17 Reasons why Christianity should NOT have succeeded....
"17 factors to be considered -- places where Christianity "did the wrong thing" in order to be a successful religion. It is my contention that the only way Christianity did succeed is because it was a truly revealed faith -- and because it had the irrefutable witness of the Resurrection." J.P.Holding
Factor #13 -- You Can't Keep a Secret!
And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Mark 16:4
"Apologists regularly note that Christian claims would have been easy to check out and verify. Skeptics, especially G. A. Wells, counter by supposing that no one would have cared to find out such things. The skeptics are very wrong -- they operate not only against the natural human tendency to
curiousity, but also against a very important group-oriented social structure.
Ancient people controlled one another's behavior by watching them, spreading word of their behavior (what we call "gossip"), and by public dishonor.
So now the Skeptic has another conundrum. In a society where nothing escaped notice, there was indeed every reason to suppose that people hearing the Gospel message would check against the facts -- especially where a movement with a radical message like Christianity was concerned. *The empty tomb would be checked.
*Matthew's story of resurrected saints would be checked out.
*Lazarus would be sought out for questioning.
*Excessive honor claims, such as that Jesus had been vindicated, or his claims to be divine, would have been given close scrutiny."
J.P.Holding
"17 factors to be considered -- places where Christianity "did the wrong thing" in order to be a successful religion. It is my contention that the only way Christianity did succeed is because it was a truly revealed faith -- and because it had the irrefutable witness of the Resurrection." J.P.Holding
Factor #13 -- You Can't Keep a Secret!
And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Mark 16:4
"Apologists regularly note that Christian claims would have been easy to check out and verify. Skeptics, especially G. A. Wells, counter by supposing that no one would have cared to find out such things. The skeptics are very wrong -- they operate not only against the natural human tendency to
Ancient people controlled one another's behavior by watching them, spreading word of their behavior (what we call "gossip"), and by public dishonor.
So now the Skeptic has another conundrum. In a society where nothing escaped notice, there was indeed every reason to suppose that people hearing the Gospel message would check against the facts -- especially where a movement with a radical message like Christianity was concerned. *The empty tomb would be checked.
*Matthew's story of resurrected saints would be checked out.
*Lazarus would be sought out for questioning.
*Excessive honor claims, such as that Jesus had been vindicated, or his claims to be divine, would have been given close scrutiny."
J.P.Holding