He was born...

 

1 - He was born.
I could easily believe this.  I was born.  Every person that I have ever known, seen, and heard of has been born.  Claiming that someone was born is no more than mundane.

1a - He was born of a virgin.  
They just couldn't leave it alone, could they?  The authors of Matthew and Luke are the only ones that mention this "virgin birth".  Why couldn't they be satisfied with the simple, normal, natural story of the birth of Jesus?  Why did they have to add this utterly absurd claim that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was impregnated supernaturally by God?

2 - He died by crucifixion.

This is believable.  Historians know that this was a common form of execution that the Roman authorities inflicted on many that were found guilty of particular crimes.  One of those crimes was sedition, of which Jesus had been found guilty of (according to the bible).

2a - He arose from the dead.

Why ? ? ? did they add this absurd supernatural claim to the death of Jesus.  This was entirely unnecessary.  I would have no problem agreeing that it is entirely reasonable to believe that some 2,000 years ago a baby boy was born in or near Bethlehem of Judea, and that he lived the life of a "holy man" and spoke many wise things.  And in his early to mid 30's he was accused of sedition against the Roman authority and was executed by crucifixion.  To his many followers he was the "savior" of humanity, an act brought about by his death, and to this day, some 2,000 years later, many still worship him.

Honestly, I would have no problem if this was the story.  But they just had to add the fanciful, magical detail of a supernatural bodily resurrection making what could have been a believable story into one that is believable mostly to the easily convinced.

The NT authors got greedy.  They just had to add miracles to Jesus resume.  That he was born, lived a good life, and perhaps died unjustly was not enough.  He had to be born of a virgin and he had to come back to life, because - ? why ? - how does this resurrection from the dead make Jesus death any more potent? 

 

It doesn't  

It takes a "sacrifice" and adds magic to it.  It turns the sacrifice into a temporary inconvenience.  Coming back to life - give me a break .

bob

r.u.reasonable@gmail.com