Replies

Haven't you heard the first rule of historicity? The author is given the benefit of the doubt unless credible evidence to the contrary is provided? This is Aristotle's Dictum and it's still held today by credible scholars and historians. So far, you have provided only emtpy polemical retorts. You are like a slippery chameleon. Why don't you try telling me what beliefs (religious, ethical, espitemological) you hold to so I can address them directly? All you do is tear down other's beliefs - let me have a crack at yours fella. If I am such an idiot, then you should have no problem in telling me what you believe.

This grows tiresome. I do not presuppose that miracles cannot happen; I see no evidence that they have as portrayed by the bible. If you cannot discern between those two points, further discussion is moot.

No evidence other than the bible, and all of complex ordered creation eh? (roman chap. 1) Oops, I will try not to confuse you with the facts. By the way, can we trust Heroditus? Plutarch? Thucydides? Do you subject them to the same criteria as the bible? What exactly are your historiographical methods? Do you start with a presupposition that "I have never seen a miracle so they must not exist?" What about people who claim that they have seen miracles? Are they ALL liars or fools?

Or we could take this tack if you want to give me your beliefs on origins: Isn't life a miracle? How did it start? If God didn't create it (and you can't believe that as there is no evidence, remember?), then it must have evolved from nothing, right? Particle to a person? Any evidence for this? Which is it particles-to-people, or divine creation? What do you believe? hmmm?

Or, you can give me your belief as to the concept of "meaning". Are your beliefs on God, ethics and emotions meaningful (based on some meaningful standard) or are they just particles in motion reacting to some chemical stimulus inside your tiny little brain? Only 2 choices - which is it? If your thoughts are just matter in motion (colliding atoms), are your mental atoms any more meaningful than mine? Does meaning exist? What is its origin? When you hug your family and feel that love inside, is it just a meaningless chemical collision in your brain? Maybe you would like to start in this area of discussion.

Or, maybe you would like to discuss ethics. Tell me what your ethics are. By the way, know alot about relativism - I have studied it for years, using logical principles and simple human reason. I have written papers on it. Care to debate the topic?

Come on - it's my turn to rip your system to shreds. I'll enjoy doing it too.

Herodotus described more than a few things in his accounts that ARE NOT possible. Whether through embellishment or not understanding what he was seeing, or believing the myths and legends of the peoples he was among, he has plenty of false information.

A great historian, he may have been, for his time. This doesn't mean he didn't tell some whoppers.

LOL life is a miracle, but you compare that to the alleged supenatural freezing of the sun.

By the way, far more advanced civilizations around the world, record no day that the sun stood still in the sky, despite better astronomical knowledge and charting methods. Nor is there a report of the Star of Bethlehem.

Also the Magi, were sorcerers, following the patterns of the stars to read destiny, a forbidden practice in the OT. But let's ignore that little tidbit.