[continued from previous message]   
      
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > storytelling. Nowhere is this supposed "mass   
   apparition" ever   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > mentioned   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > anywhere else, either elsewhere in the New Testament   
   or in   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > secular   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > sources, and none of the 500 are ever named, nor did   
   any of them   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > leave   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > any surviving accounts of their own individual   
   experiences, or   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > convey   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > those experiences to anyone else.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > As with the "crucifixion darkness," the appearances   
   to 500 human   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > beings   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > lacks contextual credibility, as it only gets   
   mentioned in one   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > single   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > source, when, in fact, it should have been mentioned   
   in dozens of   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > > independent sources if, in fact, it had happened.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > It was. It is mentioned by others in the NT. Most   
   notable John,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Matthew   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Luke,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Mark.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Paul was not an eyewitness of Jesus at that time. Paul   
   saw him for   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > the   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > first   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > time on the road to Damascus   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > 1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that   
   which I also   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > received,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > how that Christ died for our sins according to the   
   scriptures;   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > 1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose   
   again the third   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > day   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > according to the scriptures:   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > 1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the   
   twelve:   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > 1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred   
   brethren at   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > once;   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > of   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > whom the greater part remain unto this present, but   
   some are   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > fallen   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > asleep.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > 1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all   
   the   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > apostles.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > 1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of   
   one born   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > out   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > of   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > due   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > time.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Jesus then taught Paul in the desert for during a time   
   of three   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > years.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel   
   which was   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > preached   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > of   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > me is not after man.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was   
   I taughtit,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > but   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > by   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > the   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > revelation of Jesus Christ.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time   
   past in the   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Jews'   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the   
   church of God,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > and   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > wasted   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > it:   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > ***   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which   
   were   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > apostles   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > before   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto   
   Damascus.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem   
   to see   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Peter,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > and   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > abode with him fifteen days.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Gal 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save   
   James the   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Lord's   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > brother.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > Gal 1:20 Now the things which I write unto you,   
   behold, before   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > God,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > I   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > lie   
   > > > > > > > > > > > > not.   
   > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > This was an interesting read. At first I thought you were   
   writing a   
   > > > > > > > > > > synopsis   
   > > > > > > > > > > of one of his writings, but such does not appear to be the   
   case. I   
   > > > > > > > > > > have   
   > > > > > > > > > > not   
   > > > > > > > > > > studied his works, but I briefly reviewed some of the   
   comments made   
   > > > > > > > > > > by   
   > > > > > > > > > > others   
   > > > > > > > > > > who have their own views of what he wrote. Sadly it is   
   difficult to   
   > > > > > > > > > > comment   
   > > > > > > > > > > on them since I would have to study up on Paine in order   
   to know   
   > > > > > > > > > > something   
   > > > > > > > > > > about him, and it would have to be mainly the things   
   written by his   
   > > > > > > > > > > hand,   
   > > > > > > > > > > not   
   > > > > > > > > > > based on the comments of others, unless they were peer   
   friends of   
   > > > > > > > > > > his,   
   > > > > > > > > > > personally.   
   > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > What little I read this morning, was a whole lot of things   
   > > > > > > > > > > supposedly   
   > > > > > > > > > > of   
   > > > > > > > > > > what   
   > > > > > > > > > > he said and thought, but it was clear that people cherry   
   picked   
   > > > > > > > > > > phrases   
   > > > > > > > > > > that   
   > > > > > > > > > > lent themselves to support their personal agendas.   
   According to what   
   > > > > > > > > > > you   
   > > > > > > > > > > outlined it would seem that Paine had at best a shallow   
   and limited   
   > > > > > > > > > > understanding of the Bible, and virtually no personal   
   knowledge of   
   > > > > > > > > > > God.   
   > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > I will make a brief comment to each numeric point. LOL,   
   hopefully   
   > > > > > > > > > > brief.   
   > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > An interesting contradiction occurs with Paul's   
   testimony, which   
   > > > > > > > > > > > was   
   > > > > > > > > > > > pointed out by Thomas Paine, one of America's founding   
   fathers.   
   > > > > > > > > > > > Here   
   > > > > > > > > > > > it   
   > > > > > > > > > > > is in outline form:   
   > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > 1) Paul, while being a Jew, claims to have persecuted   
   Christians, a   
   > > > > > > > > > > > claim also made about him by the author of Acts.   
   > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > This point shows and gives an understanding of how little   
   attention   
   > > > > > > > > > > he   
   > > > > > > > > > > paid   
   > > > > > > > > > > to the NT.   
   > > > > > > > > > > It is obvious that he was a chief persecutor and he   
   explained why.   
   > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > >   
   > > > > > > > > > > > 2) When someone persecutes another, especially, a   
   strange, it is   
   > > > > > > > > > > > because you do not like what that person has done, is   
   saying,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > and/or   
   > > > > > > > > > > > certain viewpoints that they, as a group, hold to. (As   
   an example,   
   > > > > > > > > > > > it   
   > > > > > > > > > > > is possible for a Jew and a Muslim to hate each other   
   even though   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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