J
I'd like to state that I am a devout Christian, but I would like to take a look at Christianity and its rise from a purely logical or social/political view.
I would state that it is impossible for Christianity to have arisen to the heights it has, let alone even started if Christ did not rise from the dead.
Even the greatest skeptic must wonder at the uniqueness of Christianity and how it even came about.
To understand, we must first look at the trial of Jesus. There was not a man, woman or child who would testify in Jesus' defense. Christ's own disciples all fled from him and Peter, the strongest among them, swore three times that he did not know Christ.
No one attempted to rescue Jesus while he was held captive and Pilate only allowed Christ to be crucified, because the People insisted that Christ die.
The charge against Jesus: Blasphemy.
We must understand that there was no greater sin among a Jew than blasphemy, especially when one claimed to be God. Is it any wonder why no one came to Jesus' defense? To do so would risk death and possible crucifixion yourself.
After Jesus was crucified, a centurion and his soldiers were set to guard the tomb. We must understand that these were no simple "mall cops." They were Rome's elite soldiers. It would be like having dozens of navy seals guarding the tomb. It would have been literally impossible for anyone to steal Jesus' body and try to pretend that he arose from the dead. We also know that the disciples didn't even have the desire to try and bring about such a ruse.
If Christ did not rise from the Grave, then Christianity was already dead before it began. There was no one who wanted to follow the teachings of a dead man when it meant death, or at the very least exile for yourself. What sane person would risk his life and his entire family's life in order to perpetuate Christ rising from the dead, if he did not?
Even IF someone was crazy enough to start Christianity, all the Pharisees and Romans had to do was point to the tomb and Jesus' body. We have no records of Pharisees or Jews communicating that Christianty was ridiculous, because they had the body of Jesus.
If Christianity had started, it would have been absurdly easy to disprove it with the body of Christ.
For the next several hundred years we have Romans slaughtering Christians by the tens of thousands, especially during the reign of Nero. Again, why would people follow Christ when to do so was a death sentence by the Romans.
The only logical conclusion for people following Christ, is that he DID rise from the dead, that He DID give the Holy Spirit at Pentacost, and that He DID reveal himself to the multitudes after he had risen.
I can think of no other reason how Christianity could have even started if Christ did not rise from the Grave.
I would state that it is impossible for Christianity to have arisen to the heights it has, let alone even started if Christ did not rise from the dead.
Even the greatest skeptic must wonder at the uniqueness of Christianity and how it even came about.
To understand, we must first look at the trial of Jesus. There was not a man, woman or child who would testify in Jesus' defense. Christ's own disciples all fled from him and Peter, the strongest among them, swore three times that he did not know Christ.
No one attempted to rescue Jesus while he was held captive and Pilate only allowed Christ to be crucified, because the People insisted that Christ die.
The charge against Jesus: Blasphemy.
We must understand that there was no greater sin among a Jew than blasphemy, especially when one claimed to be God. Is it any wonder why no one came to Jesus' defense? To do so would risk death and possible crucifixion yourself.
After Jesus was crucified, a centurion and his soldiers were set to guard the tomb. We must understand that these were no simple "mall cops." They were Rome's elite soldiers. It would be like having dozens of navy seals guarding the tomb. It would have been literally impossible for anyone to steal Jesus' body and try to pretend that he arose from the dead. We also know that the disciples didn't even have the desire to try and bring about such a ruse.
If Christ did not rise from the Grave, then Christianity was already dead before it began. There was no one who wanted to follow the teachings of a dead man when it meant death, or at the very least exile for yourself. What sane person would risk his life and his entire family's life in order to perpetuate Christ rising from the dead, if he did not?
Even IF someone was crazy enough to start Christianity, all the Pharisees and Romans had to do was point to the tomb and Jesus' body. We have no records of Pharisees or Jews communicating that Christianty was ridiculous, because they had the body of Jesus.
If Christianity had started, it would have been absurdly easy to disprove it with the body of Christ.
For the next several hundred years we have Romans slaughtering Christians by the tens of thousands, especially during the reign of Nero. Again, why would people follow Christ when to do so was a death sentence by the Romans.
The only logical conclusion for people following Christ, is that he DID rise from the dead, that He DID give the Holy Spirit at Pentacost, and that He DID reveal himself to the multitudes after he had risen.
I can think of no other reason how Christianity could have even started if Christ did not rise from the Grave.
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