This is a copy of the email that I sent to the author, as below in the following:
Hi
Mr. Harrison:
The
first thing I want to do before making the attempt to answer the title in the
subject line is that I recently purchased “50 Simple questions for every
Christian” on the FOR SALE shelf at my local library. I am always looking to
read something that satisfies my curious nature, especially as it pertains to
questions or answers to the ultimate mystery as presented in some of the
world’s religious systems, and Judaism/Christianity in particular. I was hooked
after reading the first few pages, and if you will pardon the expression, “it’s
a Godsend” (blessing). The writing is masterful, probing, direct, and the
questions are provocative, poignant as well as challenging; the book should be
read by every Christian in my opinion. I was thinking about the resurrection
narratives as recorded in several New Testament passages, which to me would be
a skeptic’s treasure trove. In the gospel of Matthew 27: 62-66 and 28:
11-17 there seems to be some confusion with the temple guard and the
soldiers; what story would be told about how the body of Jesus was missing; the
payment of a bribe; soldiers falling asleep on duty; and the last part of verse
17 where it says of the disciples of Jesus: “. . . and some doubted” –
(what??); These were people who were right there and part of this supernatural
event, and yet, these unnamed followers and disciples/apostles were not convinced;
which says something for those of us who believe two thousand years later.
Before
I move on to another matter, the stone that was removed from the tomb or
sepulcher is interesting because according to the story, Jesus had already been
resurrected and could simply materialize and appear suddenly as He did where
the disciples were gathered. I think the resurrection story would have been
more credible if the stone had not been removed and Jesus was seen walking
around because it would have avoided the rumor that Matthew 28: 13 talks about. There
is at least the name of one skeptic as recorded in John 20: 24-25, which reads: Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of
the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples
told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see for
myself the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and
put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (wow!!). This is a man that followed Jesus around,
heard Him teach and perform miracles but instead of taking the word of the
other disciples, he wanted verifiable proof, empirical facts, and not hearsay,
or eyewitness accounts/testimonies- which should serve as a good lesson for us
today and food for thought instead of just believing or accepting everything on
“faith” or rather Church tradition, ritual and dogma.
Now
that I have said all of that, let’s get to the main issue. I have given some
thoughtful consideration to the proof of God’s existence, and if you don’t mind
I would like to answer this concern by “flipping the script” or turning the
question around. I would like to ask, “can you offer proof that you exist; of
for that matter, proof that you love someone?” Are numbers real or letters of
the alphabet- how can you prove this, and by what measure? And what about the
concept of time or what is perceived as this phenomena? Isn’t everything
composed of atoms or smaller subatomic particles, and isn’t there space or a
void between each atom? Aren’t we really dealing with concepts or constructs of
the “Mind” that are merely symbols and serve as building blocks in this
illusion called “Life” but don’t really exist, in and of Itself, in reality. Whatever
or Whoever is cosmic ‘Mind,’ it casts a wide net where there is reality-bias
that skews any true knowledge and distorts sense perception. Therefore, all
what we experience is essentially subjective and non-quantifiable (“Cogito ergo sum”).
Robert
Randle
776
Commerce St Apt 701
Tacoma,
WA 98402
March
17, 2017
robertrandle51@yahoo.com
