That must be because the subject material isn't very interesting.
If this is the case, then you even posting in this thread is evidence that this is a lie. Or, more likely, that you are a pompous and arrogant troll. I will give you the benefit of the doubt, and hope you were just being dishonest.
'Truth' is a personal philosophical position, not a statement of objective fact. The closest you get to objective fact is the provisional knowledge of science.
That is one of the definitions of "truth." But truth is most often an objective fact. Hence, labels of "true" and "false." So, no; provisional knowledge is not as close as one can get to objective fact/truth.
Stuu: No, his fallacy of composition was to say that because the bible can be shown to be historically accurate (which it can in some respects but not all) that therefore the supernatural and other claims about Jesus should be seen to have more credibility. That is certainly the fallacy of composition.
This is a misapplication of this fallacy. Lon is correct. I was not committing the fallacy of composition, because I never made the claim in the supernatural aspects being credible or accurate, only that the Bible is a historically accurate text. If, due to supernatural claims made therein, you then discredit the entire text, then you would likewise have to reject the Constitution of various countries, both the United States, as well as several in Europe, due to mentions of God.
The fallacy would then be applied to you, due to not dismissing any such text with equal discernment.
Descartes makes it that, but I don't share his confidence.
That is fine. I was just giving due credit.
It would be circular logic to use observation to conclude that observation is reliable. It has to be a blind assumption that what you see really is what you get.
You are being hypocritical. If circular logic is necessary for proving that what we observe is "real," such as the existence of the universe, then any premise that is built upon it is faulty. You would agree that circular reasoning is not a logical approach.
The problem with that is we are discussing a universe in which time did not exist until the Big Bang, and there is no such thing as the 'time before the Big Bang', so you cannot have an effect following a cause in the usual way. It literally means nothing to say that something caused the universe to come into existence.
What caused time to suddenly exist? This is the most consistent logical statement you have made thus far; time must begin with the Big Bang. Because an eternal universe would be eternally dead, due to the impossibility of ever being able to reach "today," due to an infinite number of "yesterdays." This leads to the logical conclusion that time must have had a beginning, just like the universe.
Stuu: And there is not one eyewitness account of Jesus in existence. No one who ever saw Jesus wrote about it, as far as we can tell.
The writer of the Gospel of John is anonymous. There is no claim within it that the writer is the person who observed Jesus.
This is true of a majority of archaic historical texts. Through various historical sciences, scholars determine who most likely authored the texts. In the case of the Gospels, there is actually direct reference to the authors around 130 AD, by various individuals. This, combined with contextual clues within each gospel account point to the ascribed authors.
The writer of the Gospel of Matthew is not named, and nowhere does the author claim to be an eyewitness of Jesus. It was written in Greek, not translated from Hebrew or Aramaic. And, it was more likely written about 50 years after the alleged events it describes.
I never said it was translated from Aramaic. There are original copies of Matthew's Gospel found that are written in Aramaic, which are the oldest copies of the text ever found.
Indeed. But they are not eyewitness accounts of Jesus.
This is simple denial. I have submitted evidence of the gospels being composed within the lifetime of those who knew Christ. You have not submitted any information that contradicts this claim.
How do you know the author of Matthew lived with Jesus? We don't even know who he or she was. It was most likely written between 80-90 CE, but 70 CE at the earliest.
We know that Matthew lived with Christ through each of the synoptic Gospels, as well as John's account, as well as accounts given by secular sources. The 12 Apostles who traveled with Christ are each accounted for, not just in the Bible, but in various other texts and proofs from the same time period. Including Roman letters, Hebrew histories (mind you, these histories are not fans of Christ).
So how do we know that Matthew and John literally walked and talked with Christ? History. Accurate historical research and reliable source material.
The writer refers to war in Judea, almost certainly the First Jewish-Roman war of 66-73CE, so it can't have been written in 60CE.
False. Every single skirmish involving the Hebrews was considered "war." The Jewish-Roman War, the accounts of which you refer to, are from Roman sources, correct? This war was in reality a series of rebellions by the Hebrews against Roman rule. Various sources point to such insurrection beginning as early as 10 AD, and lasting through 73 AD. So, a "war in Judea" as a grounds of proof against early composition is not too sound. Also, you are arguing about a 6 year difference in composition. I can recall what I researched and experienced 10 years ago pretty accurately.
