"St. Jockofgrapes" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Kurt Gavin" > wrote in message
> thlink.net...
>>
>> "St. Jockofgrapes" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Kurt Gavin" > wrote in message
>>> nk.net...
>>>> Personally, I don't care much for all this "love" talk, coming from the
>>>> myth book of an institution that has a history of ignorance, murder and
>>>> terror.
>>>>
>>>> If the gods yahweh and jesus are real, then let them appear, prove
>>>> their existences and powers, and let man know what they want.
>>>>
>>>> If they can't do that, then forget it - it's not real. <== ALREADY
>>>> HAVE!
>>
>> No they haven't - the yarns about yahweh and jesus appearing are very
>> phoney. The book of judas <== false book. (-:
>
> ==
> Archaeology and the New Testament Written by Patrick Zukeran
>
> There is an ongoing debate among scholars regarding the historical
> accuracy
> of the Bible. Some feel that the Bible is a fictitious work and should be
> read as a work of literary fiction. Others feel it is an accurate
> historical work divinely inspired by God. Archaeology has played a major
> role in determining the trustworthiness of the Bible. In a previous
> article, we discussed archaeological confirmations of the Old Testament.
> In
> this one, we will look at the archaeological discoveries that have
> confirmed the historical accuracy of the New Testament. There is a great
> deal of evidence outside of the Bible that confirms the account of Jesus
> as
> written in the Gospels.
>
> It is important to realize, however, that it is unrealistic to expect
> archaeology to back up every event and place in the New Testament. Our
> perspective is to look for what evidence exists and see whether or not it
> corresponds with the New Testament.
>
> Historical Confirmation of Jesus The first evidence comes from the four
> Gospels which, themselves, are proven to be accurate.{1} Outside the
> biblical text are several witnesses as well. Jewish historian Josephus (37
> A.D.-100 A.D.) recorded the history of the Jewish people in Palestine from
> 70 A.D. to 100 A.D. In his work Antiquities, he states: Now there was
> about
> this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he
> was
> a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with
> pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the
> gentiles. He was the Christ and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the
> principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved
> him at the first did not forsake him. For he appeared alive again the
> third
> day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other
> wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named
> from
> him, are not extinct to this day.{2}
>
> Although he mentions Jesus in a sarcastic way, Josephus confirms the facts
> that Jesus did do many great miracles, drew a following, was crucified,
> and
> was proclaimed alive on the third day.
>
> Pliny the Younger, Emperor of Bythynia in northwestern Turkey, writing to
> Emperor Trajan in 112 A.D. writes:
>
> They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was
> light, when they sang an anthem to Christ as God, and bound themselves by
> a
> solemn oath not to commit any wicked deed, but to abstain from all fraud,
> theft and adultery, never to break their word, or deny a trust when called
> upon to honor it; after which it was their custom to separate, and then
> meet again to partake of food, but ordinary and innocent kind.
>
> One of the most important Romans historians is Tacitus. In 115 A.D. he
> recorded Nero's persecution of the Christians, in the process of which he
> wrote the following:
>
> Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty
> during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators,
> Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the
> moment, again broke out not only in Judea, . . . but even in Rome.{3}
>
> There are over 39 extra-biblical sources that attest to over one hundred
> facts regarding the life and teachings of Jesus.
>
> Accuracy of the Gospels The accuracy of the Gospels has been supported by
> archaeology. The names of many of the Israelite cities, events, and people
> described in them have now been located. Here are a few examples.
>
> The Gospels mention four neighboring and well-populated coastal cities
> along the Sea of Galilee: Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Tiberias.
> Jesus performed many miracles in the first three cities. Despite this
> testimony, these cities rejected Jesus and therefore were cursed by Him
> (Matt. 11:20-24; Luke 10:12-16). These cities eventually disappeared from
> history and their locations remained missing for centuries. Their demise
> fulfills the prophetic condemnation of Jesus.
