Search found 158 matches

by dewitness
Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:46 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Ethnarch of King Aretas? the legendary Damascus basket case
Replies: 250
Views: 249680

Re: evidence of an earthly human Jesus in the Pauline epistl

Another point of contact between the Pauline letters and the pre-70 AD period occurs in 2 Cor 12:31-33, which has the passage about Paul being let down in a basket through a window in the wall to escape the "ethnarch under King Aretas," the last known Nabatean king by this name having die...
by dewitness
Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:52 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Manuscript evidence
Replies: 30
Views: 54431

Re: Manuscript evidence

The real problem is the insular nature of the Christian community. You know, the question raised here was whether or not the lack of first century witnesses to Jesus should be seen as assisting the argument that Jesus never existed. I don't see how this holds true. It might make it difficult for us...
by dewitness
Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:42 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Is Against the Galileans a Composite?
Replies: 14
Views: 27303

Re: Is Against the Galileans a Composite?

Yes but the more likely candidate for the corruptions is Eusebius who also accused of correcting Origen and other Alexandrian writers. The problem with you guys is that you get these pieces of evidence - i.e. that the writings were corrupted - but then you go to town and make some ridiculous infere...
by dewitness
Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:37 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Is Against the Galileans a Composite?
Replies: 14
Views: 27303

Re: Is Against the Galileans a Composite?

It is claimed that Origen himself admitted his writings were corrupted. See Apology Against Rufinus 2. 18. After this preface as to the falsification by heretics of the apostles, of both the Clements, and of Dionysius, he at last comes to Origen [/b]; and these are his words: “I have shown from his ...
by dewitness
Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:04 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Is Jesus birth backdated 70 years from the Temple destructio
Replies: 25
Views: 45677

Re: Is Jesus birth backdated 70 years from the Temple destru

It is a little unclear to me, how your notion of the origin of Christianity fits with my understanding that the Hebrew component of Christianity represented a releatively unimportant detail, in the evolution of this novel superstition. The real myth behind Christianity, it seems to me, is based on ...
by dewitness
Thu Oct 24, 2013 6:42 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Manuscript evidence
Replies: 30
Views: 54431

Re: Manuscript evidence

Still though it is one thing to argue that the historical information about Jesus is unreliable and another thing to make the case that Jesus never existed. True. To find reasons to ignore the evidence, and then argue non-existence from a manufactured absence of evidence involves two failures of lo...
by dewitness
Thu Oct 24, 2013 6:18 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Is Jesus birth backdated 70 years from the Temple destructio
Replies: 25
Views: 45677

Re: Is Jesus birth backdated 70 years from the Temple destru

There are at least three 1st century characters who showed that there was No Jewish Messianic ruler known as Jesus of Nazareth up to time of Vespasian c 69-79 CE. Josephus, Tacitus and Suetonius are witnesses of Vespasian the predicted Messianic ruler. Josephus' Wars of the Jews 6.5.4, Tacitus Histo...
by dewitness
Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:31 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: The Pauline Gospel was a Late Invention
Replies: 126
Views: 160281

Re: The Pauline Gospel was a Late Invention

I am simply arguing that Christians along the way ADOPTED pre-existing philosophical writings and made a few changes to them as they were rather than engage in wholesale rewriting or reinventing the wheel. I am claiming where you see a tract referencing "Christians" with no mention of the...
by dewitness
Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:19 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: The Propaganda War Against Mythicism [Vridar]
Replies: 52
Views: 87129

Re: The Propaganda War Against Mythicism [Vridar]

Jesus became mythical, only with the realization that the gospels were not historical documents, but rather, works of fiction, like our 20th century comic books. Jesus was described as the Son of God who walked on the sea of Galilee, transfigured and resurrected. Jesus of the NT was a Myth from the...
by dewitness
Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:04 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Is Against the Galileans a Composite?
Replies: 14
Views: 27303

Re: Is Against the Galileans a Composite?

Well, it is worth contemplating at the very least. After all, the first half or so of the book doesn't even mention anything about the beliefs of Christians/Galileans at all, and for that matter does not even explain the origin of the term Galilean for Christians, which does not even exist anywhere...