Jesus Birthplace? |
Jesus Birthplace - Bethlehem
Jesus Birthplace?In the late 19th century, British engineers digging around the church's pillars to study their sturdiness accidentally discovered the mosaic floor (on display inside the church) of a 1st century church that is about six feet above this starburst. Since 1st century barns weren't in basements, this cannot be Jesus' birthplace. The precision (or the lack thereof) of Jesus birthplace aside, staring at this starburst did lead me to think about Jesus, whose birth this place is supposed to mark, and reminded me of the "Lord, Lunatic, Liar" argument that forced me to revisit my atheism a few years ago: The Bible records Jesus making three claims about himself (see John 1:1 and John 8:58): "I am God." "I created the universe." "I have existed forever." Before jumping to any conclusion, the theoretical possibilities first had to be considered. Taken as a set, these three claims could only be true or false. If the claims are true, then Jesus is who he claimed to be - God or LORD. If the claims are false, but Jesus sincerely believed them to be true, then he is a LUNATIC. If the claims are false, Jesus knew them to be false and was being insincere, then he is a LIAR. C.S. Lewis, the Englishman who reasoned as above indicated that the unprecedented nature of Jesus' claims precludes any other possibility. In particular, Jesus couldn't have been a wise teacher or prophet because wise people and prophets don't claim to be God. I tried hard to think of a fourth option to put Jesus back in the corner as just a wise teacher or prophet, but failed. I then spent months looking for evidences in favor of Jesus having been a lunatic (it seemed the least-worst option of the three for me) and/or the Bible to be false.
©2013 ISRAELJERUSALEM.COM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
|
Israel Jerusalem(Home) Jerusalem Panorama Damascus Gate Dome of the Rock Al Aqsa Mosque Israeli Soldiers Western Wall Shavuot Festival Wailing Wall Prayers Jerusalem Chamber Holocaust Museum Oskar Schindler Zion Gate Jerusalem Wall West Bank Wall Jewish Settlements Nativity Church Jesus Birthplace? Lake of Gennesaret Capernaum Capernaum Synagogue Tabgha Sermon on the Mount Beatitudes Church Qumran Caves When Gospels Written? Greek Manuscripts Garden of Gethsemane Gethsemane Monastery Via Dolorosa Holy Sepulcher Church Tomb of Jesus? Golgotha Garden Tomb Rock Tomb Jesus Tomb Jesus Burial Site Stone Rolled Away Empty Tomb Why Christ Crucified? Mount of Olives Jewish Graves Christian Hospice Jerusalem Internet Cafe Palestinian Christians Evangelizing Israel School of Tyrannus Cayster River Temple of Diana Theater of Ephesus Ephesus Church Comments Contact |