A common argument I hear from apologists basically says that if Jesus wasn't really the son of God, didn't perform all those miracles, didn't really rise from the dead, and his apostles and followers didn't perform miracles and have revelations, then Christianity wouldn't lasted and become the major religion it is today. I.e., no substantial number of people would have believed it if its claims weren't true.
There are many problems with this argument, but I think one the strongest refutations of it would be just to notice how many crazy things many people believe in today's modern society. Just think of all the faith healers that many people still fall for (often literally fall for) even though they have been exposed many times to be frauds. Or take a look at how many people fall for new age alternative health solutions such as magnetic bracelets or other such useless items and are convinced in their power despite unsupporting evidence. Many believe in UFOs, ghosts, and bigfoot today still (Just see the so called History channel). And just think of those religious cults that started in 20th century that had devoted followers even to death (such as the group that killed themselves to be taken up to haley's comet or something like that). And of course, there's scientology.
Now, keep in mind, these are things that managed to become relatively prominent in today's modern literate, and scientifically and technologically advanced age. We have instant access to enormous amounts of information through the internet. It's not difficult for one to do fact checking to see how bogus, for instance, faith healers are. Yet despite the widespread literacy and the instant access to communication and information, such fanciful and ridiculous ideas persist!
Now imagine how much worse the problem would have been in ancient times without widespread literacy, without instant long distance communication, without instant and convenient access to information, and without the more rigorous scientific and critical methodology of our modern age.
There are many problems with this argument, but I think one the strongest refutations of it would be just to notice how many crazy things many people believe in today's modern society. Just think of all the faith healers that many people still fall for (often literally fall for) even though they have been exposed many times to be frauds. Or take a look at how many people fall for new age alternative health solutions such as magnetic bracelets or other such useless items and are convinced in their power despite unsupporting evidence. Many believe in UFOs, ghosts, and bigfoot today still (Just see the so called History channel). And just think of those religious cults that started in 20th century that had devoted followers even to death (such as the group that killed themselves to be taken up to haley's comet or something like that). And of course, there's scientology.
Now, keep in mind, these are things that managed to become relatively prominent in today's modern literate, and scientifically and technologically advanced age. We have instant access to enormous amounts of information through the internet. It's not difficult for one to do fact checking to see how bogus, for instance, faith healers are. Yet despite the widespread literacy and the instant access to communication and information, such fanciful and ridiculous ideas persist!
Now imagine how much worse the problem would have been in ancient times without widespread literacy, without instant long distance communication, without instant and convenient access to information, and without the more rigorous scientific and critical methodology of our modern age.
My ignore list
"The lord doesn't work in mysterious ways, but in ways that are indistinguishable from his nonexistence."
-- George Yorgo Veenhuyzen quoted by John W. Loftus in The End of Christianity (p. 103).
"The lord doesn't work in mysterious ways, but in ways that are indistinguishable from his nonexistence."
-- George Yorgo Veenhuyzen quoted by John W. Loftus in The End of Christianity (p. 103).
