Is Accepting Christian Evidence Special Pleading?

[TheBeardedDude]

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Your comparison is way way off. Joseph Smith wrote down a bunch of things that happened only to him. No one else was there. This is actually a good comparison to the alien abduction example atheists are so fond of. 

The 9 authors of the NT wrote down what happened in public. Tens of thousands of people would have been affected in some way by the events they relate. We have historical evidence that some significant number of people acted on their belief that the events of the NT happened (even before the gospels were written): there are churches across the Roman Empire before 50 AD. 1 Peter? Are you kidding me? That's 5 chapters out of 260. 

In addition, your use of the term 'anonymous' is inaccurate and often used in an attempt to poison the well. Do you actually think that the people who received the first copies of the gospels received them on their doorsteps and did not know where they came from? Get real. They would have known exactly who the editor was and where the information came from. The name of the editor is unimportant to pass along. The only concern was the apostle's name who provided the input.

So, your comparison is nonsense and your charge of special pleading unsupported.

This is a big difference, that I find when looking at other religious accounts.  Quite often (and I think out of necessity) the events happen isolated in a cave or out in the woods somewhere to only one person, or they occurred a long long time ago, in a far away land.  And when they are not, I am able to take the information into consideration to form an intelligent conclusion.  No need to deny the evidence and call the people liars or delusional.  But to look at all the evidence, and form an intelligent conclusion.

I do think the argument of anonymity is interesting.  Often, because the same people who make this case, will quite often contradict themselves shortly after.

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So no theists are going to respond to comments about Paul then?  Where did Steve go all of a sudden?  Seems like whenever the gospel writers' legitimacy is called into question, he disappears.  Not that I blame him.  Even the slimiest of all slime, WLC, won't debate the authenticity of the NT.

What is the question that you had or the comment, that you think is being ignored.

"What is the question that you had or the comment, that you think is being ignored."


Probably something along the lines of the one I have asked multiple times now (for instance in this post: https://atheistforums.org/thread-51117-p...pid1618334)