court in the staunchly Catholic Bavarian city of Munich.

The judge threw out the case on the grounds that the German constitution guaranteed religious freedom -- but not before he pointed out that, since Christians believe Christ rose from the dead, his "brothers" had no right to bring a case on his behalf.