Was Jesus Invented to Quell Rebellion?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/story-of-jesus-christ-was-fabricated-to-pacify-the-poor-claims-controversial-biblical-scholar-8870879.html

Ironically, many atheists dismiss this claim as little more than yet another unfounded conspiracy theory:

http://guardianlv.com/2013/10/atheists-skeptical-of-atwills-claim-of-a-fabricated-jesus/