I have read the prophecies in the bible. I have never seen any calculations done on their probability, nor do I know of how one could accurately calculate such a thing. It is your claim that Christianity is scientifically proven based on, among other things, that there are more fulfilled prophecies in the bible than humanly possible. For this claim to be factual requires evidence. You don't seem to know how, where, or by whom these probabilities were calculated. That's a bit of a problem don't you think?
If I were making the claim that the probability of fulfilled prophecies in human history were established as humanly impossible in regards to a specific religion then yes. Unfortunately, I am not making that claim. . .you are.You would need to give an example of a control group with respect to human history.
Um. . .no actually. For one thing I've already provided an explanation, one that we've actually observed happening which does not require us to posit supernatural beings - that humans embellish stories and/or fabrications over time. I even provided several examples illustrating this fact. In addition, even if there were no known natural explanation it would not follow that your particular supernatural one was correct. Science works by the amassing of evidence supporting a particular theory, not by simply eliminating alternatives.The proof the Bible gives is for you to observe the fact that there is no naturalistic explanation to account for the eyewitness testimony of the Apostles in various group settings. Scientifically there is no naturalistic explanation, therefore it must be supernaturally of God.
And we know Paul didn't simply embellish stories he'd heard. . .how? Even at best these are second hand accounts written years after the events.You seem to be focused on the gospels themselves, but the minimal facts approach doesn't go that route. It says most skeptical scholars agree that Paul wrote 1 Cor. 15, Gal. 1 & 2, and off all Paul's writings these 3 chapters are the earliest and most dependable. In these 3 chapters Paul recounts the gospel message, the eyewitness testimonies and that he spent 15 days with Peter and with John, as well as James, the brother of Jesus who imparted their eyewitness testimony to Paul.
Actually there's plenty to suggest that. Mark is usually regarded as the earliest gospel, and it is generally seen as having been written between 65 and 80 AD by scholars based on both external and internal evidence. As an aside, Mark is an anonymous gospel with only tradition supporting the notion of its author as Mark. That being said, even if we take this tradition at face value this is still a second hand account as Mark the Evangelist was not an apostle and had never known Christ, but instead was Peter's interpreter who simply wrote down what he could remember of his sermons according to Papias of Hierapolis. Of course. . .we only know of these claims of Papias through second hand accounts of his writings so the claim that there is "nothing" to suggest they weren't written within a few years seems more than a little tenuous.As for the gospels there is nothing to suggest they weren't written a few years after Jesus died.
Lurker
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