Comments on: XFiles Friday: Grasping at straws http://blog.evangelicalrealism.com/2009/03/06/xfiles-friday-grasping-at-straws/ The theology of Reality Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:49:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: R. C. Moore http://blog.evangelicalrealism.com/2009/03/06/xfiles-friday-grasping-at-straws/comment-page-1/#comment-7685 R. C. Moore Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:07:33 +0000 http://blog.evangelicalrealism.com/?p=800#comment-7685 The crux of Geisler and Turek's argument seems to be that if a story is original, it is more likely to be true. I find the mythology behind Scientology to be quite novel, it is therefore likely to be true. The "Lord of the Rings" has a number of quite original variations on folklore, therefore Middle Earth is likely to exist. They also seem to be suggesting that if a story is not original in some percentage of its elements (what the threshold is I do not know), then it is less likely to be true. So a large number of eyewitness accounts, all in agreement, are less likely to be true (we have been here before!) Christians often point to the fact that ancient biblical documents are in high agreement, indicating accuracy. So what do we conclude? Accurate copying makes things less likely, while variations in copies implies greater accuracy? I will stick with science. The crux of Geisler and Turek’s argument seems to be that if a story is original, it is more likely to be true.

I find the mythology behind Scientology to be quite novel, it is therefore likely to be true.

The “Lord of the Rings” has a number of quite original variations on folklore, therefore Middle Earth is likely to exist.

They also seem to be suggesting that if a story is not original in some percentage of its elements (what the threshold is I do not know), then it is less likely to be true. So a large number of eyewitness accounts, all in agreement, are less likely to be true (we have been here before!) Christians often point to the fact that ancient biblical documents are in high agreement, indicating accuracy. So what do we conclude? Accurate copying makes things less likely, while variations in copies implies greater accuracy?

I will stick with science.

]]> By: jim http://blog.evangelicalrealism.com/2009/03/06/xfiles-friday-grasping-at-straws/comment-page-1/#comment-7675 jim Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:13:54 +0000 http://blog.evangelicalrealism.com/?p=800#comment-7675 It's been my opinion for a while that most of these Eastern religion have roots in the Egyptian mythos. Reading these farfetched justifications for Christianity's 'originality' reminds me of something Justin Martyr wrote (I THINK it was Martyr) concerning the obvious similarities; that it was Satan, having knowledge that Jesus would someday come to Earth, who created similar mythologies down through time as sort of a preemptive strike. A way to sew confusion in the ranks, as it were. Who could fail but to giggle? It’s been my opinion for a while that most of these Eastern religion have roots in the Egyptian mythos. Reading these farfetched justifications for Christianity’s ‘originality’ reminds me of something Justin Martyr wrote (I THINK it was Martyr) concerning the obvious similarities; that it was Satan, having knowledge that Jesus would someday come to Earth, who created similar mythologies down through time as sort of a preemptive strike. A way to sew confusion in the ranks, as it were.

Who could fail but to giggle?

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