The Death and Resurrection of Christ?

[Paradoxum]

Hi, this is my first post on this forum.

I come from a conservative Christian background, but I now doubt the existence of God. I probably doubt more now than believe. By question (which is probably very common) is thus: How did Christianity begin if Jesus Christ died and stayed dead?

Did the disciples start Christianity, and if so why did they say Christ had risen and that they had seen Him if it is false?

[Minimalist]

Quote:By question (which is probably very common) is thus: How did Christianity begin if Jesus Christ died and stayed dead?

Begin by considering how every other religion in the long sad history of mankind began and maybe you'll see the answer.


Hello, btw.

[Cinjin]

Welcome noob.

Interesting questions. Are you being legitimate? We've seen MANY others come here wearing a "mask of doubt" only to grant themselves time to post ridiculous worn-out assertions we've heard a million times.


You are being legitimate right?

[frankiej]

You won't really get a bigger fan of zombie films than me, but when people begin to actually believe a story about this zombie, I become worried.

It is a story masquerading as truth. As much as I enjoy the thrill of a good book, I have no time for it when it comes to reality.

[Cinjin]

(3rd January 2012 20:48)Paradoxum Wrote:  Did the disciples start Christianity, and if so why did they say Christ had risen and that they had seen Him if it is false?

There's dozens of possibilities. First you must prove that Christ even existed and the evidence of that is not near so solid as you probably think. Secondly, even if jesus did exist, who says the record of their actions is accurate?

Many other questions could follow ...

What if the bible is made up and the entire story is fiction?
What if jesus and his disciples were con men getting free food from gullible tent dwellers?
What if his disciples didn't see shit, but someone 100 years after the fact just wrote that they did?
What if ALL the "witnesses" are just fabrications? Is there any way to verify these "witnesses"?
Just because something is written down a long time ago, doesn't make it true.
What if the Quran is true and jesus was just an ordinary prophet and Allah is the one you should be praying to?
Are you going to hell? ... because there is A LOT of muslims who believe you are a blasphemous infidel worthy of eternal punishment! What makes them wrong and you and your disciples right?

[Erinome]

Paul of Tarsus was the person who dreamed up Jesus. No one ever heard of him until a few hundred years after he supposedly died.

I'd like to add that the story of Jesus is plagiarized in parts. It's not even a 100% original story.

[Minimalist]

But, hon, there is no indication that "Paul" of Tarsus was any more real than jesus..... or Batman.

[frankiej]

(3rd January 2012 21:09)Minimalist Wrote:  But, hon, there is no indication that "Paul" of Tarsus was any more real than jesus..... or Batman.

At least Batman is someone we can all admire and look up to

[downbeatplumb]

You have to understand the primitive nature of "news" in those days.
There was no thorough reporting, no cut and thrust of debating the evidence, people just made shit up and presented it as fact.

There are several possible reasons for the start of christianity.

1: A charismatic leader calling himself christ was executed by the romans and people made stuff up about him. I'm thinking of a David Koresh type character, (some branch davdians still think that david koresh was the 'lamb of god')
2: Saul of Tarsus made the whole thing up in much the same way as Joeseph Smith did with the mormans.
3: There was a sect that later invented a figure that matched what they were thinking, a sort of mythalogical figure head.
4: God sent himself down to earth to suffer so that he could be sacrificed to himself for a crime he invented, (only joking, this is not really an option)

Are you seriously asking why some people would lie to support their faith position.

And finally is that a picture of you in your avatar coz if it is you look just like my mates daughter, its uncanny.

[passionatefool]

if you examine many religions, ancient ones before Christianity, you will find that Christianity shockingly but not surprisingly has a lot in common with most of these religions. Born of a virgin, resurrected afer three days, 12 disciples, miraculous performance and so on. You can find these similiaries from Budda to Krishna, to especially Horus - god of ancient Egyptians - you will even find some similarities from greek mythology..