New conversation. Reproduced from another public forum, FBook.

[eatheiun]

To Recap:

I posted: Think the bible doesn't contradict itself? http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/

Rollinjh: These attempts at finding contradictions do not present a strong argument at all! The passages are taken out of context and the arguments are not attempts at finding truth

Comments

[eatheiun]

Before we continue in this way, I find it useful for arguments sake to do some self examination. In order to assure each other that neither of us is being close-minded, I'd like us to ask ourselves, "What evidence would I need in order to reverse my position?"

Only when this is done are people capable of having meaningful conversations.

Since I've kind of done this before, I'll just link it. The guy who did the video and I are pretty much on the same page, though I would be stricter on the prophecies.

http://eatheiun.livejournal.com/30948.html?mode=reply

[rollinjh]

Hi Ethan! Once again, thanks for sharing the video..it shed some light on where you are coming from and atheism in general. So after thinking about this question a little, i am finding that it IS hard to answer! Mostly because i am stubbornly confident in my faith and feel like time and deeper study have only strengthened my beliefs... But to be fair, i suppose proof that Jesus' resurrection, without any doubt, did not happen would be awfully convincing. Obviously there is an aspect of faith required to be a Christian and i would be contradicting my beliefs to not rely on faith to some extent, but i feel like there is enough proof supporting Jesus, his resurrection, and the other acts in the Bible that having faith in that which is not entirely clear or fully revealed is not misplaced. I am very interested to know what you DO believe about creation/earth and the existence of the person of Jesus (to name a few).

[eatheiun]

Marvelous response! A joy to read in comparison with some I've received. I can't provide proof beyond any doubt that Jesus' resurrection did not happen unfortunately, no one can. Though you've come as close as any theist in an attempt at presenting falsifying circumstances, it doesn't quite count, because falsification has to be possible, and yet not done. The longer a belief which is falsifiable goes unfalsified, the more reasonable it is to believe that the belief is true

[rollinjh]

I considered the condition of falsifiability and don’t understand why falsification would not be possible. Simply presenting the body of Jesus from a public, guarded tomb does not seem that difficult, had it been there. Elvis’ body being found makes that a tough comparison

[eatheiun]

History can't make the claim that Jesus rose from the dead, like I said, no matter the amount of documentation. It is limited in that way. So there's no sense in trying to falsify that statement

[rollinjh]

Can you direct me to some of the posts in which you discuss these?

[eatheiun]

December of 2008 is when I began to make posts about it. The ones with the larger numbers of comments are ones where debate took place. It'd probably be best to start with the one titled Faith is bliss and/or "I'm Officially an Atheist."

[rollinjh]

Granted, history does not provide absolute knowledge. But considering the evidence for Jesus' resurrection (He was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus' tomb was found empty, and the postmortem appearances-even IF believed as only hallucinations), what explanation makes the best sense of these facts? Isn't the supernatural explanation that God raised him from the dead better than the alternatives? In pursuing the best explanation you can't limit it to the best naturalistic explanation

[eatheiun]

Explain Elvis' postmortem appearances.

"You are having faith that science, or rather scientism, will eventually explain all of life's questions rather than accepting a Creator, in whom his creation cannot ever reach a complete comprehension of (characteristicly necessary of being created)."

I've never said that science can explain all of life's questions, I don't believe it can. But I do believe that it is our best method for finding out what's true. Check this out.

[rollinjh]

Hi again. I know i have been gone a while

[eatheiun]

Welcome back! 8