Biblical Criticism & History Forum - earlywritings.com

ARGUMENT FROM FREKE AND GANDY
(1) Freke and Gandy think Jesus didn't exist
(2) Ehrman says their theories have been discredited
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.

ARGUMENT FROM MY ARBITRARY EDITED VERSION OF THE TESTIMONIUM FLAVIANUM (1) Parts of the Testimonium Flavianum are an obvious Christian interpolation (2) There's no way that a Christian scribe would insert the entire paragraph (3) So when I remove the parts I don't like, and leave in the parts I do l...

ARGUMENT FROM MULTIPLE ATTESTATION
(1) There are four gospels.
(2) We know that they copied from each other but we're still going to pretend that they're four separate witnesses.
(3) Multiple attestation, bitches.
(4) Therefore, Jesus existed.

Peter Kirby wrote:ARGUMENT FROM CARRIER'S EMPLOYMENT
(1) Richard Carrier argues that Jesus did not exist.
(2) Richard Carrier is not employed at any university.
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.

I recall that was one of Tim O'Neill's favorite arguments over at the old Dawkins forum.

ARGUMENT FROM SEMINARY EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
(1) Everyone who teaches at Seminary believes Jesus existed
(2) If they don't, they get fired, but that's irrelevant
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed

ARGUMENT FROM IRRECONCILABILITY OF MYTH THEORIES
(1) There's a lot of different myth theories
(2) They can't all be true
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.

ARGUMENT FROM RENE GIRARD
(1) Rene Girard knew a lot about myths
(2) Rene Girard thought Jesus was not a myth
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.

Peter Kirby wrote:ARGUMENT FROM ARAMAIC
(1) I know Aramaic.
(2) You don't know Aramaic.
(3) The words of Jesus were spoken in Aramaic.
(4) Therefore, Jesus existed.

Also known in some circles as "The Maurice Casey Argument."

ARGUMENT FROM THE RATIONALITY OF FIRST CENTURY JEWS
(1) First century Jews believed in Jesus
(2) First century Jews were completely empirical, rational, scientific people
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.

ARGUMENT FROM ROBERT M. PRICE
(1) Robert M. Price says Jesus didn't exist
(2) Ehrman says Price is just a "bitter ex-fundamentalist," unlike himself
(3) Therefore, Jesus existed.