Proofs That Jesus Existed

Discussion about the New Testament, apocrypha, gnostics, church fathers, Christian origins, historical Jesus or otherwise, etc.
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JoeWallack
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Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by JoeWallack »

ARGUMENT FROM ALLOWANCE
(1) Hundreds of proofs that God exists http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/GodProof.htm
(2) No evidence that God currently has any assets (although the Madoff investigation is not completely finished).
(3) Sons are the leading cause of Father poverty.
(4) Therefore, Jesus existed.
PhilosopherJay
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by PhilosopherJay »

Great website. Joe, thanks.
I think for each proof we can say therefore God does not exist and the validity of the arguments would not change.
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Blood
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by Blood »

ARGUMENT FROM EUROPEAN HISTORY
(1) Many prominent thinkers in pre-modern Europe believed in God.
(2) Let’s just forget about the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
(3) Therefore, God exists.

:lol:
“The only sensible response to fragmented, slowly but randomly accruing evidence is radical open-mindedness. A single, simple explanation for a historical event is generally a failure of imagination, not a triumph of induction.” William H.C. Propp
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JoeWallack
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by JoeWallack »

ARGUMENT FROM TWITTER
(1) Received Tweet "I existed#HJ Jesusomeg@lpha.netbible"
(2) Tweet sent by Jesus
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.
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Blood
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by Blood »

344. JOSH MCDOWELL'S MODIFIED TRILEMMA ARGUMENT
(1) Jesus was either lord, liar, or lunatic.
(2) Can you PROVE He was a liar or lunatic?
(3) Therefore, Jesus was Lord.
(4) Therefore, God exists.

The funny part is, many of us have actually heard these "arguments" online or in person.
“The only sensible response to fragmented, slowly but randomly accruing evidence is radical open-mindedness. A single, simple explanation for a historical event is generally a failure of imagination, not a triumph of induction.” William H.C. Propp
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Peter Kirby
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by Peter Kirby »

ARGUMENT FROM CHRONOLOGY
(1) The first gospel was written around 70 AD.
(2) It takes a really, really long time for legends to form.
(3) The first gospel says that Jesus lived around 30 AD.
(4) Therefore, Jesus existed.
"... almost every critical biblical position was earlier advanced by skeptics." - Raymond Brown
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Peter Kirby
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

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ARGUMENT FROM ROMANS
(1) Romans thought Jesus existed.
(2) Romans criticized Christianity.
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.
"... almost every critical biblical position was earlier advanced by skeptics." - Raymond Brown
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Peter Kirby
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by Peter Kirby »

ARGUMENT FROM JOSEPHUS
(1) Christians definitely interpolated stuff about Jesus into the works of Josephus.
(2) But I am pretty sure about the bits about Jesus that I don't think were interpolated.
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.
"... almost every critical biblical position was earlier advanced by skeptics." - Raymond Brown
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Peter Kirby
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

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ARGUMENT FROM JEWISH CHRISTIANS
(1) Jews would never be interested in myth-making about a dying-and-rising savior.
(2) Christians were Jews.
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.
"... almost every critical biblical position was earlier advanced by skeptics." - Raymond Brown
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Peter Kirby
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Re: Proofs That Jesus Existed

Post by Peter Kirby »

ARGUMENT FROM LUKE'S PROLOGUE
(1) Luke's prologue sounds like it was written from the standpoint of trying to tell a historical or biographical narrative.
(2) Therefore, Jesus existed.
"... almost every critical biblical position was earlier advanced by skeptics." - Raymond Brown
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