Comment Thread for The Resurrection of Jesus - Apologiaphoenix vs Gary

[Gary]

And then there is the matter of the atheist (who ridiculed Christianity at every opportunity, incidentally) "suddenly" deciding to heed the advice. Even without the information about his attitude to Christianity, that action also needs to be explained. The answer is: track record.

Tabby, the case you present is certainly hard to explain. I can understand why you would believe it was due to supernatural intervention/guidance. However, I and my wife have had several occasions where we have been eating dinner or lying in bed and one of us brings up a subject that we have not been previously discussing, and the other person says, "Oh my god. I was just thinking the very same thing! What are the chances of that!?!"

Odd, unexplainable things happen.

[Adrift]

you honestly cant see where one is skeptical of such miraculous claims? is it really that hard to see?

Of course I can see why some people are skeptical of certain miraculous claims. I can especially understand why someone who does not believe in the existence of God or the divine would be skeptical.

do you really believe that guy's ear grew right back on his head in front of other witnesses' eyes?

I believe in a God who can perform miracles. One of whose greatest miracles was creating the universe. Certainly I can believe that God restored a man's ear. He's done it before.

[Gary]

Of course I can see why some people are skeptical of certain miraculous claims. I can especially understand why someone who does not believe in the existence of God or the divine would be skeptical.



I believe in a God who can perform miracles. One of whose greatest miracles was creating the universe. Certainly I can believe that God restored a man's ear. He's done it before.

Would you also be willing to admit that since JP Moreland did not claim that a full ear grew back, but only an "ear bud", that possibly he was mistaken? Possibly what he saw was a developing/enlarging hematoma (collection of blood) near where the man's ear would be, due to the man having hit his head in some fashion during the excitement/frenzy of the healing service.

[William]

Of course I can see why some people are skeptical of certain miraculous claims. I can especially understand why someone who does not believe in the existence of God or the divine would be skeptical.



I believe in a God who can perform miracles. One of whose greatest miracles was creating the universe. Certainly I can believe that God restored a man's ear. He's done it before.

i can follow that.

[Adrift]

Would you also be willing to admit that since JP Moreland did not claim that a full ear grew back, but only an "ear bud", that possibly he was mistaken? Possibly what he saw was a developing/enlarging hematoma (collection of blood) near where the man's ear would be, due to the man having hit his head in some fashion during the excitement/frenzy of the healing service.

I would not be willing to admit that. No.

[William]

Would you also be willing to admit that since JP Moreland did not claim that a full ear grew back, but only an "ear bud", that possibly he was mistaken? Possibly what he saw was a developing/enlarging hematoma (collection of blood) near where the man's ear would be, due to the man having hit his head in some fashion during the excitement/frenzy of the healing service.

so did an ear grow back or an ear bud?

what's an ear bud?

[William]

so did an ear grow back or an ear bud?

what's an ear bud?

[Gary]

so did an ear grow back or an ear bud?

what's an ear bud?

Exactly, William. What is an "ear bud" and has JP Moreland ever previously seen such an entity, in his entire life, to enable him to be able to identify it during the excitement of a Pentecostal healing service?

Men healed of uterine cancer.
Dead men with cyanotic/gangrenous black faces brought back from death by a simple prayer.
Earless men sprouting ear buds.

What will be claimed next??

[William]

thoughts on these miracles?
http://beforeitsnews.com/christian-n...o-2488874.html

[Adrift]

Exactly, William. What is an "ear bud" and has JP Moreland ever previously seen such an entity, in his entire life, to enable him to be able to identify it during the excitement of a Pentecostal healing service?

Where in the story did Moreland state that the healing occurred at a Pentecostal healing service?

[Adrift]

Men healed of uterine cancer.

That one was your mistake.

Dead men with cyanotic/gangrenous black faces brought back from death by a simple prayer.

Are you a cardiologist? What is your specialization, Gary?

Earless men sprouting ear buds.

"He said he once witnessed a guy who was missing an ear (there was just skin where the ear should be)..When the miracle was over, he just had a hole there, a bit of an ear, and could hear out of it."

(http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2013/11/j-p-morelands-story-about-god-healing-an-amputee/)

That's not an earbud.

What will be claimed next??

Stop being a cheapskate. Buy the book and find out.

[tabibito]

A miracle...or a very odd, rare, unexplainable coincidence.

A series of inexplicable coincidences is enough to make people sit up and take notice - and that is what happened on this occasion.

[William]

"He said he once witnessed a guy who was missing an ear (there was just skin where the ear should be)..When the miracle was over, he just had a hole there, a bit of an ear, and could hear out of it."

(http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2013/11/j-p-morelands-story-about-god-healing-an-amputee/)

That's not an earbud.

so an ear didnt grow back? I feel cheated. plus, some of youi guys had been talking about moving goal posts, and were asking, "you dont think he'd know an ear when he saw it" and now it wasnt even an ear that grew back, but "a hole, a bit of an ear, and he could hear out of it..."

in all seriousness, what's going on here?

Stop being a cheapskate. Buy the book and find out.

lol, nice.

[Adrift]

so an ear didnt grow back? I feel cheated. plus, some of youi guys had been talking about moving goal posts, and were asking, "you dont think he'd know an ear when he saw it" and now it wasnt even an ear that grew back, but "a hole, a bit of an ear, and he could hear out of it..."

in all seriousness, what's going on here?

What do you mean we're moving the goalpost? The story was posted here by Gary first. In full. Did you not read it? I'd find it quite miraculous that someone went from having skin covering the hole where an ear ought to have been, to a hole, a bit of ear, and the ability to hear. That sort of thing doesn't just...happen. Not without surgery anyways.

[Gary]

That one was your mistake.



Are you a cardiologist? What is your specialization, Gary?



"He said he once witnessed a guy who was missing an ear (there was just skin where the ear should be)..When the miracle was over, he just had a hole there, a bit of an ear, and could hear out of it."

(http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2013/11/j-p-morelands-story-about-god-healing-an-amputee/)

That's not an earbud.



Stop being a cheapskate. Buy the book and find out.

No, the first case of a man being cured of a "uterine cancer" was the mistake of James Bishop, a Christian blogger. I believe that this situation highlights what happens when people get worked up over miracle claims: exaggeration upon embellishment upon exaggeration. And this process probably explains why the Resurrection story in John's late gospel is so detailed (embellished?) compared to Mark's first gospel.