They should have known better

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They should have known better

Post #1

Post by achilles12604 »

achilles12604 wrote:
Zzyzx wrote:.
The greatest event in history supposedly occurs, a thirty year visit from the “creator of the universe”, and believers can cite only church preachings and ONE outside source that is known to be at least partially false.

Something doesn’t ring true. Any discerning person should question the validity of and support for the story.
Agreed. But remember we are 2000 years out of date. Those discerning people with the best vantage point were those living in the area at the time. Strangely enough we see a couple of unduplicated phenomina occur right then.

1) The Jews who historically didn't change their core religious beliefs despite being split up, conqured, and accosted for several thousand years suddenly are divided and believing in notions which before this time had never been heard of, much less accepted.

2) Christianity suddenly errupts very shortly after it's leader is murdered. This is unique in world history as far as I know. I am unaware of any other religion surviving much less exploding after being persecuted and having their leader of only a couple years assassinated. All of the other religions who fit this pattern died off very shortly after the leader.

3) The people living in the area, who would have had the ability to know fact from legend, began believing in a very Jewish risen Jesus within just a year or so after Jesus murder (Nazarenes).



Now these things are unique especially because these people had the unique ability to KNOW BETTER. If you compare Christianity to Islam, Christianity claims that Jesus performed miracles and rose from the grave in full view of the public. Compare that with Muhammad who was totally alone in a cave and then only he came out and reported what he did. No one else was around to protest any lies.

This is a critical difference and it has major implications for the falsfiability and therefore validity of the religion in question.


This transaction occurred in the Was the TF inserted thread. And I find it to be a topic unto itself.


Is my view on this matter sound? I find that Christianity is unique because it is the only religion which allowed itself to be falsifiable to the original believers. Jesus didn't go into a cave and later come out to tell everyone what an angel said to him. He taught in the streets. His ministry was very public. And as such, the claims which followed very shortly after him would have been easily disproven.

So doesn't common sense tell us that if someone is making outrageous claims like those of miracles and rising from the dead, that the people right then and there would have been able to disprove and ignore the raving lunatic? How on earth could Christianity have convinced one of the world most stubborn religious people (the Jews) to adopt new ideas, and move into a totally new and different religion when their totally outrageous and absurd claims were so blatently and obviously false?

They should have known better.


Please evaluate the above 3 points of uniqueness and comment. Am I off my rocker? Are there other religions which can boast the same unique situations as Christianity? Do these situations have an impact on the verifiability and validity of Christian claims as a whole?
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Post #61

Post by Goat »

achilles12604 wrote:
goat wrote:
Achilles12604 wrote:
goat wrote:
achilles12604 wrote:
goat wrote:
achilles12604 wrote:
goat wrote:
achilles12604 wrote:
goat wrote: Since when did Roman Governors meet with a condemed prisoner and proclaim them innocent, but execute them anyway?

On the other hand, we DO have a record of Pilate taking an active interest in a messanic figure, by his purposeful capture and execution of the Samaritan messiah in 36 c.e.
So let me get this straight . . .


We are looking for a non-Christian figure, who would have witnessed Jesus actions, found them amazing, and written them down but still maintained his disbelief.

We find a homicidal Governor who is bent on killing anyone even remotely like Jesus . . . .and then you want me to answer why this guy didn't record any observations documenting his amazing deeds?

Am I missing something here?
Yep. you certainly are. ALl we need is the report that all the Jews were going around following this fellow, even if they thought the 'miracles' were supersition and fraud.
So tell me . . . what writings of Pilate DO we have? Based on this criteria, he should have written about the Egyptian too. And he should have written about the "messiah" he had killed in 36CE.

Please pull out these writings for me so that I know that Pilate wrote about . . . how did you put it . . . . Oh yea, this guy . . .
the Jews were going around following this fellow, even if they thought the 'miracles' were supersition and fraud.
Right now, none. We DO contemporary writers from Jerusalem from that time period. It doesn't have to be Pilate.. it coudl have been philo, it could have been another one. . But, we have none.
Philo? You mean the same Philo who failed to write about the prominate Jewish leader in Jerusalem old Gil?

