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The inevitable self-policing of fellow atheists. Get in line! Do not cede ANY common ground with believers! The mob mentality cannot withstand such betrayal.
I'm actually glad that the atheists are acting more and more like bullies. It's like they are finally showing their true colors.
Showing Your true colours you mean. You can't wait to play the persecuted martyr, picked on by those atheist bullies. It's the only tactic you have left. But it's harming your side, trying to needle us and then screaming 'bullies' when more than two respond.
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Originally Posted by Iwasmadenew
I've met several people, online and off, who essentially tell me they are seeking ANY religion EXCEPT Christianity. One of my best friends is one of those.
I would think "abandoning religion entirely" would be to walk away from the topic and spend time doing more meaningful and important activities, not compulsively "battling" against religion on a religion discussion forum, on the daily. It's just fairy tales, right?? The words and the actions don't align.
Of course. The point is not to find the 'Right' religion -so long as it aint Christianity. In fact Which religion one chooses- or none (You might say I picked Buddhism) isn't now the reason I am here; it is the campaign against Organized religion, specifically in America and specifically Christianity. If that social grip of the social throat of America by Christianity can be removed, we atheists could put our muskets back in grease. Not beaten int ploughshares or even plowshares whatever they are, because the price of eternal peace is eternal vigilance.
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Originally Posted by Tired of the Nonsense
All four Gospels are consistent in the story of the empty tomb. All four Gospels consistently indicate that the tomb was empty as a result of the corpse of Jesus returning to life and vacating the tomb. But that is a bit much to swallow, even for people who are naturally inclined to be superstitious. A more realistic and obvious answer is that a living agent moved the body from the tomb. And the disciples of Jesus are the obvious suspects.
And so the author of Gospel Matthew inserted the detail of a guard being placed at the tomb in an attempt to deflect the obvious conclusion that the body was moved. A guard placed at the tomb is a detail which was NOT consistent with the story that was in the process of being spread around at the time the other Gospels were being written. The other Gospel authors purposely and conspicuously excluded the story of the guard at the tomb.
It has been argued that the guard at the tomb may have been a detail which was unknown to the other Gospel authors. First, it's difficult to imagine that such a significant detail would not have been widely known element of the story which was in general circulation, if it were truly a part of the story and not a detail added out of convenience. But there is a further argument to be made, concerning the "unknown to the other Gospel authors" argument. Gospel Mark was the first of the Gospels to have been written. Gospel John was written independently of the other three Gospels. The three "synoptic" Gospels. Gospel Matthew contains nearly the entire Gospel of Mark within its narrative. Gospel Luke contains large sections of BOTH Gospel Mark and Gospel Matthew within its narrative.
The author of Gospel Luke was CLEARLY familiar with Gospel Matthew. And yet the story of the guard at the tomb was excluded from the narrative of Gospel Luke. As was the "Night of the Living Dead" tall tale. This exclusion as clearly done on purpose.
I have another Theory. Indeed it is supported by comparison of the text where they agree - they often agree in block text, not just the events. Thus what we have is One original synoptic gospel which all three used amending in their own ways independently. That the empty tomb signifying resurrection is common to all four. That is undeniable. But that it hadn't been 'filled out' so to speak is shown by Mark not having anything but the angelic message and the women running away frightened. And that is all there was because the gospels of Matthew and Luke written to give the necessary details utterly contradict.
Of course the angelic explanation is also suspect as John doesn't have it - just Mary running to tell the disciples that the tomb was empty. So just that empty tomb and no story about why. Really.
That suggests does it not that either the 'empty tomb' apologetic had been produced later when in fact an empty tomb (given that all the old tombs had been emptied and the bodies shifted to the mount of Olives in Jesus' time) means nothing? And that mark gives no further details. That suggests, does it not that he didn't care to report them. I could speculate but the fact remains that Mark had no appearance of Jesus and the ones we have are demonstrably invented.
Whatever 'relationship' one postulated between the synoptics, Luke and Matthew clearly were not familiar with any common resurrection story any more than Mark (who hasn't got one) was.
The empty tomb is common to all the gospels, concedo. Make what you like of that. Avery compelling case can be made for - the disciples DID 'steal' the body, and that was what Mary found out eventually but that of course wouldn't do in the gospels, so it was not in the Original story which ended with the women finding the tomb empty and running away.
I'm actually glad that the atheists are acting more and more like bullies. It's like they are finally showing their true colors.
It’s harder to kill off nonbelievers these days like you guys did in the past.
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