Resurrection is an extraordinary claim and extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and the Christian apologists only have a few stories from 2000 years ago to offer. Around minute 58 the debaters get into this criterion and the opening statement of Richard Carrier also offers a good analogy on this theme.
Christian apologist obsess over one alleged resurrection of Jesus Christ, but, here is a better account of resurrection, not of one, but of a multitude:
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:50-53)
There are other resurrections in New Testament and apologists pick and choose the emphasis to maintain their theology based on a suicidal mission of Jesus. The well founded abhorrence, against the inhumanity of approach of suicidal terrorists, should among other things make us realize that suicide for salvation, personal or vicarious, is never a good option.
Now, I will catalogue some other debates and posts on the issue of resurrection:
Did Jesus Rise From The Dead: Prof. Bart Ehrman Vs William Lane Craig
Converting Prof. William Lane Craig to Islam
The Pope Benedict’s account of resurrection and the hearsay rule!
Did Jesus rise in a physical body or a spiritual one?
William Lane Craig makes false claims about swoon hypothesis!
Categories: Americas, CHRISTIANITY
There are other resurrections in the Bible also, why obsess over only one?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNhbpu2eV9Q&w=420&h=315%5D
Here is another angle to this issue, which Christian apologists choose to ignore, how could God raise Jesus from dead, if one third of God, in a manner of speaking, was lying dead. If God was still fully functional then Jesus divinity was just redundant. Something got to give! So, in either case Christians may be obliged to become Jewish or Muslim, I do not want to force the choice.
The Resurrection: Historical Fact or Religious Invention?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfDPLitAyd0&w=420&h=315%5D
This is very interesting, for the Christian apologist, Professor Gary Habermas, the main witness is St. Paul, who came to the scene twenty years after attempted crucifixion. I guess obsessions with our religious beliefs and with the person of Jesus of Nazareth, for our Christian brethren and sisters, are very hard to give up!
Sir, I think your Matt. 27:50-53 is wrong because it was when Jesus died not on Resurrection that the bodies of dead were raised up. For me, Jesus didn’t shew up himself to many because He knew that the officials wouldn’t believe on the account. I can,perhaps, see Him in the future when God will take me to Heaven. Anyway, Trinity is hard to understand because there is one God and there are three persons. Yes, THREE PERSONS IN ONE DIVINITY! Each one has His own task and even though Jesus was dead for days, God’s Divinity was still at hand-still whole, 100% Divinity that happens because Jesus is 100% God and 100% Human-It’s really hard to understand but that’s the truth. Did you know that God is omnipotent-all-powerful- that is the characteristic of God to do impossible things!
Ariel you are right that God is Omnipotent and He can will anything and it happens, but, He cannot will a contradiction. For example, He cannot will that you are 100% correct and 100% wrong about the same issue at the same time. I am very sorry to report that you are only 100% wrong, as three is not equal to one, a literal son cannot be co-eternal with his father, a perfect man cannot co-exist and become a hybrid with God, a dead God cannot resurrect itself, a human lady cannot give birth to a God, just like a human lady cannot give birth to an elephant or a giraffe, need I go on?
Well, you know that God is omnipotent right? So, if God is omnipotent he can do anything as He pleased. Imagine that thief at the side of Jesus during His nailing on the cross. The thief was so confident that he would go to Heaven. It was not when Jesus told him he go to paradise but it was when his heart that he felt that his sins all fled away; his heart turned with joy! Luke 1:37 says,”For with God nothing will be impossible.” This verse is intended for hypocrites, unfaithful, Christian with atheistic philosophy, & people who denies the power of God. 2 Timothy says,”Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” I’m sad to say Zia Shah that you are one of those who are addressed to this verse; one who completely denies the sufficiency of the truth. And to the issue of Trinity the Bible says,”For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one”-1 John 5:7. In this verse the name Word refers to Jesus.
God is Omnipotent, but, He cannot do what is contradictory, irrational or immoral. For example, He cannot lie and cheat. Likewise, He cannot create or father something that is co-eternal with Him.
He cannot send his alleged son on a suicidal mission for suicide is immoral and reprehensible, as in the case of suicidal terrorists, according to His Judeo-Islamic-Christian teachings.