And others huh?

What other ones? Names. so far you have named a Roman Gov. who had zero interest in writing about the people he was trying to kill off (big surprise) and Philo, who also failed to write about other significant religious leaders, even if they were part of his own beliefs.

Anyone else?
Bringing up straw men again huh? I said ANYONE, and I do mean ANYONE.

It could have been the essene's, if there was a dead sea scroll that mentioned Jesus it would be FASCINATING. .. don't you agree? Or, anybody else. Anybody outside of the Christian scriptures and before the destruction of the temple. .. it appears to me beliefs got warped after the temple was destroyed.
Oh . . . you mean like . . .

And then many sick and maimed came to Jesus, asking him. "if you know all things, tell us, why do we suffer with these grievous plagues? Why are we not whole like other men? Master, heal us, that we too may be made strong, and need abide no longer in our misery. We know that you have it in your power to heal all manner of disease. Free us from Satan and from all his great afflictions. Master, have compassion on us."

And Jesus answered- "Happy are you that you hunger for the truth, for I will satisfy you with the bread of wisdom. Happy are you, that you knock, for I will open to you the door of life. Happy are you, that you would cast off the power of Satan, for I will lead you into the kincdom of our Mother's angels, where the power of Satan cannot enter."
http://www.essene.com/GospelOfPeace/peace1.html

Or maybe . . .
And seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up into a mountain, and his disciples came unto him, and all those who hungered for his words. And seeing them gathered, he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

"Peace I bring to thee, my children,

The Sevenfold Peace

Of the Earthly Mother

And the Heavenly Father.

Peace I bring to thy body,
http://www.essene.com/GospelOfPeace/pea ... nFoldPeace
And it came to pass that Jesus gathered the Sons of Light by the shore of the river, to reveal to them that which had been hidden; for the space of seven years had passed, and each one was ripe for truth, as the flower opens from the bud when the angels of sun and water bring it to its time of blossoming.

And all of them were unlike one to the other, for some were of age, and some had still the dew of youth on their cheeks, and some had been raised according to the traditions of their fathers, and others knew not who their father and mother had been. But all shared in a clearness of eye and a suppleness of body, for these were signs that for seven years they had walked with the angels of the Earthly Mother and obeyed her laws. And for seven years the unknown angels of the Heavenly Father had taught them through their sleeping hours. And now was the day come when they would enter the Brotherhood of the Elect and learn the hidden teachings of the Elders, even those of Enoch and before.
http://www.essene.com/GospelOfPeace/peace4.html



Things like these?

Yea. I do find them fascinating. What was your point again?
no, because the writings you are talking about are religious writings.. that are preaching.

And can you show this was written before the descruction of the temple in Jersusalum

Wait a second Goat. Your suggested reference (the dead sea scrolls) are a religious writing . . .

You sly guy, you are trying to change the rules after the game has been played.

You never said I couldn't include religious writings. You just wanted a reference from the Essenes.

Changing your requirements again Goat?

Here let me help . . .



Achilles, I want you to find a Roman, Essene who was writing in German, who was writing about the amazing deeds done by Jesus in a standard CNN newscast format. THEN, I will be convinced.



:lol:

You wanted writing of Essenes, so I provided. When you suddenly found out I could provide, you suddenly changed the rules.

:lol:

I said ANYONE, and I do mean ANYONE.

It could have been the essene's, if there was a dead sea scroll that mentioned Jesus it would be FASCINATING.

ANYONE? Ok. Essenes? OK.


Dead Sea Scrolls? Goat, the dead sea scrolls ARE RELIGIOUS WRITINGS TOO!!


So you suggested that I cite a specific group, and you mention the possibility of a reference in writings which are religious in nature . . . . and then when I provide . . .

:lol: You complain that I met YOUR EXACT DEMANDS.

