Thursday, October 14, 2010

FacePalm Quote of the Day #13: Jesus' Resurrection, Debunked in One Page.pdf - Google Docs

John Loftus pointed out a page by Chris Hallquist in which he gives 8 points for why he does not believe that the Resurrection did not happen. Hallquist seems to think that he has compelling and gripping evidence against the Resurrection but frankly there is nothing new here in the slightest. Here is his list

Jesus' Resurrection, Debunked in One Page.pdf - Google Docs
I have my own list. It's really nothing new these "objection" have been brought up and refuted many times before.
1. Christianity's endurance for the past 2000 years is evidence that Jesus indeed was raised from the dead. Why? Simple Christianity is based on extraordinary claims those claims would have had to believed beyond doubt enough for people to completely change their lives. Look, neither Paul and James believed Jesus was Resurrected until they met the Resurrected Christ. IT changed their lives. Meeting Jesus today continues to change lives. There are few examples of historical sources from antiquity being dated within a century of when the events took place.
2. Hallquist is being disingenuous. Not all Biblical scholars think that there is every good reason to believe that the names of the authors attached to the Gospels wrote those Gospels.
3. Hallquist may think that the Gospels are mere anonymous tracts but many scholars disagree with him. On top of that the New Testament, including the Gospels, were written too early after the events to be explained away as legendary.
4. Paul knew several (if not all) of the witnesses he mentions personally! I'm familiar with the claims of the Book of Mormon and they are in no way equal to the miracles Jesus did. In addition, The Bible doesn't tell use to believe anything solely on the basis of Miracles. See Deuteronomy 13. Demons do miracle too.
5. Jesus disciples were in the perfect situation and circumstances to know if what they were preaching were true. I think it is strong evidence that they believed that what they were saying is true. If Jesus did not rise...there still would have been a body 50 days after the crucifixion why not just produce it? Simple. Everyone who was there at Pentecost knew the tomb was empty.
6 and 7. I'm going to cover the hallucination hypothesis this way. None of the apostles believed that Jesus rose even though he told them he would. The last thing they expected was to see Jesus alive again. Granted one might argue that Peter and the boys would be comforted by such an hallucination, but that does not explain Paul, James, or Jude who never believed Jesus before they met Jesus after the Resurrection.
Point 8 is just a commercial...and not a good one.
I'm amazed that people keep bringing up these objections and can't see how bad they are. I mean where is the "A" material?
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Answering Muslims: U.K. Muslim Cleric Sheikh Maulana Abu Sayeed Declares That Rape Is Not Possible in Marriage

I agree with David Wood. It doesn't make sense to argue that women are equal to men but must provide sex to their husbands no matter how they feel or think. If a husband and wife are "one flesh" than raping your wife is akin to suicide. It makes no sense.

Answering Muslims: U.K. Muslim Cleric Sheikh Maulana Abu Sayeed Declares That Rape Is Not Possible in Marriage
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Dialogue on the Resurrected Body, part 2 | True Freethinker

Mariano has posted the second part of his  answering common objection from  an atheist regarding the Resurrection.. Good post.

Dialogue on the Resurrected Body, part 2 | True Freethinker
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Answering Atheism - books, page 2 of 3 | True Freethinker

Here is the second part of Mariano's series summarizing good book resources for answering atheism.

Answering Atheism - books, page 2 of 3 | True Freethinker


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