http://www.creationweb.org/viewtopic.php?t=259 wrote:
weemadando
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2002 12:16 am Post subject: [Not Flaming/Bigotry/Spam] Is the bible legitimate?
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We all know that for nearly 1600 years the bible has been the centre of Christian beliefs, but I wish to bring up the point: how do we determine if it is a legitimate text?
Against it we have the problem that there is no corroborating evidence.
-The Romans who were notoriously anal about such things have no record of an insurgency by a man named Jesus, or even of executing him. Only in about 150ce do they start complaining about a new cult emerging and threatening the establishment.
-Many of the events mentioned in both the new and the old testaments lack corroborating evidence of their occurance. The flood, the presence of the jews in Egypt and their subsequent move to the middle east...
Yes you may argue that the bible is all the evidence you need, but can a court convict based on a single testimony from a witness that noone can identify or prove exists? Can a thesis be accepted if it only quotes from one source and doesn't attempt to back up its arguements.
How do we know that the bible is even the same bible that was (allegedly) written by the disciples/apostles. Even if it was, it would have been translated and transcribed so many times that it would likely have had some meaning lost or changed. Or does the hand of god aid the hand of the scribes?
Well? Topic is open for debate.
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The Apologist
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2002 3:54 am Post subject:
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I accept your challenge, and request to be your only partner in debate, if I may. I would like this to be chiefly one-on-one.
I respond initially by pursuing why you question the Bible in the first place.
Tell me - do you believe that Julius Ceasar was the emperor of Rome? Do you believe that the Gallic wars occurred?
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weemadando
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2002 7:05 am Post subject:
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Ah-hah!
We have a taker.
Yes I believe that Julius Caesar was emperor of Rome. We have coins minted by his order with his visage. We have statues and busts of him. We have inscriptions dedicated to him. We have records of his correspondance with people. We have many independant sources that can verify his existance. There is ample literary and non-literary evidence of the existance of Julius Caesar. And not just in one book.
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weemadando
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2002 7:17 am Post subject:
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As for why I question the bible...
For nearly two milennia Christianity has followed the teachings of Jesus as outlined in the bible. Or at least the New Testament. Yet there is no corroborating evidence for the existance of Jesus or of the events of the New Testament.
Same goes for the Old Testament. Its the foundation of several religions yet there is no corroborating evidence.
That is why I question it.
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GoatFeathers
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2002 3:34 pm Post subject:
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The Apologist, I have an answer that I would like to give, however I will respect your request and hold off until you tell me otherwise. If you wish, send me a private message and I will tell you what it is, and you can pass it along if you feel that it would help.
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GoatFeathers
The Apologist
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2002 4:30 am Post subject:
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Quote:
Yes I believe that Julius Caesar was emperor of Rome. We have coins minted by his order with his visage. We have statues and busts of him. We have inscriptions dedicated to him. We have records of his correspondance with people. We have many independant sources that can verify his existance. There is ample literary and non-literary evidence of the existance of Julius Caesar. And not just in one book.
Call me nit-picky, but I did not ask whether you believe that Julius Caesar existed; I asked whether you believe that he was the emperor of Rome (and whether you believe the Gallic wars occurred, but we can ignore this as rhetorical under the circumstances).
I will assume that it is your belief that Caesar was the emperor - and so apparently, you consider the evidence you mentioned to be "proof" (you did, after all, say in another discussion that you only believe in things which can be proven to you). Am I correct so far? Are the attestations you named proof that Caesar was the emperor of Rome?
By the way, I think this discussion will be more efficient and helpful if it takes more of a dialogue format than a formal debate format, so this is why I am keeping my responses terse, and I would hope you do the same.
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weemadando
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2002 10:49 am Post subject:
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The Apologist wrote:
Call me nit-picky, but I did not ask whether you believe that Julius Caesar existed; I asked whether you believe that he was the emperor of Rome (and whether you believe the Gallic wars occurred, but we can ignore this as rhetorical under the circumstances).
To be nit-picky. . .
Quote:
Tell me - do you believe that Julius Ceasar was the emperor of Rome?
Its there on the page clear as day. An I believe that all of my aforementioned evidence relates directly to his role as Emperor. Coins aren't minted in the image in or on the order of a pauper on the streets.
To be truly nit-picky Julius Caesar wasn't the Emperor, but Dictator... Thats a minor piece of historical trivia though.
Quote:
I will assume that it is your belief that Caesar was the emperor - and so apparently, you consider the evidence you mentioned to be "proof" (you did, after all, say in another discussion that you only believe in things which can be proven to you). Am I correct so far? Are the attestations you named proof that Caesar was the emperor of Rome?
