[PatrickHenry]

It stretches the bounds of reason and what we know of human nature to say that this many humans would have gone to the deaths for a hoax.

I'm not a fan of the "hoax theory" at all, but it's not impossible to find a dozen people who will behave contrary to all reason. I'm willing to bet (knowing the bet can't be tested) that you could easily find a dozen people in America today who would gladly go to their deaths for the proposition that Al Gore was the true winner of the 2000 election. Pick a cause (globalization, the whale, the redwoods, whatever), you'll find some zealots who will die for it. The truth of the NT is not established by the subsequent behavior of the apostles, but by their message.

[B. Rabbit]

I'm not a fan of the "hoax theory" at all, but it's not impossible to find a dozen people who will behave contrary to all reason. I'm willing to bet (knowing the bet can't be tested) that you could easily find a dozen people in America today who would gladly go to their deaths for the proposition that Al Gore was the true winner of the 2000 election. Pick a cause (globalization, the whale, the redwoods, whatever), you'll find some zealots who will die for it. The truth of the NT is not established by the subsequent behavior of the apostles, but by their message.

Great post. I was looking to reply to that as well, now I have no need. I was going to bring up David Koresh (sp?), but it's probably better that I didn't...

[Virginia-American]

I'm willing to bet (knowing the bet can't be tested) that you could easily find a dozen people in America today who would gladly go to their deaths for the proposition that Al Gore was the true winner of the 2000 election. Pick a cause (globalization, the whale, the redwoods, whatever), you'll find some zealots who will die for it.

Think of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.