Ressurection of jesus.

[searchingforanswers]

Hey guys its me again, the unsure atheist. Ive been a christian my whole life and so im still struggling to see the faults in the arguments i held true. Anyway ive been reading timothy kellers's a reaaon for god. In it he makes a pretty good for jesus rising from the dead.

Mainly he says that skeptics have to answer these questions to prove jesus didnt rise from the dead. Why did christianity emerge so rapidly, with such power? No other band of messianic followers in that era claimed a leader rose from the dead-why did this group do so? Jews never worshipped one man as god why did they start now? Jews did not believe in divine men or resurrections, what changed their worldview overnight? How do u account dor hundred of eyewitness who saw jesus, lived for decades and gave their lives for that belief?

His main point is that skeptics must answer this without simply saying it didnt happen. I go to a christian school and this is the book we have to read for apologetics (which i have to take) so they are gonna hammer with these questions since ive started speaken outwardly about my doubts wih religon. Sorry for the long post just wanted to tbe responses of people one here. Really try to answer the questions tho dont just dismiss them. Thanks all

[thesummerqueen]

Mainly he says that skeptics have to answer these questions to prove jesus didnt rise from the dead. Why did christianity emerge so rapidly, with such power?

Same way Harry Potter boomed. It makes a good story, considering the times it rose in.

No other band of messianic followers in that era claimed a leader rose from the dead-why did this group do so?

Jesus wasn't the first dying/rising God. He was just the first in a monotheistic tradition, as far as I know. There were other messianic figures around that time.

Jews never worshipped one man as god why did they start now?

Jews still don't worship any man as God. A sect of apocalyptic Judaism latched onto the messiah idea and turned passages from the Old Testament around so the messiah was no longer a warrior but a suffering figure.

Jews did not believe in divine men or resurrections, what changed their worldview overnight?

They believed in men who touched the divine. Also, Jesus didn't appear as a fully formed concept for some time.

How do u account dor hundred of eyewitness who saw jesus, lived for decades and gave their lives for that belief?

His source for these eyewitnesses?

[Skeptic]

prove jesus didnt rise from the dead.

That's not how it works. People don't have to prove that Jesus didn't rise from the dead, those arguing for it have to prove that he did.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance

[Minimalist]

Why did christianity emerge so rapidly, with such power?

It apparently did not.

So not only does this asshole have to demonstrate that the the laws of nature were suspended ( the definition of a 'miracle') so that someone could "come back from the fucking dead" but he must also show evidence ( and not bible-based bullshit) that this particular cult of idiots did emerge rapidly.

Xtianity, when it unfortunately for the rest of us, backed the right horse during the Constantine-Maxentius civil war, was handed the keys to power. Every indication we have from historical sources is that it was still a fairly minor cult at that time as these things were reckoned in the Roman empire. Estimates are 5 to 10% of the population were xtian by the time of Constantine and most of those were in the East. If you contrast that with the rapid spread of islam in the first 2 centuries after it was concocted you'll see that xtianity was quite the laggard.

You seem overly impressed with the bullshit these people put out but taking their claims critically instead of literally would be a good way to start.

[searchingforanswers]

Im on my iphone so i cant say alot till i get my computer but i will say i appreciate the feedback. And specifically to minimalist (sorry if i mispelled): lol your posts always make me laugh. Im not a very good debater so im just trying to get help for what i know will be a shitty class.

[Minimalist]

Im on my iphone so i cant say alot till i get my computer but i will say i appreciate the feedback. And specifically to minimalist (sorry if i mispelled): lol your posts always make me laugh. Im not a very good debater so im just trying to get help for what i know will be a shitty class.

PM me an email address and I'll send you Bart Ehrman's "Jesus Interrupted."

The first chapter of that should be enough to make fundie heads explode.

[searchingforanswers]

Ok id appreciate that, thanks.