Jesus Fact or Fiction....Debate Transcript

by ISP 4 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  ISP

  Thought it might be interesting to post the link for this........

  > http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/robert_price/price-rankin/

  ISP
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  JosephAlward

  This is my first post to this forum. I maintain a website of articles and research resources at http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html

  I've written a few dozen articles relating to inerrancy, and am particularly interested the origin of the gospel stories. My considered opinion is that the historical Jesus did not exist. To Paul, Christ was spiritual, not physical. The author or authors of Mark created a fictional character based on events in the lives of Elija, Moses, and especially, David. Matthew and Luke, writing after Mark, adapted Mark's stories to suit their needs.

  As for the existence of a personal, caring god: I'm aware of no evidence to suggest the existence of such a thing. The argument that everything must have a cause or creator, and therefore the universe was created succumbs to Occam's Razor when compared to the simpler argument that the universe has always existed, in one form or the other. It's easier to believe that the universe wasn't created or caused than it is to believe that there is a god who wasn't created or caused, and which created the universe.

  I believe that the fate awaiting us all is not in the slightest any different than that which awaits all living things, and that the only "purpose" served by man's existence is the propagation of his genes into subsequent generations, or the assistance he gives to others in propagating their genes. Morality? It arises naturally, not from a god, and its development is guided by the same fitness principles which direct man's physical evolution. Those whose genes generally don't give them a predisposition to be kind to their neighbors didn't live long enough to reproduce, and thus those genes are generally in short supply today.

  These are just a few of my views; I would welcome any comment.

  Joseph F. Alward
  "Skeptical Views of Christianity and the Bible"
  http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html
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  ISP

  I'm with you Joe..........

  ISP
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  LittleToe

  I just want to thrown in a point about Occam's razor.
  Whilst it is a very useful tool, I would suggest that occasionally it might need to be balanced with the statement:
  Truth is stranger than fiction.

  Following your line of reasoning that Jesus is fictitious, why should we stop there?
  Maybe Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul and Peter were all fictitious names of some ghost writer(s).
  Even Mohandas Ghandi had some appreciation of someone that he felt espoused fine precepts.

  Where do we stop? Ergo Sum?

  LT
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  Larsguy

  All this talk is fascinating up until the point where god becomes active in your life.

  But I think it is curious that if an angel appeared to an evolutionist, suddenly all his speculation would disappear. So for the JIOR, those persons where holy spirit is active in their life and thus they have a REAL connection to god, they are limited in this area of wondering who god is or whether there is a god. So these issues are really just for those persons whom god has not yeat "appeared" to. It's a nonsensical argument to any prophet or anyone dealing with holy spirit on a daily basis.

  Just a note about the two camps existing now.

  LG