#-o

So

YOU - suggested that I find ANYONE

You - suggested that I find the Essenes

and YOU - put forth that religious writings from this group were acceptable.

And now you say . . .
no, because the writings you are talking about are religious writings.. that are preaching.


What exactly do you want from me Goat? I deliver EXACTLY what you wanted me to, and then you changed the rules.


Can I prove it was written before 70 CE?

Well first off, WHY? What would it matter?

Second . . .
The Essene Gospel of Peace, also called the Gospel of Peace of Jesus Christ, was written earlier than any book in the New Testament. It was translated into old Slavic in the 1st Century, ans has always been venerated by the Eastern Orthodox church
From http://www.deepinfo.com/religion/Peace0.htm
Not all the writings found in the dead sea scrolls are religious.. most are yes.

Some are talking about the specific essene sect (Oh.. by the way, Jesus is not mentioned at all).

And no, from what I found out, the the 'Gospel of Peace' is a fake.

from that same site you mentioned
http://essenes.net/index.php?option=com ... Itemid=561


A plethora of modern works claiming to reveal the hidden years of Christ are being published. These are a few older channeled works on Yeshu which we would mention, and one new one. Most of these erroneously claim a historical document is behind their text.



The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ by Nicolas Notovitch

The Gospel of the Holy Twelve by G. J. R. Ouseley

The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley


That included the one you mentioned.. sooooo

and
The Essene Gospel of Peace



The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley and Lawrence Purcell Weaver was first published by them in 1937 with the title The Gospel of Peace by the disciple John., In 1937 he states the text was only an eighth of the total Aramaic text from the first century; but in 1977 Szekeley dropped his co-author and changed this to a third of the total of a third century text.



In 1937 a copy came into the hands of Johnny Lovewisdom who later reworked and reword the text to a degree. He lived as a hermit in the mountain Crater Lake, Quilotoa, in Ecuador and published his version of the text under the title: The Buddhist Essene Gospel of Jesus. It contained an appendix pushing a raw foods diet: Special Appendix: Diet of the Essene Jesus and The Healing Transition Diet. Szekeley also promoted an all raw diet.
Talk to me when you aren't shoving known fakes.
“What do you think science is? There is nothing magical about science. It is simply a systematic way for carefully and thoroughly observing nature and using consistent logic to evaluate results. So which part of that exactly do you disagree with? Do you disagree with being thorough? Using careful observation? Being systematic? Or using consistent logic?�

Steven Novella

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Post #62

Post by achilles12604 »

goat wrote:
And no, from what I found out, the the 'Gospel of Peace' is a fake.

from that same site you mentioned
http://essenes.net/index.php?option=com ... Itemid=561


A plethora of modern works claiming to reveal the hidden years of Christ are being published. These are a few older channeled works on Yeshu which we would mention, and one new one. Most of these erroneously claim a historical document is behind their text.



The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ by Nicolas Notovitch

The Gospel of the Holy Twelve by G. J. R. Ouseley

The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley


That included the one you mentioned.. sooooo

and
The Essene Gospel of Peace



The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley and Lawrence Purcell Weaver was first published by them in 1937 with the title The Gospel of Peace by the disciple John., In 1937 he states the text was only an eighth of the total Aramaic text from the first century; but in 1977 Szekeley dropped his co-author and changed this to a third of the total of a third century text.



In 1937 a copy came into the hands of Johnny Lovewisdom who later reworked and reword the text to a degree. He lived as a hermit in the mountain Crater Lake, Quilotoa, in Ecuador and published his version of the text under the title: The Buddhist Essene Gospel of Jesus. It contained an appendix pushing a raw foods diet: Special Appendix: Diet of the Essene Jesus and The Healing Transition Diet. Szekeley also promoted an all raw diet.
Talk to me when you aren't shoving known fakes.


GOOD JOB!

YEA GOAT CHECKED MY SOURCE!!


I was hoping you would at least check my source because I was worried that you were simply accepting any expert as solid.



So now, let me ask you this Goat.