We have statues of Julius with inscriptions denoting him as "emperor".
We have correspondance to and from an emperor from the same period who just happens to be called Julius Caesar...
We have coins featuring the visage of Julius Caesar, denoting him as "emperor".
We have numerous literary sources that relate to him as the "emperor".
We have his adopted "son" Octavious deifying him and creating the first of the "God-Emperors".
I could continue listing examples, but I feel I have listed enough evidence that Julius Caesar a) existed and b) was "Emperor" of Rome
Quote:
By the way, I think this discussion will be more efficient and helpful if it takes more of a dialogue format than a formal debate format, so this is why I am keeping my responses terse, and I would hope you do the same.
I try to keep them as short as possible. I'm used to fairly evidence intensive debates however, coming from an academic background.
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MrMatt280
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2002 5:26 pm Post subject:
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Why is it that you say there is no collaborative evidence for the New Testament and Jesus? What proof do you have of that??
Gricksigger
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2002 6:56 pm Post subject:
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No collaborative evidence?
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MrMatt280
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2002 10:39 pm Post subject:
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Whoops, I meant corroborating evidence.
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Gricksigger
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2002 10:46 pm Post subject:
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That comment was directed towards Wee, actually.
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The Apologist
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2002 6:07 am Post subject:
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Was weemadando banned?
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SBollinger
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2002 10:13 pm Post subject:
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The Apologist wrote:
Was weemadando banned?
Nope. Just de-activated for a bit. However, if he follows through on any of the threats he made at sd.net, he soon will be.
He's activated again.
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'olam ha-ze
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2002 11:10 pm Post subject:
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Quote:
We have statues of Julius with inscriptions denoting him as "emperor".
We have correspondance to and from an emperor from the same period who just happens to be called Julius Caesar...
We have coins featuring the visage of Julius Caesar, denoting him as "emperor".
We have numerous literary sources that relate to him as the "emperor".
We have his adopted "son" Octavious deifying him and creating the first of the "God-Emperors".
I could continue listing examples, but I feel I have listed enough evidence that Julius Caesar a) existed and b) was "Emperor" of Rome
Yes, but I asked if you consider such material "proof." Does this evidence "prove" that Caesar was emperor (yes, it is "emperor")? To you? To everyone?
More importantly, do you agree that only true (and not false) things can be proven, and that true things can only be proven (and not disproven)?
Or do you consider "proof" more a relative measure of whatever compels one to believe?
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weemadando
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2002 11:11 pm Post subject:
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post deleted.
Way ot.
SB
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weemadando
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2002 12:18 am Post subject:
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The Apologist wrote:
Yes, but I asked if you consider such material "proof." Does this evidence "prove" that Caesar was emperor (yes, it is "emperor")? To you? To everyone?
More importantly, do you agree that only true (and not false) things can be proven, and that true things can only be proven (and not disproven)?
Or do you consider "proof" more a relative measure of whatever compels one to believe?
I do consider such material proof. If I had a single document, that stated that a previously unheard of figure was the Emperor of Rome, and there was no corroborating contermporary evidence of this claim then I would be dubious of it. Hence my questioning of the bible.
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The Apologist
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Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2002 12:27 am Post subject:
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Okay, one question answered...
Continue...
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weemadando
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Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2002 2:25 am Post subject:
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Quote:
More importantly, do you agree that only true (and not false) things can be proven, and that true things can only be proven (and not disproven)?
False things can be proven false. However some things lack the evidence to prove them true or false. Many fundamentalists argue that there is literary evidence outside the bible that proves that Jesus was crucified on the order or Pontius Pilate. This is false. We merely have knowledge of the existance of someone called Pontius Pilate thanks to an inscription.
St. George and the Dragon, is this tale true? Can it proved as true? Doubtful. But can it be irreconcilably be proved false? Probably not. The fact remains that the burden of proof and common sense would lead you to believe that it is impossible that a knight in the middle ages would have hunted and killed a dragon. Similar to how I have the right to reasonable doubt that Jesus a) existed (I don't really doubt this, I believe that someone called Jesus of Nazareth did probably exist) or b) doubt his actions and the record of them that we have (this is the case with me).
Quote:
Or do you consider "proof" more a relative measure of whatever compels one to believe?
I believe in science because I can do an experiment and see its results. I can look at a theory and its supporting evidence and say: "Yes, that makes sense." I have a background in geology and paleontology, so I find YEC ridiculous. Being a historian I also find that proof is the most important thing in debating history. Without it you can make all the points that you want. Problem is, you can't support them.
I reiterate that for me at least "proof"/logic/common sense are the defining factors of my belief.
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