On Easter Sunday morning,
Christians all over the world will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. Atheists and other skeptics will marvel that large groups of people
could be so stupid and naïve. After all,
the resurrection is a miracle and a scientific mind can’t accept miracles,
right? But the Bible is criticized on
historical grounds as well. The four gospels are deemed untrustworthy even to
the small details of inaccurately reporting the culture they came from.
In point of fact, the gospels
measure quite well when compared to other history of the ancient world. On my
website, you can find many articles defending the Bible and the historicity of the
resurrection. But this morning, for
Easter Sunday, allow me to bring up just one small but interesting caveat.
Sometimes, the complaints people
have about the Bible contradict themselves. Yes, accuracy is one concern. The
Bible coming out of a chauvinistic culture is another area of major contention. Actually, the Bible is not a chauvinistic
document but it does indeed come out of a male dominated world. To the Romans,
the Greeks and the Jews (the three major cultures converging when the New
Testament was written) women were viewed as little more than property.
Interestingly enough, this makes the gospel accounts very noteworthy. If these
writings were crafted by men who wanted to deceive and influence their peers
why was Mary Magdalene reported as the first to encounter the resurrected
Christ? She met Jesus before the others.
She also reported the meeting to Jesus’ male disciples, who at first, did not
believe her (John 20:10-20,
Luke 20:9-12). In those days, reporting that a woman had been the first
to witness the resurrection would not have been the shrewdest way to commit
fraud and generate a legend. So why did they write the gospels that way? Maybe because that’s the way it really
happened? Just a thought.
This is Bob Siegel, making the
obvious, obvious.
Other posts about the Bible and
Christianity, its relationship to other religions and its relationship to
today’s culture
Does
the Bible Really Speak About the Future?
My Brief Time In the Occult
Tuesday,
January 15, 2008 9:34 AM
How a Reformed Jew Became An
Evangelical Christian Part One Posted at 1:17:45 PM on Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Part
Two: How a Reformed Jew Became an Evangelical Christian
How
a Reformed Jew Became an Evangelical Christian: Part 3
How
a Reformed Jew Became an Evangelical Christian: Part Four
How a Reformed Jew Became an Evangelical Christian Part Five
Does The Bible Teach An Age
of Accountability?
Christianity, Judaism and
Islam: Comparison Posted at 2:33:20 AM on Sunday, January 20, 2008
Subsiding All The Passion
Over "The Passion"
Friday,
January 11, 2008 11:29 PM
Peace
In The Middle East? I believe in the Tooth Fairy Too Posted at 12:19:09
AM on Tuesday,
November 27, 2007
Was
Jesus Gay? Posted at 1:40:29 PM on Friday,
Three
Questions That Test Your Friend's Opinions Posted at 5:08:47
AM on Monday,
December 24, 2007
What is the Unforgivable Sin
and How Do I Know If I've Committed It? Posted at 1:39:18
PM on Tuesday,
January 01, 2008
Does The Bible Teach That
God Is Everything or that God Created Everything? Posted at 11:07:40
AM on Friday,
December 28, 2007
Was
Jesus A False Prophet? Posted at 11:43:45 AM on Friday, December 21, 2007
Cherry
Picking Our Doctrines Posted at 3:49:31 AM on Tuesday, December 18, 2007
St.
Bob's Epistle To The Calvinists Posted at 1:15:38
AM on Monday,
December 17, 2007
How Do We Know Which
Manuscript Copies Truly Belong In The Bible?
Friday,
January 11, 2008 1:5
Why Are There Different
Versions of the Bible?
Is The DaVinci Code
Something to be Taken Seriously?
How Does One Become a
Christian?
Are Christian Ministers Just
In It For The Money?
I'm
Not Doing It For the Warthog and the Pine Cone
Calling
God Allah: What's In A Name?
If You
Don't Like Her, Take It Up With Jesus
Why This Evangelical
Christian Minister Does Not Support Huckabee
So
What If He's A Mormon?
Was Joseph Smith Really a
Prophet of God?
Is Mormonism Really a Cult?
Let's Finally Settle This Once and For All
Oh,
That Horrible Christianity!
Pro-Choice
Christmas Card?
Is
Persecution Good For The Church?
Was Judas Forgiven?
Can A Christian Be Pragmatic?
Oh Yeah? Well David Did Alot
of Stupid Things
Score Another For The
Religion of Peace
Don't Protest! After All,
"Agenda" Is Your Middle Name
A Politically Correct Thanksgiving
Message For Kids
Evidently Christians Don't
Hold A Monopoly On Stupidity
Behavior Not Even A
Christian Apologist Can Defend
How To Cause A Muslim Freudian Slip
“The Bob Siegel Show can be heard every Sunday from 3:00 to 4:00 PM on KCBQ 1170 on the dial or
KCBQ.com to listen live over the Internet.
Call in toll free number if you
want to join in the program with questions or comments:
1-888-344-1170
Bob’s website is: www.bobsiegel.net