What writings do we posses from the time period and written by the Essenes?



If you had googled this, you would have also found this from Wiki.

Modern and contemporary Essenes

Rev. Gideon Ousely, produced a book that he claimed was Essene in origin known as the Gospel of the Holy Twelve (which he claimed was translated from Essene texts hidden in a Tibetan monastary, and partially channeled to him by angels.) Dr. Edmund Bordeaux Szekely is another modern pseudo-Essene. These individuals assert that the Essene teachings had been hidden and assimilated into many mystical spiritual traditions around the world, where the teachings were hidden within ancient libraries. It was in 1928 that Edmond Bordeaux Szekely first published his translation of The Essene Gospel of Peace, a manuscript allegedly discovered in the Secret Archives of the Vatican and in old Slavonic in the Royal Library of the Habsburgs of which much was destroyed by a fire that destroyed the monastery that stood in its place. (now the property of the Austrian government) However, subsequent investigations into the claims of these individuals produced nothing to substantiate their stories. Biblical scholars don't consider the Szekely or Ousely writings as authentic.

Currently there are several modern Essene Groups around the world.
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Post #63

Post by achilles12604 »

achilles12604 wrote:
goat wrote:
And no, from what I found out, the the 'Gospel of Peace' is a fake.

from that same site you mentioned
http://essenes.net/index.php?option=com ... Itemid=561


A plethora of modern works claiming to reveal the hidden years of Christ are being published. These are a few older channeled works on Yeshu which we would mention, and one new one. Most of these erroneously claim a historical document is behind their text.



The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ by Nicolas Notovitch

The Gospel of the Holy Twelve by G. J. R. Ouseley

The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley


That included the one you mentioned.. sooooo

and
The Essene Gospel of Peace



The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley and Lawrence Purcell Weaver was first published by them in 1937 with the title The Gospel of Peace by the disciple John., In 1937 he states the text was only an eighth of the total Aramaic text from the first century; but in 1977 Szekeley dropped his co-author and changed this to a third of the total of a third century text.



In 1937 a copy came into the hands of Johnny Lovewisdom who later reworked and reword the text to a degree. He lived as a hermit in the mountain Crater Lake, Quilotoa, in Ecuador and published his version of the text under the title: The Buddhist Essene Gospel of Jesus. It contained an appendix pushing a raw foods diet: Special Appendix: Diet of the Essene Jesus and The Healing Transition Diet. Szekeley also promoted an all raw diet.
Talk to me when you aren't shoving known fakes.


GOOD JOB!

YEA GOAT CHECKED MY SOURCE!!


I was hoping you would at least check my source because I was worried that you were simply accepting any expert as solid.



So now, let me ask you this Goat.

What writings do we posses from the time period and written by the Essenes?



If you had googled this, you would have also found this from Wiki.

Modern and contemporary Essenes

Rev. Gideon Ousely, produced a book that he claimed was Essene in origin known as the Gospel of the Holy Twelve (which he claimed was translated from Essene texts hidden in a Tibetan monastary, and partially channeled to him by angels.) Dr. Edmund Bordeaux Szekely is another modern pseudo-Essene. These individuals assert that the Essene teachings had been hidden and assimilated into many mystical spiritual traditions around the world, where the teachings were hidden within ancient libraries. It was in 1928 that Edmond Bordeaux Szekely first published his translation of The Essene Gospel of Peace, a manuscript allegedly discovered in the Secret Archives of the Vatican and in old Slavonic in the Royal Library of the Habsburgs of which much was destroyed by a fire that destroyed the monastery that stood in its place. (now the property of the Austrian government) However, subsequent investigations into the claims of these individuals produced nothing to substantiate their stories. Biblical scholars don't consider the Szekely or Ousely writings as authentic.

Currently there are several modern Essene Groups around the world.

I shall answer my own question. I am unable to find ANY writings by the Essenes at all. The only writings we have today from these very recluse folk are the dead sea scrolls, and these are a compilation of OT writings.

So Goat, why are you trying to trick everyone?

