I went a few years ago on a business trip to Rome and was reading the guide book and was surprised to find John the Baptst mentioned in it as a historical famous person. I had not realised his existence was known as fact in the secular world. Then some small bones possibly of John the Baptist were scientifically tested by atheists and found to quite possibly be his. It all helps my faith intellectually because it is just a small step of thought from John the Baptist to Jesus Christ and His baptism by John as an accepted historical event.
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120618-john-the-baptist-bones-jesus-christ-bible-bulgaria-science-higham/
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120618-john-the-baptist-bones-jesus-christ-bible-bulgaria-science-higham/
