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From: padraig@utastro.UUCP (Padraig Houlahan)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Evidences for Religion
Message-ID: <173@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 1-Jun-85 22:18:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.173
Posted: Sat Jun  1 22:18:01 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 5-Jun-85 01:13:41 EDT
References: <2006@decwrl.UUCP> <749@rayssd.UUCP> <323@scgvaxd.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 74

> 
> 			   The Resurrection
> 
>  Presupposing the reliability of scripture, it has been suggested that the
>  gospel writers may have been mistaken concerning the Resurrection, or
>  even purposely perpetrated such a hoax. In discussing the possibility
>  of such theories, several questions remain unanswered.

Dan unfortunately is only more than willing to provide answers for us however.

>  Where did his body go?
> 
>  ... Did the soldiers fall asleep while guarding the tomb?
> 
>  To do so would have meant death for these highly trained soldiers.
>  The Roman soldiers were under the very strictest of discipline and
>  training.
> 
>  ... The soldiers were not able to explain the empty tomb. They were told what
>  to say and bribed by the Sanhedrin.

I suppose bribery was consistent with their "very strictest" discipline
and training. Gimme a break. 

>  Was Jesus really dead? Jesus was beaten with a cat-of-nine-tails, slapped
>  in the head and face repeatedly, punctured in several places with a
>  crown of thorns (these thorns were about 3 inches long), spit upon,
>  made to carry his own heavy cross to calvary, and nailed to the cross.
>  How much can a man take? To survive all of that would be a MIRACLE!
> 
>  T. J. Thorburn -"The victims of crucifixion seldom recovered, even under
>  the most favorable circumstances."

"Seldom" is not quite the same as "never". You have just destroyed your
own case here.

>  Evidences in favor of the Resurrection:
> 
>  Jesus appeared to over 500 people after His Resurrection.
> 

This could be taken as evidence that he never died.

>  The enemies of Christ gave no refutation of the Resurrection! Why? They
>  had no alternative conclusion!

Go and take another look at Thorburn's statement that you have provided for
us above. This would indicate that crucifixion on rare occasions was
not fatal, in which case it would go unchallanged.

>  ... Paul was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin,
>  and a student of the great Jewish Rabbi, Gamaliel. Why would Paul suddenly
>  on one of his roundups, give up all of his prestige and position, to
>  serve a being of which he had been persecuting the followers of, knowing
>  that he too would soon be persecuted.

Maybe he guilt tripped? It has been known to happen.

>  Phenomenal growth even through persecution. The church grew by the millions
>  in the first century. The more they were put to death for their faith,
>  the more they attracted others who marvelled at their behaviour.

So what? What has any of this got to do with the validity of the resurrection?
The drug culture here thrives in spite of persecution. 

>  God has provided us with a great supply of objective evidence.

Perhaps you would care to provide Rich Rosen with some. I would also be
interested in seeing some.

Padraig Houlahan.

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