If you know that there are no writings AT ALL from this group, then you know darn well that demanding a specific type of writing from the same group is dishonest. It doesn't even equate to an argument from silence because we don't have writings from them about ANYTHING else at all.


Can you find anything that would at least bring your demands from dishonest and illogical to an argument from silence? ANYTHING?

After all, I could demand that you find an Eskimo source supporting the descent of mankind into the North American and South American continents. But then this would be illogical as well because you and I both know that there are ZERO Eskimo writings.
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Post #64

Post by achilles12604 »

Just to summarize for everyone lost in the HUGH amount of posts today, there has been a demand placed upon myself by Goat and Furrowed that I produce some sort of writings within the lifetime of Jesus which could corroborate other claims about him.

I have pointed out that first they should produce someone who SHOULD have written and did not. Only in this way can they even broach the requirements for an argument from silence.

Thus far Pilate, Philo and the Essenes were suggested.

Pilate was a Roman Gov who's mission in life was to seek out and kill Jewish rebels. I can not think of a single reason why he would bother to write about someone he was trying to kill. ALSO, I don't know of any of the annals of Pilate in existence. Since there are NO writings from him at all, the arguement from silence doesn't really work. He was silent on EVERYTHING.

Philo sort of works except that he also failed to write about a prominent Jewish Rabbi Gamaleil If he wont write about his own religious leaders, why should we expect him to write about someone who was rarely in Jerusalem and preached blasphemy?

And the Essenes. On this one I made sure Goat was actually checking sources as in another thread some of the source material was writing blatently false things. I then asked Goat to show ANY writings of the Essense from the time of Jesus. I know darn well that there are none, and thus the demand that I produce something is dishonest because like Pilate, the Essenes are silent on EVERYTHING, not just Jesus.
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Post #65

Post by Goat »

achilles12604 wrote:
achilles12604 wrote:
goat wrote:
And no, from what I found out, the the 'Gospel of Peace' is a fake.

from that same site you mentioned
http://essenes.net/index.php?option=com ... Itemid=561


A plethora of modern works claiming to reveal the hidden years of Christ are being published. These are a few older channeled works on Yeshu which we would mention, and one new one. Most of these erroneously claim a historical document is behind their text.



The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ by Nicolas Notovitch

The Gospel of the Holy Twelve by G. J. R. Ouseley

The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley


That included the one you mentioned.. sooooo

and
The Essene Gospel of Peace



The Essene Gospel of Peace by Edmund Bordeaux Szekeley and Lawrence Purcell Weaver was first published by them in 1937 with the title The Gospel of Peace by the disciple John., In 1937 he states the text was only an eighth of the total Aramaic text from the first century; but in 1977 Szekeley dropped his co-author and changed this to a third of the total of a third century text.



In 1937 a copy came into the hands of Johnny Lovewisdom who later reworked and reword the text to a degree. He lived as a hermit in the mountain Crater Lake, Quilotoa, in Ecuador and published his version of the text under the title: The Buddhist Essene Gospel of Jesus. It contained an appendix pushing a raw foods diet: Special Appendix: Diet of the Essene Jesus and The Healing Transition Diet. Szekeley also promoted an all raw diet.
Talk to me when you aren't shoving known fakes.


GOOD JOB!

YEA GOAT CHECKED MY SOURCE!!


I was hoping you would at least check my source because I was worried that you were simply accepting any expert as solid.



So now, let me ask you this Goat.

What writings do we posses from the time period and written by the Essenes?



If you had googled this, you would have also found this from Wiki.

