(June 24, 2015 at 9:25 pm)Randy Carson Wrote: Consequently, this discussion will not consider whether the New Testament is reliable nor attempt to prove that it is. The conclusion that Jesus did rise from the dead will not depend upon that argument.
1. Jesus died by crucifixion
2. Jesus' disciples believed that He rose and appeared to them
3. Saul, the persecutor of the Church, was suddenly changed
4. James, the skeptical brother of Jesus, was suddenly changed
5. Jesus' tomb was found to be empty
In subsequent posts, I will present the evidence in support of each of these facts.
You lied from the get go.
At least point 2, 3, 4, and 5 purely depend on the reliability of the NT.
If the NT is not reliable:
1. there is no way to know if his disciples believed he rose from the dead.
2. Saul suddenly changed.
3. James was changed.
4. The tomb was empty.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
