A whale of a tale

[nobspeople]

A lot of talk has been happening here in regards to if the resurrection is factual or not. Among the discussion, is talk of 'witnesses' and the writing (or verbal) passing down of information regarding said resurrection; how what witnesses wrote what they saw (or said that they saw) is proof enough that the resurrection is factual.

A lot more recent (a few centuries ago) is tales of sea creatures and whales. Much was said about these creatures. There was also art depicting what these sea fairing people 'saw'.
Below is one such example


Now, while it's possible there is a creature that looks exactly like this in the depths of the ocean, the [/]likelihood[/i] isn't great. This artwork is what some of themsaid they saw.

For discussion:
If these eyewitnesses of a few centuries ago, can't describe what they saw without bias and the inability to adlib, how can we use the eyewitnesses of the times of jesus (or what those witnesses told others that told others) to represent an accurate description of the resurrection? Or if it even happened at all?

So is the resurrection simply a 'whale of a tale'?

[Tcg]

17 Now the Lord had prepared a large sea creature to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the sea creature for three days and three nights.

Is there any reason given for this marine internment of Jonah, or is it just another case of a miraculous event for the sake of a miracle? It all sounds rather fishy to me. Jehovah works in the absurdist of ways.

God demanded Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach about impending doom if they didn't repent of something or other. Jonah refused and got on a boat going the opposite way. God cased a storm that threatened to destroy the boat. The sailors were of course concerned about this and discussed it among themselves. Jonah admitted it was his fault and convinced the sailors to throw him overboard. When they did so the sea creature/whale/fish swallowed Jonah. Three days later the creature vomited Jonah onto a beach close to Nineveh. Jonah preached, Nineveh repented, and all was right in the world again... for a day or two.


Tcg

[Difflugia]

Is there any reason given for this marine internment of Jonah, or is it just another case of a miraculous event for the sake of a miracle?

There's a biblical tradition of Yahweh symbolically showing His dominion over other gods. It's not explicit, but Yahweh using the great dag to transport Jonah to deliver His message to the Assyrians may have been a way to show His dominion over Dagan, described in the Bible as Dagon, god of the Philistines and archaeologically tied to both the Babylonians and Assyrians.

[Miles]

17 Now the Lord had prepared a large sea creature to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the sea creature for three days and three nights.

Is there any reason given for this marine internment of Jonah, or is it just another case of a miraculous event for the sake of a miracle? It all sounds rather fishy to me. Jehovah works in the absurdist of ways.

As the story goes god wanted Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell them to stop doing all the evil god had heard they were up to (it's interesting that god couldn't see this and tell them to stop himself, but . . . . . I guess not). However, Jonah didn't want any part of god's demand (who would) so he ran away, found a boat and crew, and sailed out to sea. Not liking to have his order sneered at, god brought a great storm down upon the boat. No fools, the crew "threw lots" to determine who among them was responsible for the storm (after all, this IS why storms come about isn't it? Some seafaring bloke upset god). Anyway, the "lots" told them the culprit was Jonah (gotta get myself some of these lot things). Sheepishly, Jonah admitted that, indeed, he was the cause, after which the crew cast him overboard, whereupon the storm stopped and the sea became calm (of course). Not yet through with Jonah, god then persuaded a big whale-fish to swallow him, where the poor guy spent the next three days and three nights in the sea creature's stomach. Coming to realize there were better places to spend one's life, Jonah groveled before god looking for a pardon. And it worked ! ! ! God "spoke to the fish" whence it vomited Jonah onto dry land (must have been one of those shallow water whale-fishes, or else it had great puking powers.) Getting back to the deed at hand; god again told Jonah to go to Nineveh and put a stop to all the evil, which, low and behold, is e x a c t l y what happened. Why? because Jonah told everyone that if they didn't stop there sinful ways that in 40 days god himself would do it. As Jonah 3:10 puts it:

10 God saw what the people did. He saw that they stopped doing evil. So God changed his mind and did not do what he planned. He did not punish the people.

Hmmm . . . .Not knowing in advance how it was going to turn out, and having to change his mind, my guess is god's powers of omniscience had been in the shop for repairs.


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[JoeyKnothead]

17 Now the Lord had prepared a large sea creature to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the sea creature for three days and three nights.

Is there any reason given for this marine internment of Jonah, or is it just another case of a miraculous event for the sake of a miracle? It all sounds rather fishy to me. Jehovah works in the absurdist of ways.

In biblical Russia, fish catches you.

[nobspeople]

17 Now the Lord had prepared a large sea creature to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the sea creature for three days and three nights.

Is there any reason given for this marine internment of Jonah, or is it just another case of a miraculous event for the sake of a miracle? It all sounds rather fishy to me. Jehovah works in the absurdist of ways.

In biblical Russia, fish catches you.

Does Russia allow christianity? Not sure why as they tend not to like independent thought, which would make christianity right up their alley. Probably has more to do with christianity not melding well with the government. But you'd think birds of a feather and all that...

[Difflugia]

Does Russia allow christianity? Not sure why as they tend not to like independent thought, which would make christianity right up their alley. Probably has more to do with christianity not melding well with the government. But you'd think birds of a feather and all that...

The Russian Orthodox Church was persecuted by the Soviets, but it does quite well in post-Soviet Russia.

[nobspeople]

Does Russia allow christianity? Not sure why as they tend not to like independent thought, which would make christianity right up their alley. Probably has more to do with christianity not melding well with the government. But you'd think birds of a feather and all that...

The Russian Orthodox Church was persecuted by the Soviets, but it does quite well in post-Soviet Russia.

That makes a lot of sense.