Modern and contemporary Essenes

Rev. Gideon Ousely, produced a book that he claimed was Essene in origin known as the Gospel of the Holy Twelve (which he claimed was translated from Essene texts hidden in a Tibetan monastary, and partially channeled to him by angels.) Dr. Edmund Bordeaux Szekely is another modern pseudo-Essene. These individuals assert that the Essene teachings had been hidden and assimilated into many mystical spiritual traditions around the world, where the teachings were hidden within ancient libraries. It was in 1928 that Edmond Bordeaux Szekely first published his translation of The Essene Gospel of Peace, a manuscript allegedly discovered in the Secret Archives of the Vatican and in old Slavonic in the Royal Library of the Habsburgs of which much was destroyed by a fire that destroyed the monastery that stood in its place. (now the property of the Austrian government) However, subsequent investigations into the claims of these individuals produced nothing to substantiate their stories. Biblical scholars don't consider the Szekely or Ousely writings as authentic.

Currently there are several modern Essene Groups around the world.

I shall answer my own question. I am unable to find ANY writings by the Essenes at all. The only writings we have today from these very recluse folk are the dead sea scrolls, and these are a compilation of OT writings.

So Goat, why are you trying to trick everyone?

If you know that there are no writings AT ALL from this group, then you know darn well that demanding a specific type of writing from the same group is dishonest. It doesn't even equate to an argument from silence because we don't have writings from them about ANYTHING else at all.


Can you find anything that would at least bring your demands from dishonest and illogical to an argument from silence? ANYTHING?

After all, I could demand that you find an Eskimo source supporting the descent of mankind into the North American and South American continents. But then this would be illogical as well because you and I both know that there are ZERO Eskimo writings.
You see, there are writings in the dead sea scrolls that are not part of the OT. Some are unique to the group. There are also some stories about their own theology.. and we know that they used the terminolog 'the sons of light' and the 'sons of darkness' also.

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rels/225/bronow3.htm

they used some terminology that the Christians adopted.. yet.. they didn't mention Jesus.

I am not demanding that it HAS to be any once source.. there you are being dishonest.

I am not going to play these mind game, and this dishonest twisting of things. If that is the way you operate, play with someone else.
“What do you think science is? There is nothing magical about science. It is simply a systematic way for carefully and thoroughly observing nature and using consistent logic to evaluate results. So which part of that exactly do you disagree with? Do you disagree with being thorough? Using careful observation? Being systematic? Or using consistent logic?�

Steven Novella

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Post #66

Post by achilles12604 »

There are nonbiblical writings along the order of commentaries on the OT, paraphrases that expand on the Law, rule books of the community, war conduct, thanksgiving psalms, hymnic compositions, benedictions, liturgical texts, and sapiential (wisdom) writings.
You see Goat this is where I have an issue with your demand.

Which of these section should we expect to find mention of Jesus?

You demand I cite them as if the essenes had recorded history, but these are not historical writings.

Would you demand that I recount the history of Athens by using Aesop's Fables?
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Post #67

Post by Goat »

achilles12604 wrote:
There are nonbiblical writings along the order of commentaries on the OT, paraphrases that expand on the Law, rule books of the community, war conduct, thanksgiving psalms, hymnic compositions, benedictions, liturgical texts, and sapiential (wisdom) writings.
You see Goat this is where I have an issue with your demand.

Which of these section should we expect to find mention of Jesus?

You demand I cite them as if the essenes had recorded history, but these are not historical writings.

Would you demand that I recount the history of Athens by using Aesop's Fables?
The point is that they the writings found aren't strictly religious

We also know from the non-ot religious writings they didn't believe in Jesus... even though many of the philopshies were adopted by the early christians

(The idea of resurrection, the imagry of sons of light/dark, the apocolapse etc etc

ANother thing, I am not asking for ANY speciific group/person. I am a for ANY writing, not for any specific group. That leaves a whole bigger area to look at.

And, what do we have.. nothing.
Emptiness.
Zilch, zero, ..