>
> Only recently has archaeology recovered their possible locations. Tell Hum
> is believed to be Capernaum. (A "tell" is a mound or elevated land that
> has
> arisen by repeated and long-term rebuilding of the same site. Layers of
> civilizations can be found at different strata). The locations of
> Bethsaida
> and Chorazin still remain unconfirmed, but the present site at a tell 1.5
> miles north of the Galilean shoreline is believed to be Bethsaida, while
> Tell Khirbet Kerezah, 2.5 miles northwest of Capernaum, is thought to be
> Chorazin.
>
> Matthew 2 states that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod. Upon
> hearing that a king had been born, the frightened Herod ordered all
> children under the age of two to be killed. His slaughter of innocents is
> consistent with the historical facts that describe his character. Herod
> was
> suspicious of anyone whom he thought may take his throne. His list of
> victims included one of his ten wives, who was his favorite, three of his
> own sons, a high priest, an ex-king, and two of his sister's husbands.
> Thus, his brutality portrayed in Matthew is consistent with his
> description
> in ancient history.
>
> John's accuracy has also been attested to by recent discoveries. In John
> 5:1-15 Jesus heals a man at the Pool of Bethesda. John describes the pool
> as having five porticoes. This site had long been in dispute until
> recently. Forty feet underground, archaeologists discovered a pool with
> five porticoes, and the description of the surrounding area matches John's
> description. In 9:7 John mentions another long disputed site, the Pool of
> Siloam. However, this pool was also discovered in 1897, upholding the
> accuracy of John.
>
> Evidence for Pontius Pilate, the governor who presided over the trial of
> Jesus, was discovered in Caesarea Maritama. In 1961, an Italian
> archaeologist named Antonio Frova uncovered a fragment of a plaque that
> was
> used as a section of steps leading to the Caesarea Theater. The
> inscription, written in Latin, contained the phrase, "Pontius Pilatus,
> Prefect of Judea has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor
> of Tiberius." This temple is dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius who reigned
> from 14-37 A.D. This fits well chronologically with the New Testament
> which
> records that Pilot ruled as procurator from 26-36 A.D. Tacitus, a Roman
> historian of the first century, also confirms the New Testament
> designation
> of Pilate. He writes, "Christus, from whom the name had its origin,
> suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of
> one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus. . . ."
>
> Confirmation Regarding the Crucifixion All four Gospels give details of
> the
> crucifixion of Christ. Their accurate portrayal of this Roman practice has
> been confirmed by archaeology. In 1968, a gravesite in the city of
> Jerusalem was uncovered containing thirty- five bodies. Each of the men
> had
> died a brutal death which historians believe was the result of their
> involvement in the Jewish revolt against Rome in 70 A.D.
>
> The inscription identified one individual as Yohan Ben Ha'galgol. Studies
> of the bones performed by osteologists and doctors from the Hadassah
> Medical School determined the man was twenty-eight years old, stood five
>feet six inches, and had some slight facial defects due to a cleft right
> palate.
>
> What intrigued archaeologists were the evidences that this man had been
> crucified in a manner resembling the crucifixion of Christ. A seven-inch
> nail had been driven through both feet, which were turned outward so the
> nail could be hammered inside the Achilles tendon.
>
> Archaeologists also discovered that nails had been driven through his
> lower
> forearms. A victim of a crucifixion would have to raise and lower his body
> in order to breathe. To do this, he needed to push up on his pierced feet
> and pull up with his arms. Yohan's upper arms were smoothly worn,
> indicating this movement.
>
> John records that in order to expedite the death of a prisoner,
> executioners broke the legs of the victim so that he could not lift
> himself
> up by pushing with his feet (19:31-33). Yohan's legs were found crushed by
> a blow, breaking them below the knee. The Dead Sea Scrolls tell that both
> Jews and Romans abhorred crucifixion due to its cruelty and humiliation.
> The scrolls also state it was a punishment reserved for slaves and any who
> challenged the ruling powers of Rome. This explains why Pilate chose
> crucifixion as the penalty for Jesus.
>
> Relating to the crucifixion, in 1878 a stone slab was found in Nazareth
> with a decree from Emperor Claudius who reigned from 41-54 A.D. It stated
> that graves must not be disturbed nor bodies to be removed. The punishment
> on other decrees is a fine but this one threatens death and comes very
> close to the time of the resurrection. This was probably due to Claudius
> investigating the riots of 49 A.D. He had certainly heard of the
> resurrection and did not want any similar incidents. This decree was
> probably made in connection with the Apostles' preaching of Jesus'
> resurrection and the Jewish argument that the body had been stolen.
