The First Century Void

[Cyberman]

The last paragraph isn't the one in dispute.

[Cyberman]

Here's a hint. All the paragraphs flow seamlessly and narratively one to another. There is one exception. Three guesses.

[Minimalist]

$10 that he doesn't see it.

[Fake Messiah]

Let's get back to the topic. What do you say about that void ha? I mean how come no church ever preserved records of Christ family like census and tax receipts from the government, documenting their family relations, births, property, place of residence, and taxes paid, among other things such as deeds and contracts? This would also include documents pertaining to any trials they were involved in (civil or criminal); and copies of any letters they received (which they surely would have received if they were at all involved in the church administration and mission after Jesus' death).

I mean we know churches had the means and interest in preserving letters like some Paul's letters but no Christ family - someone may think they never existed. And even those Paul letters that are preserved there would have been hundreds of letters written in the first century, both from numerous other apostles and communication between churches, in great quantity, from every decade beginning with Paul.

[RoadRunner79]

Here's a hint. All the paragraphs flow seamlessly and narratively one to another. There is one exception. Three guesses.

I'm not the only one who noticed Josephus writing style.

This is a favorite objection, but it comes from people who obviously have not read very much of Josephus! As Thackery opined, Josephus was a "patchwork writer," one guilty of "inveterate sloppiness." [Meie.MarJ, 8] I can agree: As one with a background in language and literature, were I to give Josephus a grade for composition, it would be something around the level of a C-minus.

Even so, the "out of context" charge carries very little weight. An exposition by Mason will be helpful here. This is the outline of events under Pilate as given by Josephus [Maso.JosNT, 163-4 - using newer outline system for Josephus]:

18.35 Pilate arrives in Judea.
18.55-9 Pilate introduces imperial images in the Temple, causing a ruckus.
18.60-2 Pilate expropriates Temple funds to build an aqueduct.
18.63-4 The Testimonium appears.
18.65-80 An event set in Rome, not involving Pilate directly, having to do with the seduction of a follower of Isis in Rome.
18.81-4 An account of four Jewish scoundrels; also not directly involving Pilate.
18.85-7 An incident involving Pilate and some Samaritans.
18.88-9 Pilate gets the imperial boot.
As can be seen, this is by no means a set of connected events. Pilate has a role in all of them; but it is not even certain that Josephus is giving these events in chronological order.

[Succubus]

Tekton apologetics? To paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies:
"Well they would say that, wouldn't they?"

[Cyberman]

Right, okay, got it. The only two disputed references in the whole body of work, with one relying totally on the authenticity of the other, and it's a stylistic choice of the writer. That's that cleared up.

Notice that yet again, no attempt at my little challenge.

[Minimalist]

Apologists make excuses for bullshit.  It's what they do.

The interrupted flow of the writing is obvious to all but the thickest of apologetic assholes but the principal objection remains the simple fact that no writer - not even jesus freak writers - knew fuckall about it until Eusebius forged it in the 4th century.

[Fake Messiah]

The interrupted flow of the writing is obvious

Or would style of writing of a devout Jew, like Josephus, apparently include describing Jesus as wonderful and making commercial for him? I mean can't you see how desperate you are Christians?

not even jesus freak writers - knew fuckall about it until Eusebius forged it in the 4th century.

Yes, like one Jesus freak writer, Origen in 2nd century, who actually complained in his treatise "Contra Celsum" that there is no historical mentioning of Jesus "is one of the most difficult undertakings that can be attempted, and is in some instances an impossibility"
chapter 42 http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/04161.htm

So TF would have been his ace in the hole and yet he has never heard of TF although he knows works of Josephus very well.

[Amarok]

Are Christians still trying to argue the  forgery of Josephus isn't a forgery . Wow just wow .