Some of you may know enough to share with me and others here about the Essenes. I think there must be a lot of misinformation about them...
I had thought they were an early Christian sect, but in reading all I could on the Internet, it seems they were pre-Christian.
Not much factual information seems to be available, and yet there is even a modern day church which calls itself Essene.
There are speculations that Jesus may have belonged to the Essenes.
Also John the Baptist.
These seem to be someone's assumptions rather than facts, however.
Would like to have your input.

Yaeh, the Essenes were a radical jewish sect. Almost like Hebrew monks. I don't think Jesus would have been a member though, as the Essenes didn't believe he was the Messiah. They're also the ones who wrote the dead sea scrolls that cause so much controversy among Biblical scholars..

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Above are some links that may prove useful.