(November 25, 2014 at 12:34 pm)DeistPaladin Wrote: Thank you. You just help me underscore how we evaluate claims and why, when Christians keep saying "how do you know [X person] of history existed" doesn't help their case.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Mundane claims are often accepted with testimony and the lack of contrary evidence.
First off, the whole "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" is an outdate quip used by atheists...it is outdated and played out. Hell, I think life from nonlife and consciousness from unconsciousness is an extraordinary claim...
And I haven't seen any extraordinary evidence for it yet...so we can both play that game.
(November 25, 2014 at 12:34 pm)DeistPaladin Wrote: So, Washington existed: Mundane claim more than adequately supported.
The folklore about the Cherry Tree: Not accepted as it's a pretty unusual claim, not supported by anything but a story.
That he threw a silver dollar across the Potomac: Extraordinary claim not accepted.
By the way, my dad came back to life today. He was cremated but his ashes reconstituted themselves into a body and he's feeling much better now. I'm sure I can find four "witnesses" who can write about what they saw. So tell me HM, would you accept that claim? If not, why not?
I didn't know that saying a man existed in 1st century Judea named "Jesus" who had followers called "Christians" was an extraordinary claim
