There is the problem. Many believe, but no one (IMO) knows. I am not interested, for the moment, in the divine aspects of Jesus's life. I don't believe he was divine, and I cannot imagine anything except a direct revelation that would convince me. But I've been drunk, and been mentally ill, and I've been deluded, so even direct revelation would not be that convincing to me. But most Christians, and all scholarly Christians believe that Jesus was a man and also that he was god. In my scholarly guise, I cannot accept testimony of faith as evidence of his divinity. I cannot accept direct revelation as evidence. Even testimony of revelations of the Virgin Mary that no one but Croatian children can see (with blue eyes, yet). Mariolatry, IMO, has nothing to do with the godhood of Jesus. So I would like those who believe that Jesus was a god to concentrate on what we actually know about Jesus the man. I've put a little list of questions about Yeshua ben Yusuf below. Anyone who wishes, can score his degree of rational belief on each of them. He may also put what he believes -- whether there is sufficient rational secular evidence to support this belief. I will not post my own beliefs immediately (no surprises) but would like others to reply so we can identify these issues. "Probability" here means "degree of rational belief" in Keynes' sense. Obviously, the frequency or exhaustive possibilities definitions hardly apply.
Jesus was
1. born in a manger in Bethlehem.......<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0>
2. a descendant of King David..........<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0>
3. born to an ordinary woman...........<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0>
4. conceived by Joseph.................<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0> 5. convicted of blasphemy by the Jews..<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0> 6. acquitted by Pontius Pilate.........<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0>
7. crucified to death once and for all.<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0>
8. Jesus was resurrected from death... <Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0>
9. Jesus will return to earth to judge.<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief.....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0>
10. Jesus was just a human being ......<Belief>----------<Disbelief> Evidence to support this belief....<p=1.0>-----------<p=0.0> |