Dargo

Has anyone considered the possibility that the resurection stories could have been started by a practical joke? I can almost imagine a group of drunk soldiers hanging around and thinking- Those followers of that Yeshua we crucified a few days ago are such morons. I bet if we stole the body and told them he rose from the dead they'd believe it!

lpetrich

While I don't think that that is very likely, this sort of thing has been done by some debunkers.

In 1994, The Amazing Randi had a young man pose as a channeler of a 2000-year-old Venezuelan spirit, "Carlos" -- and that young man hoodwinked a lot of people.

And in the 1980's, a certain George Jammal claimed to have found a piece of Noah's Ark -- which was some wood soaked in teriyaki sauce. Here are <a href="http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/ark-hoax/jammal.html" target="_blank">some more details</a>; several leading creationists swallowed the hoax whole.

Just like that sea monster swallowing Jonah.

case

While the joke hypothesis is a funny one, I don't think that was what happened. We can't even assert with much certainty that Jesus was even buried in a tomb (most persons cruxified by the Romans were thrown into common pits). I think the ressurection myth is just an example of stories changing over time so they support the current ideas of a group.

Still, nothing like drunken Roman soldiers for a good ice breaker joke...

bob_the_god

I doubt anyone will ever know the truth, this therory can be chucked on the pile. Besides Im sure that Drunken soliders could not have got the stone out and a rotting corpse, i mean I would not take the body i would put someone elses in, the whole of history could have been changed the Ressurection could have become how Christ turned into a woman on the third day!