Tram law writes:
GDR writes:
In other words if the bodily resurrection of Jesus is not an historical event then all of Christianity is a waste of time. If the resurrection isn`t historical then Jesus was delusional and although the message he preached may ring true for us there is no real reason to give it any credibility.
So why would it be a waste of time if there's no historical event?
I agree with the implication here, Tram law.
I don't think 'the message' is a waste of time at all if there's no historical event. In fact, I think it's
far more important of a message if there was no historical event.
Message of Christianity: "Be a good person"
Basis: Historical accuracy of the resurrection, real existence of Jesus/God.
This, in essence, is saying that you should be a good person because Jesus/God is telling you to be a good person and they are real beings with real authority.
Message of human imagination: "Be a good person"
Basis: None.
This, in essence, is saying that you should be a good person simply because you want to be.
What is 'better'? What is 'more right'? What is 'honourable'?
Should we be good people because some ultimate authority says we should? Doesn't that make us sheep in some sense? Doesn't that reduce our good actions to simply following orders?
Or, should we be good people because we want to be? Doesn't that make us good for the sake of being good?
For me, it is more important to be good because we want to be that way, because we have faith in the honour of "good" being better than "evil". If we base our morality on some factual aspect of the world (resurrection, authority, loyalty, fear...) then we are restricting how far it can reach. Faith is as boundless as our imagination. Facts are restricted to what they are. "Good"
must be unrestricted in order to triumph over evil, and the only way to do that is to base it on faith in itself that good really is good (boundless)... not faith in some fact being true to give us a
reason to be good (restricted).
™ Version 4.2