So, there are several conclusiong we can come to
1)Jesus was an unknown, and the gospels were exaggerated.
2) Jesus is an almallgmation of a number of people..
3) Jesus is the imagination of Paul, or another early figure.
4) Jesus was based on someone, but myths and legends were added on.
Last edited by Goat on Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“What do you think science is? There is nothing magical about science. It is simply a systematic way for carefully and thoroughly observing nature and using consistent logic to evaluate results. So which part of that exactly do you disagree with? Do you disagree with being thorough? Using careful observation? Being systematic? Or using consistent logic?�

Steven Novella

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Post #68

Post by achilles12604 »

goat wrote:
achilles12604 wrote:
There are nonbiblical writings along the order of commentaries on the OT, paraphrases that expand on the Law, rule books of the community, war conduct, thanksgiving psalms, hymnic compositions, benedictions, liturgical texts, and sapiential (wisdom) writings.
You see Goat this is where I have an issue with your demand.

Which of these section should we expect to find mention of Jesus?

You demand I cite them as if the essenes had recorded history, but these are not historical writings.

Would you demand that I recount the history of Athens by using Aesop's Fables?
The point is that they the writings found aren't strictly religious

We also know from the non-ot religious writings they didn't believe in Jesus... even though many of the philopshies were adopted by the early christians

(The idea of resurrection, the imagry of sons of light/dark, the apocolapse etc etc
That is all well and good. Which section of the scrolls would mention the materials you want referenced? What section would have reason to mention Jesus? Where is it missing from?

Religious or not doesn't matter. I just want to know where YOU think a Jesus reference should be.
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.

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Post #69

Post by achilles12604 »

I feel that you are seriously misapplying your favorite argument. I have started a new discussion thread to obtain other's opinions.

http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... php?t=7860
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Post #70

Post by Furrowed Brow »

I make one little post and go to bed and look what happens.
achilles wrote:We are looking for a non-Christian figure, who would have witnessed Jesus actions, found them amazing, and written them down but still maintained his disbelief.

No. That is exactly the kind of thing I’m not looking for.

Lets take a step back. I am not demanding for proof of the resurrection or miracles. My doubts are as to the origin of the story; and my doubts are twofold.
  • 1/ The major miracles such as the resurrection, walking on water are later embellishments.
    2/ That whatever “wonders” JC performed they were misinterpreted and misunderstood. Much like some people do today when they “witness“ healers.
Now we can spend every night discussing 2 and not get very far. I do not believe anyone has walked on water or been raised from the dead. Period. My stance is informed not by historical writings but by physics, chemistry and biology, and when it comes to misinterpretation of events then psychology. However 1 is up for historical debate because 1 depends on the historical evidence. And as far as I am aware all the historical evidence places the emergence of the resurrection story decades after the event.
achilles wrote:Just to summarize for everyone lost in the HUGH amount of posts today, there has been a demand placed upon myself by Goat and Furrowed that I produce some sort of writings within the lifetime of Jesus which could corroborate other claims about him.

Well I’m not demanding you go digging up the Sinai desert or anything. And the point is that you are placing way too much credence on one set of writing with all the obvious doubts and criticism that can be applied to them. And the kind of evidence I am asking for would strengthen your case exponentially - it would not prove the resurrection but it would shoot down the “later embellishment” criticism.
achilles wrote:Pilate was a Roman Gov who's mission in life was to seek out and kill Jewish rebels. I can not think of a single reason why he would bother to write about someone he was trying to kill.
Because he’d like to record what a good job he did?
achilles wrote: of any of the annals of Pilate in existence. Since there are NO writings from him at all, the argument from silence doesn't really work. He was silent on EVERYTHING.
But you are missing the point. As it stands Christian sourced evidence, written decades after the event, is just insufficient to draw any firm conclusion as to the origins of the details of the “wonders”. I am not appealing for the missing Pilate diaries as proof that the Christian texts are false. I am saying that it is the kind of thing you need to place the resurrection story with any credibility to the right time and location.

What we got? How many decades after the event is the first document we’ve got? Even a Christian one. Whatever date that is then you can prove the story had emerged from that date. If the sources is a disinterested non Christian source then you will demonstrate that the story had a common currency from the date of that document. If the source were of the Pilate kind, and stated that there were rumours in the populace that the rabbi had risen from the dead, then you will have placed the resurrection story to ground zero. But on the available evidence you are no where near ground zero. Not even close.

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