>
> Historian Thallus wrote in 52 A.D. Although none of his texts remain, his
> work is cited by Julius Africanus' work, Chronography. Quoting Thallus on
> the crucifixion of Christ, Africanus states, "On the whole world, there
> pressed a most fearful darkness, and the rocks were rent by an earthquake,
> and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down."{4} Thallus
> calls this darkness, "as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the
> sun."{5}
>
> All the discoveries made are consistent with the details in the
> crucifixion
> account given by the writers of the Gospels. These facts lend indirect
> support for the biblical accounts of Jesus' crucifixion and that the tomb
> was empty.
>
> Historical Accuracy of Luke At one time, scholars did not view Luke's
> historical accounts in his Gospel and Acts as accurate. There appeared to
> be no evidence for several cities, persons, and locations that he named in
> his works. However, archaeological advances have revealed that Luke was a
> very accurate historian and the two books he has authored remain accurate
> documents of history.
>
> One of the greatest archaeologists is the late Sir William Ramsay. He
> studied under the famous liberal German historical schools in the
> mid-nineteenth century. Known for its scholarship, this school taught that
> the New Testament was not a historical document. With this premise, Ramsay
> investigated biblical claims as he searched through Asia Minor. What he
> discovered caused him to reverse his initial view. He wrote:
>
> I began with a mind unfavorable to it [Acts], for the ingenuity and
> apparent completeness of the Tubingen theory had at one time quite
> convinced me. It did not then in my line of life to investigate the
> subject
> minutely; but more recently I found myself often brought into contact with
> the Book of Acts as an authority for the topography, antiquities, and
> society of Asia Minor. It was gradually borne in upon me that in various
> details the narrative showed marvelous truth.{6}
>
> Luke's accuracy is demonstrated by the fact that he names key historical
> figures in the correct time sequence as well as correct titles to
> government officials in various areas: Thessalonica, politarchs; Ephesus,
> temple wardens; Cyprus, proconsul; and Malta, the first man of the island.
>
> In Luke's announcement of Jesus' public ministry (Luke 3:1), he mentions,
> "Lysanius tetrarch of Abilene." Scholars questioned Luke's credibility
> since the only Lysanius known for centuries was a ruler of Chalcis who
> ruled from 40-36 B.C. However an inscription dating to be in the time of
> Tiberius, who ruled from 14-37 A.D., was found recording a temple
> dedication which names Lysanius as the "tetrarch of Abila" near Damascus.
> This matches well with Luke's account.
>
> In Acts 18:12-17, Paul was brought before Gallio, the proconsul of Achaea.
> Once again archaeology confirms this account. At Delphi an inscription of
> a
> letter from Emperor Claudius was discovered. In it he states, "Lucius
> Junios Gallio, my friend, and the proconsul of Achaia . . ."{7} Historians
> date the inscription to 52 A.D. which corresponds to the time of the
> apostle's stay in 51.
>
> In Acts 19:22 and Romans 16:23, Erastus, a coworker of Paul, is named the
> Corinthian city treasurer. Archaeologists excavating a Corinthian theatre
> in 1928 discovered an inscription. It reads, "Erastus in return for his
> aedilship laid the pavement at his own expense." The pavement was laid in
> 50 A.D. The designation of treasurer describes the work of a Corinthian
> aedile.
>
> In Acts 28:7, Luke gives Publius, the chief man on the island of Malta,
> the
> title, "first man of the island." Scholars questioned this strange title
> and deemed it unhistorical. Inscriptions have recently been discovered on
> the island that indeed gives Publius the title of "first man."
>
> "In all, Luke names thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, and nine
> islands without error."{8} A. N. Sherwin-White states, "For Acts the
> confirmation of historicity is overwhelming. . . . Any attempt to reject
> its basic historicity must now appear absurd. Roman historians have long
> taken it for granted."{9}
>
> The Shroud of Turin The Gospels record that after His crucifixion Jesus
> was
> wrapped in a long linen cloth and placed in the tomb (Matt. 27:59). John
> records that when Peter investigated the empty tomb, he found the burial
> cloth folded neatly next to where Christ once laid (20:6-7).
