Quote:
Originally posted by jluetjen
As I said earlier -- the Bible as a single bound book is a modern construction. It is in fact a collection of books and letters written by a number of different people -- as even Nota has mentioned. Those people obviously believed that Jesus Christ in fact rose from the dead. So by definition you have multiple witness accounts right there.
At the end of the day, the Bible (especially the NT) contains a series of witness accounts. No more, no less. If you chose to accept the validity of those witnesses is up to you. But as I said, that is about the same level of information that we have regarding George Washington Crossing the Delaware.
- Other people said he did.
- He said he did.
- People (such as the Hessians) acted in a fashion that would support or suggest that he did cross the Delaware.
But at the end of the day, there is no DNA evidence nor a secure provenance that places George Washington in Trenton on that winter day. There are no pictures except those apocriphal images made after the fact. But yet it is widely accepted that George Washington did in fact cross the Delaware River and beat the crap out of a camp of Hessians. Why should Jesus be treated any differently?
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So the answer (can you provide non bible verifcation, evidence, support) would no, then.
Your first para is only partly true. Its a collection of COPIES of letters and books written by various people, whose authorship can or cannot be substnatiaed- but that aside, lets accept these docuements on face value. I asked about verification outside of the various accounts contained in the books of the NT.
Now to your George Washington analogy. If you used it to support the fact that JC delivered say, the sermon on the Mount, sure. Lots of people have crossed rivers and lots have delivered sermons throughout history, and you or I could do either or both this very day if we chose. God willing.
However, fewer have risen from the dead and ascended to heaven with a host of angels,
AFAIK. Sort of unprecedented really- then or now. IIRC, even the Cathlic Chriuch is softening up its constituency for a move away from the ressurection.