Of course, anything can be wrong. But it cannot be the basis of any argument. For one thing, this can easily be applied to your position. You could be wrong too.
The people who they’re basing their knowledge on for sure had an opinion on it, whether they do or not. We have little to no first hand records. Almost everything is recorded by someone who cared. To ignore this would be a huge issue with the legitimacy of the argument.
Historical scholars will be the first to tell you that this is the problem with all of history. There are almost never first-hand records of any event before the modern era. Their job is to piece together a sequence of events that is most likely based on what evidence they do have. If this isn’t sufficient for you, then problem then becomes that nearly all of history before the modern era can no longer be verified.
Of course, anything can be wrong. But it cannot be the basis of any argument. For one thing, this can easily be applied to your position. You could be wrong too.
It can’t be applied to my position because my position is just that we don’t have enough evidence and can’t know. My position isn’t that he didn’t exist, only that there’s no good reason for me to believe he existed. I think I’ve made that plenty clear by now.
Historical scholars will be the first to tell you that this is the problem with all of history. There are almost never first-hand records of any event before the modern era. Their job is to piece together a sequence of events that is most likely based on what evidence they do have. If this isn’t sufficient for you, then problem then becomes that nearly all of history before the modern era can no longer be verified.
Yep. We can’t varify it. That’s my whole position. The evidence isn’t solid enough for me to believe, and it doesn’t change anything either way. We do know much of the Bible is wrong, so people trying to protect it by arguing he was a historical figure at least have a bias. Historical scholars can discuss it all they want, and come to the best conclusions possible. That’s great. It still doesn’t really solidify anything. If the reason to believe it is for the Bible, it’s pointless. If the reason to believe it is because concensus, sure but why?
We have about as good enough reason to believe that he existed as any other historical person. That is my point the whole time. And it is the point of all historical scholars on this topic.
If that isn’t enough evidence, and we instead insist on a standard of proof that puts historical Jesus in the unconfirmed category, then we have to abandon nearly all historical people from the list of confirmed. History before the modern era almost completely vanishes in that case.
Of course, anything can be wrong. But it cannot be the basis of any argument. For one thing, this can easily be applied to your position. You could be wrong too.
Historical scholars will be the first to tell you that this is the problem with all of history. There are almost never first-hand records of any event before the modern era. Their job is to piece together a sequence of events that is most likely based on what evidence they do have. If this isn’t sufficient for you, then problem then becomes that nearly all of history before the modern era can no longer be verified.
It can’t be applied to my position because my position is just that we don’t have enough evidence and can’t know. My position isn’t that he didn’t exist, only that there’s no good reason for me to believe he existed. I think I’ve made that plenty clear by now.
Yep. We can’t varify it. That’s my whole position. The evidence isn’t solid enough for me to believe, and it doesn’t change anything either way. We do know much of the Bible is wrong, so people trying to protect it by arguing he was a historical figure at least have a bias. Historical scholars can discuss it all they want, and come to the best conclusions possible. That’s great. It still doesn’t really solidify anything. If the reason to believe it is for the Bible, it’s pointless. If the reason to believe it is because concensus, sure but why?
We have about as good enough reason to believe that he existed as any other historical person. That is my point the whole time. And it is the point of all historical scholars on this topic.
If that isn’t enough evidence, and we instead insist on a standard of proof that puts historical Jesus in the unconfirmed category, then we have to abandon nearly all historical people from the list of confirmed. History before the modern era almost completely vanishes in that case.