>
> A linen shroud called the Shroud of Turin, on display at the Vatican, has
> been claimed to be that burial cloth. It is 14.25 feet long and 3.5 feet
> wide. On it is an image with pierced wrists and ankles believed to be that
> of Christ.
>
> The shroud first appeared for public display sometime after 1357 in Lirey,
> France. A knight named Geoffrey de Charny brought the shroud to France. In
> 1453 de Charny's granddaughter gave the shroud to the Duke of Savoy who
> then in 1578 brought it to Turin, Italy. In 1983, it was willed to the
> Vatican.
>
> In 1898, Secondo Pia photographed the shroud and believed the image was a
> negative image like that of a photograph. This added to the mystery of the
> shroud since photography had not been invented during medieval times. In
> 1973 a group of experts confirmed the fact that no pigment of paint was
> found even under magnification. For many, this was proof of the shroud's
> authenticity.
>
> The most extensive study was undertaken in 1977. An international team of
> Swiss, American, and Italian scientist studied the shroud for five days at
> the Savoy Royal Palace at Turin. They used six tons of equipment and 2.5
> million dollars for their research. It has been one of the most intensely
> studied artifacts of all time.
>
> The study could not determine the authenticity of the fabric. Experiments
> that followed proved the image contained blood as well as aragonite, a
> particular calcium carbonate that is found in Jerusalem's first century
> tombs. Swiss criminologist Max Frei found forty-eight samples of pollen,
> of
> which seven could have come from plants in Palestine. The weave of the
> cloth was herringbone twill, a style that existed in ancient times.
>
> Although these findings supported the authenticity of the shroud, other
> findings testified otherwise. In 1987, the shroud was carbon 14 tested to
> verify its date. Laboratories in Oxford, Zurich, and the University of
> Arizona tested the cloth. The result indicated a fourteenth century date
> for the shroud. This conclusion continues to be challenged and future
> tests
> are sure to follow. Another problem is that coins minted by Pontius Pilate
> were placed over the eyes of the figure. This was not a Jewish custom, nor
> does it seem likely that Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus would have
> placed
> on Jesus' eyes a coin with the image of the leader who condemned him.
>
> Despite the fourteenth century date, scientists are still unable to
> explain
> how the negative image was created. The shroud remains a mystery as well
> as
> a lesson for us as believers that we should not put our faith in
> mysterious
> articles.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Notes
>
> 1. See "Authority of the Bible".
>
> 2. Josephus, Book 18, Chapter 3:3
>
> 3. Tacitus, Annals, 15.44
>
> 4. Julius Africanus, Chronography, 18:1.
>
> 5. Ibid.
>
> 6. William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen (Grand
> Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1982), 8.
>
> 7. John McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker
> Books, 1991), 227.
>
> 8. Norman Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI.:
> Baker Books, 1999), 47.
>
> 9. A. N. Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament
> (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1963), 189.
>
> ©2000 Probe Ministries.
>
>
> ==
>
>>describes how jesus had to ORDER judas to pretend to betray him to the
>>priests, so he could be victimized and APPEAR to fulfill some sort of
>>prophecy.
>>
>> Not very godlike behavior.
>>
>> In any case, unless they lived once, but are dead now, let these "gods"
>> appear to all of mankind and prove their existences and powers, and let
>> man know what they want.
>>
>>
>> If they can't do that, then forget it - it's not real.


<snip nonsense>

Here's a better source: http://www.evilbible.com/

In any case, unless they lived once, but are dead now, let these "gods"
appear to all of mankind and prove their existences and
powers, and let man know what they want.


If they can't do that, then forget it - it's not real.

Here's an example of your "god's" law pertaining to selling your daughter
into sexual slavery.

(Exodus 21:7-11 NLT) When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will
not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please
the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again. But he is
not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the
contract with her. And if the slave girl's owner arranges for her to marry
his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her
as his daughter. If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he
may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife.
If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman
without making any payment.