"Even the most critical historian can confidently assert that a Jew named Jesus worked as a teacher and wonder-worker in Palestine during the reign of Tiberius, was executed by crucifixion under the prefect Pontius Pilate and continued to have followers after his death."(Craig)
Greg, this will come as a shock to you. I suggest you sit down and hang on to something, for I must tell you something which will perplex you. Are you ready? OK, here it is: NO matter how often you cut and paste the above quote to me, it will not give it any truth value! Only evidence will make it true. You have not supplied any. Therefore, the statement has no more value than asserting that the earth has four corners.
On the other hand, I have shown several reasons why the historicity of Jesus (the God-Man) ought to be considered in the strongest possible doubt. I repeated to you the compelling list of historians (from Remsberg) and remarked on the incredible fact that none of them were aware of events which are purported to be unique in all of history and widely observed.
Added to that, we have the equally incredible event that several decades later (in all probability 150 years) certain people considered these events important enough to write voluminously about them! How are we to explain the lack of importance of these events to the purported witnesses of them and the thousands of people they told of them and all the subsequent recounting of miraculous events, versus the myth telling of later generations? How, indeed! There is only one rational way to explain it!
Here, once again is the list of historians who heard nothing about miracles, resurrections, or the like:
Josephus
Philo-Judaeus
Seneca
Pliny the Elder
Suetonius
Juvenal
Martial
Persius
Plutarch
Justus of Tiberius
Apollonius
Pliny the Younger
Tacitus
Quintilian
Lucanus
Epictetus
Silius Italicus
Statius
Ptolemy
Hermogones
Valerius Maximus Arrian
Petronius
Dion Pruseus
Paterculus
Appian
Theon of Smyrna
Phlegon
Pompon Mela
Quintius Curtius
Lucian
Pausanias
Valerius Flaccus
Florus Lucius
Favorinus
Phaedrus
Damis
Aulus Gellius
Columella
Dio Chrysostom
Lysias
Appion of Alexandria
positiveatheism.org
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"Paul wrote within 20 to 30 years of the resurrection not a century later, not generations later. Same with the book of Acts"
DUH. WE are not talking about the Resurrection alone. We are discussing the miracle myths of the gospels from the birth of Jesus (purpotedly in 4 BC) till His death. You are absolutely wrong.
This encyclopedia states Acts was written as early as 69 years after the Birth of Jesus, but more likely much later.
reference.allrefer.com
This encyclopedia sets the earliest date at 96 AD.
tutorgig.com
"External evidence now points to the existence of Acts at least as early as the opening years of the 2nd century. As evidence for the Third Gospel holds equally for Acts, its existence in Marcion's day (120-140) is now assured. Further, the traces of it in Polycarp 6 and Ignatius 7 when taken together, are highly probable; and it is even widely admitted that the resemblance of Acts xiii. 22, and 1 Cicm. xviii. 1, in features not found in the Psalm (lxxxix.20) quoted by each, can hardly be accidental. That is, Acts was probably current in Antioch and Smyrna not later than c. AD 115, and perhaps in Rome as early as c. AD 96."
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This biased encyclopedia from "searcggodsword.com argues unsuccessfully for 80 AD as against Schmiedel who places the date of Acts between 105 and 130 AD (Encyclopedia Biblica).
westover.searchgodsword.org
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"Second Peter is a forgery. Westcott says there is no proof of its existence prior to 170 A.D. Smith's Bible Dictionary says "Many reject the epistle as altogether spurious."" |
