tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post4450545254409505116..comments2023-10-29T08:19:51.395-05:00Comments on The Raytractors - Ray Comfort's Detractors: Questions For Christians: Biblical DevelopmentMacGyver Jrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02307024564664964571noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-77901181027770586702008-09-28T11:53:00.000-05:002008-09-28T11:53:00.000-05:00Isn't it satirical? Don't you think?A little too ...Isn't it satirical? Don't you think?<BR/>A little too satirical? And yeah I really do think.Three Ninjashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00928552876098168839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-658040670719557412008-09-28T10:34:00.000-05:002008-09-28T10:34:00.000-05:00A satirical response to Dave's questions is up. It...A satirical response to Dave's questions is up. It's hilarious. (Dave doesn't have to respond. I was just pointing out flaws in his questions)<BR/>http://facilis.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/questions-for-dave/MrFreeThinkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12778096949945818236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-41581689369044519432008-09-27T13:39:00.000-05:002008-09-27T13:39:00.000-05:00I answer your questions on my blog herehttp://faci...I answer your questions on my blog here<BR/>http://facilis.wordpress.com/2008/09/27/response-to-questions-on-biblical-development/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-31834174034408181962008-08-31T17:35:00.000-05:002008-08-31T17:35:00.000-05:00Response to question 2:Copies of copies of copiesT...Response to question 2:<BR/><BR/><B>Copies of copies of copies</B><BR/><BR/>The NT has something arguable better than original documents: multiplicity. The amount of multiple copies of the NT compared to other ancient writings is unprecedented. Since these documents have emerged from different geographic (see ^^^) areas the only way they’d agree would be if they could be traced back to a single source. Not only do we have Greek manuscripts but we also have translations into other languages such as Latin, Syriac and Coptic. So even if we didn’t have any Greek manuscripts today we could piece together the information from these translations from an early date and reproduce the New Testament in its entirety.<BR/><BR/>I would also submit that if you’re looking for a Xerox copy of the Gospel of John or a YouTube vid of Jesus walking on water then you’re being unreasonable.markGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05616659065400219743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-31073848781486683492008-08-29T21:41:00.000-05:002008-08-29T21:41:00.000-05:00Response to question 1“It was a commonly accepted ...Response to question 1<BR/><I><BR/>“It was a commonly accepted practice in those days to attribute written works to a well-known person”</I><BR/><BR/>It is an anachronism to assume that the gospel authors were well known men at the time that the earliest manuscripts are dated. Mark and Luke weren’t even among the twelve disciples. Matthew was but as a tax collector held little credibility. Then much later when the apocryphal gospels which were written, people chose names that carried more weight such as Peter, Mary and James. <BR/>Besides, consider the time period you are writing about a Man who was executed in the most brutal way possible and have the both the Romans and the Jews wanting to extinguish anything left of his following. Paul, Peter and most of the disciples were martyred; John was exiled to prison for life. What was their motivation for writing these accounts? If I were going to start a new religion I’d go about it in a totally different way that’s for sure.<BR/><I><BR/>“the gospels, for instance, were written 40 to 80 years after the purported resurrection, at a time when the average life expectancy was 45 years”</I><BR/><BR/>The earliest portion of the New Testament that we have today is a fragment of John containing part of chapter 18. It is dated between 100 and 150 AD. Most importantly it was found in Egypt which is very far from Ephesus where the gospel was originally written. The point is, because we don’t have a manuscript dated before 45 AD does not mean the gospels were not written at that time.markGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05616659065400219743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-9124136575001160062008-08-29T16:10:00.000-05:002008-08-29T16:10:00.000-05:00Here. You have to scroll down a bit because the fi...<A HREF="http://stephenlaw.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">Here</A>. You have to scroll down a bit because the first thread is about the god delusion (chapter 1).<BR/><BR/>G.E.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-78909959641551837782008-08-29T16:07:00.000-05:002008-08-29T16:07:00.000-05:00There is a debate on historical jesus at stephen l...There is a debate on historical jesus at stephen law's blog.<BR/><BR/>G.E.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-14531414562772011352008-08-29T14:31:00.000-05:002008-08-29T14:31:00.000-05:00Can anyone recommend any good books on the topic o...Can anyone recommend any good books on the topic of the formation of the new testament, or even the OT for that matter? The only one I know about is Who Wrote The Bible, which I could not put down out of fascination. It's a really good detective story.<BR/><BR/>Also, can anyone recommend good websites about this? It seems I can only find fundy ones. Chick.com says the comma was in the original greek manuscripts, but was taken out and then put back in by the KJV compilers.Three Ninjashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00928552876098168839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-48890099487208328432008-08-29T09:06:00.000-05:002008-08-29T09:06:00.000-05:00The funny thing is it doesn't make a difference. ...The funny thing is it doesn't make a difference. The life and teachings of the historical Jesus are useless to Ray and his crowd. When have you last heard of Ray preaching turn the other cheek or blessed are the peace makers?<BR/>I am curious how they explain the complete silence of Paul about the life of Jesus.Milohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12910886626220609245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-80866883954749388432008-08-28T23:46:00.000-05:002008-08-28T23:46:00.000-05:00Milo,I honestly don't know if a historical Jesus e...Milo,<BR/><BR/>I honestly don't know if a historical Jesus existed or not. It's an interesting question -- but also an academic one, because there's no reason to think that <I>anyone</I> living in first-century Palestine was divine.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17566025845622103369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-26307367375235248382008-08-28T21:54:00.000-05:002008-08-28T21:54:00.000-05:00This is great Dave, thanks for doing this.This is great Dave, thanks for doing this.Maragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12231231272552028973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140917903722388348.post-57067821435992804082008-08-28T20:24:00.000-05:002008-08-28T20:24:00.000-05:00Hey Dave,I've taken a second look at the theory th...Hey Dave,<BR/><BR/>I've taken a second look at the theory that there is no historical Jesus. The literature on that subject tends to be hard to follow unless you have a degree in bible studies. So in the past I haven't gotten very far into the arguments. Recently I've read some web sites that have reawakened my interest. As you probably know, Paul and the other early writers never mention anything from the gospels. Paul says nothing about what Jesus said or did. It is very hard to read Paul's epistles without the gospel story playing in your head and filling in the blanks. You naturally assume so many things when you are raised on bible stories. When you go back and read with open eyes it is amazing. The theology of the early church is very interesting whether or not you think Jesus really existed.Milohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12910886626220609245noreply@blogger.com