So now you are getting closer to reality. No corroborating mentions of the writing in 60CE, then.
Again, you are arguing over a 6 year difference. And, you have been dismissing historical evidence and accounts. So, in
reality, you have been the one straying from reality.
Which, whether it is right or not (and it clearly isn't), is entirely irrelevant to the point that there are no eyewitness accounts of Jesus in existence.
At this point, could we just start a tally of how many times you claim "no eyewitness accounts of Jesus," despite historical evidence contrary to this claim? At this point we are at 6 in just this response.
And your insistence that what scholars say, which supports the existence and eyewitness accounts of Christ, being false, is not just a continued assertion of denial.
You really believe this, don't you. But you haven't refuted my point about historical fiction.
You mean, I really believe the accurate historical authenticity of the Gospels, as supported by reliable historical evidence and analysis, supported by a majority of scholars and historians? Yes, I do. I allow logic and reason to shape my beliefs and knowledge, based on the accuracy of evidence and proofs submitted.
I guess I could just blindly deny something as fiction, if I do not
want to believe it. Especially when such beliefs are contrary to logic and evidence.
Possibly. But no eyewitness accounts of Jesus.
That makes 7. Also, if it was "possibly" composed in the lifetime of witnesses and those who witnessed, then it was "possibly" an eyewitness account, since that the the entire premise of that statement.
Come on. That's just lazy. Would you like me to do the work for you??
In reference to a Hebrew ruler, Herod, conducting a census? No need for you to do any work. Historians have already done this. And once again, the evidence supports the accounts given in the Gospels. Especially given the Herodian Dynasty. Especially given that two specifically different King Herod's are mentioned in the Gospel accounts.
Sure. But none of them were eyewitnesses of Jesus though.
Up to 8 now. Also, there is a letter on archive that is from a Roman Centurion, stationed in Jerusalem, which references Christ. Sure, I did not include him with the names of various Roman sources before, but that is because no name is known. Only the contents and date of composition of the letter, which is from 1 AD. I believe the letter in located in Europe, but I could be mistaken on that. I would have to consult my notes.
Israel Finkelstein, Professor of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University.
I will look into this inquiry.
How is 'no evidence against' something that never happened a credible argument?
Interesting point, given that that is your whole argument thus far. Especially when you have specifically stated that 8 times in this post alone. If you would like, I could comb through your prior responses and give you and even larger tally.
Also, "no evidence" is not proof of absence; I agree. But my argument is that there is significant evidence which supports the exodus of the Hebrews, and no evidence against it. My argument is not a "there is no evidence" claim, but a claim that there is only evidence in support of it, none against. Unlike your arguments thus far.
The quite satisfying thing about the failure of the Intelligent Design movement is that one of their really prized examples, that of the supposed irreducible complexity of the flagellar motor, has actually been shown to be a quite elegant example of Darwinian adaptation. The current legal status of Intelligent Design in the US, as far as I know, is that of a religion.
Excellent point, but off topic. The beauty of this statement though, is that you claim that the theory of Intelligent Design has failed, yet posit no evidence against it. In fact, I am sure you deny the scientific evidence that refute Darwin's Theory of Evolution. And please, provide this evidence that demonstrates proof of flagellant movement being an elegant example of evolution, because five years ago, no such proof existed.
There are no eyewitness accounts of Jesus in existence. There are no eyewitness accounts of Homer, either. It is very likely that Homer was not a real historical person. A pretty good case has been made that Jesus wasn't an historical person either, although it looks to me that Jesus is more likely to have lived than Homer.
That is 9. Almost broke 10. So close. Has my point of your claim being a history denial concise enough?
It doesn't matter that much to me whether these people were real or fictional characters. It must matter to you, though.
Obviously it should matter to me, and any religious person, from any religion. If one is to believe in the teachings of a person, such a person must be real, as that is the basic foundation of truth, existence; as alluded to with your Assumption list.
You should pursue the truth, with skepticism and belief, wherever it leads. If you are just going to repeatedly deny evidence, scholastic research, history, facts, etc. , then there is no point in discussion. It would be pointless, as you would be preferring falsehoods to reality.