Atheists, how would you explain these Christian testimonies?

[Minimalist]

I'm always curious about these 'appearances'. What did Jesus look like? Did he just happen to resemble a figure in a Renaissance painting? Did he look Palestinian? Was there a vague resemblance to a scorch pattern on a piece of toast? And what makes them so sure it's Jesus?

Maybe he had a name tag that said "Jesus?"

[Aoi Magi]

An example of a famous testimony is a former Muslim by the name of Afshin Javid. He claims he was a former Muslim extremist who was in a jail cell in Malaysia. While he was meditating, Jesus appeared to him and quoted bible versus. 

This is all over youtube. There are many videos where Muslims have some sort of "supernatural" intervention where they meet Jesus, and then they convert to Christianity. I am sceptical about these claims but I want to know your perspective on how these could be explained? In the videos many of the people cry and look very sincere so I have a hard time thinking they are just making everything up on purpose. I feel that they believe these interventions took place, whether they did in actual fact or not. How would someone with no knowledge of Jesus see Jesus if it was not real?

Why the heck do you think a muslim has no knowledge of Jesus or Bible when their religion is pretty much a continuation of the bible itself? And even disregarding that, how do you think they know the apparition was of Jesus and the quotes were from bible, without a prior encounter with the book?

There is a reason science demands falsifiability and peer-review of a claim instead of trusting personal testimonies...

[Joods]

An example of a famous testimony is a former Muslim by the name of Afshin Javid. He claims he was a former Muslim extremist who was in a jail cell in Malaysia. While he was meditating, Jesus appeared to him and quoted bible versus. 

This is all over youtube. There are many videos where Muslims have some sort of "supernatural" intervention where they meet Jesus, and then they convert to Christianity. I am sceptical about these claims but I want to know your perspective on how these could be explained? In the videos many of the people cry and look very sincere so I have a hard time thinking they are just making everything up on purpose. I feel that they believe these interventions took place, whether they did in actual fact or not. How would someone with no knowledge of Jesus see Jesus if it was not real?

How about an introduction thread in the introductions sub-forum?

That's a great place to start. Especially if one reads the forum rules before posting

[Whateverist]

Not responding to the events in the OP specifically, but in a parallel vein.  Approaching any claimed phenomena with the question "How do you explain this?" isn't the best thing to do.  It's not the job of a skeptic to claim an explanation, a skeptic just responds to proposed explanations - asking for evidence, etc.  If we knew exactly nothing about the muslim man in the OP, we'd simply say "we don't know" when asked for an 'explanation.'  It's the burden of the claimant to support his claim, not the burden of the skeptic to propose an alternative.  Just stating "we don't know" is the most honest thing you can do if an explanation is not forthcoming or apparent.

Right.  Why should I believe fantastic claims on no more than personal testimony?  It is one thing to become convinced the person believes the far fetched stuff they're putting out there.  Another entirely to think they've interpreted their own 'experience' correctly.

[abaris]

An example of a famous testimony is a former Muslim by the name of Afshin Javid. He claims he was a former Muslim extremist who was in a jail cell in Malaysia. While he was meditating, Jesus appeared to him and quoted bible versus. 

Do we really have to comment on every anecdotal bullshittery?

[Jesster]

A Youtube video with someone who has a claim that can't actually be supported? Oh please. I can make videos just like that for other wacky claims. It doesn't matter how many likes or views it gets; it's still just unsupported garbage.

Don't believe everything you see on the internet... especially Youtube. Don't even give it a hint of credit.

I'm tired of the word "testimony". Every time I see it, people give it far too much value.

[Losty]

An example of a famous testimony is a former Muslim by the name of Afshin Javid. He claims he was a former Muslim extremist who was in a jail cell in Malaysia. While he was meditating, Jesus appeared to him and quoted bible versus. 

This is all over youtube. There are many videos where Muslims have some sort of "supernatural" intervention where they meet Jesus, and then they convert to Christianity. I am sceptical about these claims but I want to know your perspective on how these could be explained? In the videos many of the people cry and look very sincere so I have a hard time thinking they are just making everything up on purpose. I feel that they believe these interventions took place, whether they did in actual fact or not. How would someone with no knowledge of Jesus see Jesus if it was not real?

[RozKek]

I don't, I am a christian now, hallelujah

[Edwardo Piet]

Much cuter and much better than the Ancient Aliens dude

[Cyberman]

I would explain them as testimonies; no different to any others, including opposing ones. Check out infomercials some time, or your email spam folder, I guarantee they're filled with testimonials designed to sell the product. With nothing else to go on, how could you possibly identify which of them are even close to truth, if any of them are?

Better to slit their throats with Hitchens' Razor.