The evidence needs to be examined! If it stands, it stands. If it falls, let it fall. But, what would be substantial evidence against Christianity is if bones were discovered in an ossuary, or tomb containing something like Jesus' name on it, stating he was the son of Joseph, and that those bones had nail marks in the wrists. But, without a body, it is difficult to establish Jesus' death, burial, and lack of resurrection. In fact, not having a body is exactly what the gospel accounts say is the case and that seems to be the case with the ossuaries. Remember, they did have bones in them, but they are lost and cannot be examined. So, it cannot be stated which bones they were or if the bones matched the genetic material found within. They might not since families used ossuaries to hold more than one generation. Sometimes they held up to six.I suggest that you read the whole article. It includes admonitions for Christians and critics alike as well as a section titled "Important issues and questions".
Nevertheless, for Christians to automatically dismiss the evidence without first examining it, is to forfeit credibility in the eyes of unbelievers, many of which already think that Christians are irrational and refuse to believe facts. We have an opportunity to present a rational, non-emotional position and demonstrate that our faith is not so weak that our first reaction is to dismiss evidence we haven't even looked at yet.
Remember, looking at evidence and using logic is what Jesus taught us to do. Jesus said to doubting Thomas in John 20:27, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.” Jesus himself urged Thomas to examine the evidence and believe based on that evidence. In other words, Jesus taught to examine evidence and make a logical conclusion based up it. Of course, the Bible verse presupposes Jesus' resurrection is a fact, but still the principle to examine evidence is taught in Scripture. Shouldn't we do what Jesus taught?
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Has the tomb of Jesus been found?
This week two Hollywood directors, James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici, said they have found the tomb of Jesus and that the evidence therein shows Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, had at least one child named Judah, and, of course, that Jesus did not physically rise from the dead. Here is an excerpt from an article at the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry that speaks to this.
2 comments:
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This tomb was discovered in what, 1980? and dismissed after research by archeologists, etc., at that time. James Cameron acts like he has discovered it for the first time.
ReplyDeleteWhat DNA evidence will they match? Do we know the DNA of Jesus' family? Of God?
The bones are missing. Why? If several members could be in one ossuary, how do we know there was ever a "Jesus" in the "box" in the first place?
The name translation of "Jesus" has been questioned. Apparently, it's difficult to translate, and may be something completely different.
All the names in the family are all very common names of the time.
The tomb isn't where the historical tomb is supposed to be.
Finally, I can't believe the audacity of James Cameron to say, without qualification, that this is "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" when the odds are (by archeologists and historians alike) that it ISN'T;it's already been dismissed, and that he didn't find it. It's like Dan Brown stating in the beginning of The Da Vinci Code that all the information in his book of fiction are fact.
It just leads people down rabbit holes and of course raises the ire of Christians....who are accused of not thinking, when these guys are after the big bucks, not the truth.
OK. I'm done. ;-)
People think Christians are dismissing without examining the evidence because we are making a lightning judgment on it based on what we already know. To even begin to examine the evidence (nicely questioned by karen above) is to immediately deny Scriptural truth that He died, rose and ascended into Heaven. Martyrs gave their lives from the very beginning in testament to this truth. How long does it take us to dismiss this obvious publicity stunt when the first thing we have to do is toss out two thousand years of teaching?
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to have a few truths ready to skewer the claims of this nonsense, so that people don't think we are stupid believers. I'm sharpening up mine now because many among my family will be pulled even further astray on a path "illuminated" by the DaVinci Code (I pronounce that as the "Duh" Vinci Code).