aa5874

You just simply read the works of Josephus and other writings of antiquity just like people do today.

I don't think the forger simultaneously interpolated all the works of Josephus that were ever published before and throughout the Roman Empire.

andrewcriddle

sinai The original of this charter survived at Saint Catherine's monastery till relatively modern times, but its' authenticity is shall we say doubtful.
See Mohammed and Sinai and Letter of Protection for more information.

Andrew Criddle

Roger Pearse

That is the right question to ask.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

aa5874

But, please I ask, tell me, do you really expect to find archeological evidence for an entity described as the offspring of the Holy Ghost of God, who transfigured, resurrected and ascended through the clouds?

And please tell me how Muhammad and Plato were described?

If no archeological evidence for Muhammad and Plato can be found, then it is hardly likely that any would be found for Jesus, the offspring of the Holy Ghost of God, on earth, perhaps in heaven.

Zaphod

But that would be another huge problem for the Historical Jesus. The most important event for Christianity is the Sermon on the Mount, where the supposed Jesus forged his New Covenant. The Bible says this was a huge, very well-attended affair and a transformational milestone.

If this is true, it would have been recorded by historians at the time. Could there be any reasonable argument that such an important event would not be captured?

But it was not recorded, and in my opinion, a reasonable conclusion is that the seminal event in Christianity itself was a highly-specified, complete, and utter fabrication. I would contend that once again that the intellectually honest position is that the Historical Jesus must be considered as a false premise until some evidence proves otherwise. (I have never read of a single accepted piece of evidence.)

The scientific method requires evidence to give a certain confidence that a hypothesis is true. The Historical Jesus fails as a hypothesis - this seems transparently true, at least to me.

In any other discipline such a matter would be considered true as a matter of course - but in theology, and in modern public opinion, it would be suicide. Really quite outrageous.

Roger Pearse

Which historians, specifically? It's easy for us to make vague claims, but remember that 99% of ancient literature is lost. So, before arguing from what people unspecified do not say, let's be clear who we are referring to, of extant writers. Surely?

All the best,

Roger Pearse

aa5874

And what percentage of the remaining 1% is about Jesus the Holy Ghost of God?

There are hundreds of writings about Jesus and virtually all claimed he was DIVINE.


The historical records of the DIVINITY of JESUS has not been lost.

See writings under the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul, James, Jude, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Eusebius, Jerome, Chrysostom, Ignatius, Clement and many more.

Zaphod

How can we be clear about historians or documents which don't exist? All we know is that of the historians of the era, none have left us an unambiguous account. Nobody. There is no evidence where we would expect to find it, and explanations for this absence cast more serious doubt about the veracity of the apologetic sources.

There are no "vague claims" here. Evidence either exists or it does not exist. Maybe some day, a proper relic will be unearthed. But, until there is such evidence, the Historical Jesus must be a failed hypothesis.

This is simple stuff, and basic to any discipline that has any objective rigor. Why should the proposition of the existence of JC be exempted from basic enlightenment or scientific principles?*

*This is a rhetorical question - because everybody knows that it would be tantamount to blasphemy of the highest order. It would shake the very foundation of the religious faith of millions of Christians, unleash dozens of assassins. Nobody, so far, has been brave enough to take that heat.

jakejonesiv

Hi AA,

I think they found Jesus' bones in a box in 1980 in the Hebrew Museum in Jerusalem. James Cameron has pictures, I saw it on the Discovery channel.

Jake

aa5874

Perhaps James Cameron did not read Mark 16.6

Mark 16:6 - Jesus should have risen with his bones intact.