Half-Life

Explain the empty tomb if he was eaten by dogs. Why was he taken down from the cross from Joseph of Arimethea? Pilate granted permission for this.

Now, what exactly was going on in the first century? Why do we have so many www.earlychristianwritings.com ?

Who wrote all of these if everything was made up or not real? Was there a real Jesus? How did everything spread?

Gooch's dad

Half-Life, the burden of proof is on YOU to show that the gospels are accurate history. In that post, you assumed already that the gospels are accurate. You're assuming that there *was* an empty tomb, and that the story about Joseph of Arimathea is more than just a story.

By all indications, it is just a story, since the earliest Christian writings contain no such details at all.

Getting the idea yet? YOU would have to show that the gospels are accurate history, in the face of overwhelming data that indicate that the gospels are, in fact, mostly fabrication.

BTW, there were early skeptics that challenged the Christian stories, Celsus being the one we know the most about. Of course, his writings didn't survive except through quotes preserved in the writings of Christian church fathers. Which shows you why we have so little information about the skeptics. Their writings weren't copied by those who were in power for 1000 years or more.

Toto

Fictional story written after the fall of Jerusalem, when no one could find a tomb.
More fiction.

There was a lot of Jewish national agitation, a lot of religious searching and religious syncretism. There was a lot of searching the Hebrew scriptures for signs and clues and themes.

Face it: fictional stories about heros are common in every era. But no one has been observed to rise from the dead and leave an empty tomb behind. Is it more likely that the empty tomb story is fictional or that something happened?

Half-Life

Look, there would not be an early Christian writings if NOTHING HAPPENED! There would be no reason to make up a lie for no reason at all. What reason would anyone have to say "Well Jesus was crucified and thrown into a pit and eaten by dogs but let's make up a lie and say his body was taken down, placed in an empty tomb and he rose from the dead!" to which everyone replies "Yes! Let's make this up!!"

Does this make sense to you?

pharoah

30th century man: Exactly what was going on in the 20th century? Why do we have so much Star Wars?

Who wrote all of these if everything was made up or not real? Was there a real Darth Vader? How did everything spread?

Gooch's dad

Yes, Half-Life, it makes lots of sense that superstitious people of 2000 years ago would make up stories about ghosts, and people "coming back from the dead". Those sort of stories were quite common back then.

By your logic, the stories that Joseph Smith told, that became the Book of Mormon, must also be based in fact, because "nobody would just make stuff up and believe it", right?

pharoah

Explain the creation of the Greek myths. Were they based on known facts and people?

Chris Weimer

Explain Hinduism, Greek mythology, non-Hellenistic Roman mythology, Egyptian mythology, Chinese mythology, Japanese mythology, etc... I mean, there must have been a Hercules if there was so much written on him.

Half-Life

Star Wars is fiction. Everyone knows this. Nobody wrote in the Christian writings that this stuff is pure fiction. They intended it to be the truth.

Asha'man

Scientology is a fiction, written by a well-known science fiction author, L. Ron Hubbard. But right now, in the US, there are millions of people who believe Scientology is absolutely true.

Since nobody would believe it if it wasn't so, you'd better go get yourself tested with an e-meter and get those Thetans out of your body immediately!:rolling: