Simple question?

You don't think there is anything special about the largest religion in the world? I don't think you've adequately wrestled with the uniqueness and success of Christianity.

Quote: FrGamble

You don't think there is anything special about the largest religion in the world? I don't think you've adequately wrestled with the uniqueness and success of Christianity.

'Wrestled' with it? Tell me one thing that's
unique about Xtionity. Every major point of
it has was stolen from another religion.
Virgin birth, god as man, death and
resurrection, magic tricks as miracles.
Xtionity is lots of things, unique it is
not.

So you're swollen with pride over it's
success? Then you must be equally proud
of John Rockefeller's success in steamrolling
all his competition into the ground by
any means possible, which is what the
Church did. Ever read the details about
what the Vatican did to the religions
they found in South America and the US?
Makes your stomach turn.

I think you've spoken before about your frustration with Christianity being how historical it is. It's not a story about some god briefly visiting humanity but is about a real historical person who really was God who really rose from the dead and really preformed miracles. That is its unique claim. These other myths you refer too are radically different than the historical reality of Jesus Christ. What God does when He truly becomes man is also unique, He fulfills the law perfectly and pays the price for our failure to do so. He sets us free to know the life is about loving relationships not being perfect and that we are loved unconditionally. Jesus offers you eternal life, that your life has meaning and purpose, and that you are worth dying for. If you get a better deal you should probably take it.

Quote: FrGamble

a real historical person who really was God who really rose from the dead and really preformed miracles. t.

Except forensic historians say none
of it ever happened and they have
a boatload of reasons for their
position. You take the fairy tales,
I'll take hard science any day.
Our past is scarred by people who
let superstition and urban legends
rule their lives.

I'll take hard science and historical evidence as well for 500 Bob and the answer is: Jesus is real and who He said He was!

Quote: FrGamble

the answer is: Jesus is real and who He said He was!

Then you have to take every unproven
urban legend at it's face value also.
You can't pick and choose because
it suits you to believe one and not
others. You haven't a shred of evidence
anything attributed to Jesus is true
other than he was a roving apocalyptic
preacher and he died an ignominious
death on the cross as did a hundred
thousand others.

There is an empty tomb, nobody else has that. There is also my personal experience of knowing the love of God, that is pretty awesome. I could go on.

Quote: FrGamble

There is an empty tomb, nobody else has that. .

Bart Ehrman has historical evidence Jesus
was never in the tomb. And a dollar
and your 'personal experience' will get
you a coffee at McD's. It's really interesting
how the NT was made up as they went
along in the decades after Jesus death.
Fiction with a lot of authors. It shocked
Bart Ehrman so much, the amateurishness
of it, he became an agnostic/atheist.

Of course there were lots of conversions
from pagans. The pagan gods sucked,
they were mean and angry all the time.
Here comes a new cult offering eternal
life, and a savior who will answer your
prayers and give you what you want.
All of it's balony of course, but it sure
beats the the balony you're currently
worshiping.

Quote: Evenbob

Bart Ehrman has historical evidence Jesus
was never in the tomb. And a dollar
and your 'personal experience' will get
you a coffee at McD's. It's really interesting
how the NT was made up as they went
along in the decades after Jesus death.
Fiction with a lot of authors. It shocked
Bart Ehrman so much, the amateurishness
of it, he became an agnostic/atheist.

Of course there were lots of conversions
from pagans. The pagan gods sucked,
they were mean and angry all the time.
Here comes a new cult offering eternal
life, and a savior who will answer your
prayers and give you what you want.
All of it's balony of course, but it sure
beats the the balony you're currently
worshiping.

Where is this historical evidence I would love to see it?

Also the NT was made up of those deep, personal, and real personal experiences with the Risen Christ that you don't seem to value so you"ll forgive me for not taking your critiques too seriously? Also you are incorrect too since you are not willing to read a Bart Ehrman book with me you don't know that he would disagree with you as well.

Why are you hating on pagans? Why are you hating on everyone? Do you hate baloney too?

Quote: FrGamble

Where is this historical evidence I would love to see it?

It's a fact of history all bodies
were left on the cross to rot as part
of the punishment. There is not one
record of any body ever being taken
down for proper burial in the long
history of Roman crucifixion. The
Romans hated the Jews and would
never allow it. Burial in the proper
time frame was an integral part
of Jewish tradition and leaving
the bodies to decompose in the
air was the final humiliation.

Your theory of a bribe being
paid doesn't wash either. The
crucifixion areas were guarded
and any missing bodies would
be noticed and the guards
would be harshly dealt with.
The Romans were hardly stupid,
they knew without guards the
families would move in and
take the corpses down for burial.