Nexus

This is obviously false. If someone believed the gospels were true they would also realize they have a vested interest because of their eternal soul.

James Brown

Not relevant to the discussion.

If there were guards posted at the tomb then they were the first ones to see a resurrected Jesus walk out of the tomb. Where is their eyewitness testimony? Did they die for the faith? Were they the first evangelists?

Matthew had good intentions. In order to squash the skeptic's claims that the disciples stole the body, Matthew writes that guards were posted at the tomb. But it wouldn't do for pagan guards to be the first eyewitnesses of Jesus' resurrection. So Matthew finds he's painted himself into a corner.

To solve this, Matthew can't have Jesus walking out of the tomb the way the other gospel writers presumably pictured it. Instead, Matthew's Jesus teleports out to an unknown location. That's why, when the angel rolls the tombstone away, the tomb is empty.

But that creates yet another problem for Matthew. Why did the women see the angel roll the tombstone away (in direct contradiction to the other gospels, btw), but the guards did not? Guards witnessing an angel would be nearly as awkward as guards witnessing a resurrected Christ. So how can Matthew, having put the guards at the tomb in the first place, now get them out of the picture while still leaving no room for the skeptics to claim the body was stolen?

Easy. Matthew inserts a devastating earthquake that makes the guards faint. Only there are a few problems with this, however. First, earthquakes, especially ones large enough to split rocks, tend to wake people up, not make them pass out. Second, why didn't any other gospel writer--or contemporary historian of any religious persuasion--report the earthquake? Third, what kind of earthquake would make seasoned, hardened guards pass out with a bad case of the vapors, and yet have no effect on the frightened women?

So Matthew, in the attempt to forestall one skeptic, creates issues for more skeptics with each step. Matthew's gospel is a mess.

sotto voce

Really?

Why does it matter whether they had washed, or not?

sotto voce

Yes, some people are very self-centred.

Sheshbazzar

The leaders of organized religion have used this lying story to extract countless billions from the sheeple, to accomplish placing themselves in mansions, dress themselves in fancy and colorful robes, adorn themselves with gold ornaments, and to live lives of indolence off the labors of others.
Yes, from its beginnings, the leaders of the Christian Church have held an extremely vested interest in the promotion of lies.
It is their very livelihood, and if the lie lapses, they would actually have to learn a trade, and produce something of value to live, rather than practice clever extortion from others through their lies.

sotto voce

Come now, circularity must be eschewed in serious discussion.

Sheeple seem very content about this grazing habit. They willingly put themselves in debt, happily endure mindless TV at 'Christmastime'. Atheists included. Of course, their mantra, "Good will to all men" really is a lie. There seem to be vested interests lurking in unsuspected places.

But they were doing that very efficiently before Jesus. Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians and more, all used religion as opiate of the workers.

And they don't do it now nearly as much as they used to. Why is that? Well, to a very large extent, it is due to historical phenomena— the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment— that uncovered and explained Matthew's gospel for the first time in a thousand years. They found that Matthew had rather handily recorded this:

'You are not to be called 'Rabbi', because you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'Father', because you have one Father, and he is in heaven."' 23:8-9

So they stopped calling men who dressed themselves in fancy and colourful robes, and who adorned themselves with gold ornaments, 'Father'.

They also discovered this little gem:

'Even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." 2 Th 3:10 NIV

After that, sheeple at last turned into people, and lived lives of something like due reward for their labour, for the first time in the history of the world. So we could better say that Matthew and his pal Paul improved the lot of humanity.

So few are grateful, though. There seem to be vested interests lurking in unsuspected places.

Chili

Matthew had the religious insight thatthe final impostor is a real danger and the chief priest saw this in the case of Matthews Jesus. Hence the very alert and Pilate's caution triggered the missing body. Metaphysics here that also renders Pilate pagan.

Sheshbazzar

Some did, well over a billion certainly haven't, and their numbers are still increasing.
The leaders of the various 'catholic' and Protestant denominations, you can be sure, will be ensconced in impressive surroundings, sup well, and sleep in their fine beds tonight
Perhaps some day they will also discover the meaning of this little gem;

"The Mother of WHORES, and abominations of the earth." Rev 17:5

All of her daughters are WHORES, all of them alike, are suckled on her breasts.
Certainly not only in The 'Mother' Church, but upon every street corner, high hill, and field;
Wherever these daughter whores of The Great Whore go, lay themselves down, and spread.



.

sotto voce

All have the choice, outside sharia. Just as 'atheists' like Dawkins have the choice to lustily sing carols. Vested interests, remember.

Be grateful. Every time you post.

Denominations are for coinage, not Christianity.

Remember, if is it not too painful, "You are all brothers."

Though even that is absurdity.

aa5874

"First Apology"
Christians were called Atheists in antiquity ---Nothing has changed except that the Jesus cult of Christians have become POLITICALLY Empowered and now dish out the name Atheist to those who maintain that the Jesus cult of Christians do NOT believe in a God but a Myth Fable about a Son of a Ghost that was RAISED from the dead while the Soldiers said they SLEPT.