1 Corinthians 15 -Video For Easter

In the last post, I mentioned reading 1 Corinthians 15.  It's an early creed of the Christians. 

Here's a video featuring Dr. Gary Habermas speaking on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Most of his affirmative case for the resurrection centers on 1 Corinthians 15.

Also, did you know that in China, the name they have for Easter is "Resurrection Day". Pretty cool, if you ask me. Maybe English speaking Christians can adopt this name and quit using Easter.

Christianity = Falsifiable

Carl Popy, one of the gents who regularly goes to UCI to hand-out coffee, sent me a text this morning that asked, "What do you think about making a sign that says Christianity = Falsifiable?"

So in case you aren't familiar with older posts, we hand out coffee at University of California Irvine and often times put signs on the front of the table to promote religious conversation that opens the door to presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Usually we use "Religion is for the Weak" or a "Contradiction" sign made up of different religious symbols.  Or we just have the "Free Coffee" sign.  That works well.

I really like Carl Popy's latest idea sign idea though.  If anyone getting our free coffee handouts asks what does this mean pointing to the sign, we instantly get to speak about the Gospel and how it can be historically tested.  Jesus was a historical individual and as a historical individual the claims written about him can be tested and verified like any other person in ancient history.  In the case of Jesus, however, there are miracles attributed to him.  Divinity being attributed to him isn't very unique, because lots of ancient leaders, rulers, and emperors claimed divinity, but unlike Jesus, they didn't have the miracles attributed to them, and they definitely didn't have a resurrection from the dead to back up their claims to divinity.

Christianity is falsifiable because if the resurrection didn't happen, Christianity is not true.  If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, Christianity is a hoax.  Prove that Jesus didn't rise from the dead and you've proven that Christianity is false.  Therefore Christianity is falsifiable.  To have faith in Jesus, the Christ, a person doesn't have to have blind faith.

Since it's the day before Easter, I'd recommend reading 1 Corinthians 15.

It's Saturday.  But Sunday's coming. 

To learn more about the falsifiable nature of Christianity, read 1 Corinthians 15.  It's clearly stated in the Bible that Christianity can be false and the apostle Paul lays the heart of Christianity bear for anyone in the first century, or now, to run a stake through.  But no one has, not yet. 

Monty Python and The Swoon Theory

There are some strands of evidence for the resurrection of Christ which seem very compelling.  They are: the empty tomb, the post-crucifixion appearances of Christ, the transformation of the apostles, the conversion of Saul, the emergence of the early Christian church, and the switch from the last day of the week to the first day of the week for worship.

However, there are some natural explanations which have been hypothesized as alternative possibilities for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  One of these natural explanations is the "Swoon Theory".  The "Swoon Theory" suggests that Jesus Christ didn't die on the cross!  He survived the crucifixion, which is how he was seen three days later by the disciples!

However, I think the following "Spamalot" video clip can help illustrate how this isn't very plausible.  In the clip, it shows a cart being pulled around town collecting those who have died from the Bubonic Plague.  Clearly, the guy pulling the cart can tell if someone is dead or not, and if they're not yet dead, they don't go on the cart.  The same applies with criminals on the cross!  The executioners can tell if they are dead or not!  And if they're not dead yet, they don't get off the cross, and they certainly don't get buried into tombs.

Now for Jesus of Nazareth, I don't expect, even if he wasn't quite not dead yet, he wouldn't have been able to dance around like the fellow in Spamalot.  He wouldn't have taken the flogging and the beating and the crucifixion and three days being buried without food and water to somehow roll away a giant rock by himself and parade around in such a state that people will go - "Dang, he rose from the dead and he can raise me from the dead too!" Even if he could do all those things, he'd need to see a doctor.  He wouldn't be fooling anyone!  What do you think?

                       

"Double Tap" Rule and the Swoon Theory

There are some strands of evidence for the resurrection of Christ which seem very compelling.  They are: the empty tomb, the post-crucifixion appearances of Christ, the transformation of the apostles, the conversion of Saul, the emergence of the early Christian church, and the switch from the last day of the week to the first day of the week for worship.

However, there are some natural explanations which have been hypothesized as alternative possibilities for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  One of these natural explanations is the "Swoon Theory".  The "Swoon Theory" suggests that Jesus Christ didn't die on the cross!  He survived the crucifixion, which is how he was seen three days later by the disciples!

In my high school apologetics class, we were discussing these natural explanations for the evidence we have and concerning the "Swoon Theory" a student made a reference to the movie, Zombieland.  The survivor of the zombie apocalypse pictured in Zombieland, survived by following a list of rules.  One of these rules is the "Double Tap" rule.  If you think a zombie is dead, shoot it again to be sure!  It's better to waste the ammo than to potentially become a zombie happy meal.

How does this relate to the "Swoon Theory"?

The Romans made sure someone was dead if they executed them!  In the Gospels' accounts of the crucifixion, the executioners did a "Double Tap" on Jesus.  He was dead, but to be sure they plunged a spear into his side, into his heart!  He was dead.  The "Swoon Theory" doesn't work.

Click to get a copy of Zombieland!

A great read for Easter, which is coming up soon in April.

                          

Resurrection - Minimal Facts

I'm on a Prezi kick at the moment.  Prezi has many public domain presentations that can be embedded and downloaded.  So, check this one out which is made by Clint Field.


I'd suggest viewing it in fullscreen mode, which can be accessed by clicking on "more".


If you can't view it, try updating your flash player. 

Resurrection - Minimal Facts on Prezi

Did the Resurrection Really Happen? #1

1 Corinthians 15:14 "If Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your trust in God is useless."

Some people explain the empty tomb of Jesus by saying that Jesus never actually died, that he survived his ordeal on the cross to make it out of the tomb alive three days later.  This is commonly known as the swoon theory - do a search for it online and you can find more information about it.

But here is a short, powerful Youtube video that explains how it is not possible for the Swoon Theory to be correct.  It comes to you from trauma surgeon Dr. David Acuna.