Vertago

Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

        This is a X-Mass present I got from Uncle Freddy. Dad thought Fred was my
    clone. "He's a nut job too." Dad remarked. .. Uncle Freddy had been divorced by
    his wife, she thought he was gay. However, Uncle Freddy's sexual orientation
    was not discussed. He has a lovely daughter Susan. She doesn't discuss the
    reason for her parents divorce.

        So. One X-Mass Uncle Freddy gave me a book, "Did Jesus Rise From The Dead?"
    published by Harper&Row. I was not thrilled with a book present. I have trouble
    reading: dyslexia. But, it started my favorite argument with pop,

                "Why do we believe any of this?"

    Uncle Freddy laughed. Dad was not amused. Dad was old school Irish Roman Catholic.
    He did not like to be talked back to and especially did not like disrespect.
    I think I mentioned the time he threw me out the third story window. Dad's answer was
    predictable,

                  "I wont have an atheist under my roof."

    Essentially, every argument ended that way with pop. My sisters liked to date, but
    none of their boyfriends were allowed in the house. This is not a wise rule.
    Dad never knew, who or what they were doing outside the house. Any who, I've started
    rereading Uncle Freddy's X-Mass present:

                  "we don't need evidence for faith, it's clear that Paul was attempting
                  to give evidence for Jesus' Resurrection by citing lists of appearances
                  in 1 Corinthians 15:5-7." page 55.

    Halfway through the book and Bultmann, an apologist, concedes the evidence is
    based of faith... Jeeze! What a shocker! Dad told me that we live in the mind of God.
    So, miracles are nor impossible for God. That's dementia. Let's review. Jesus was
    executed and buried in a tomb, guarded by Roman soldiers. That's imperial fact.
    The story takes a leap of faith. The stone in front of the tomb was moved.
    The Roman guards were asleep. Stop. Consider, that the penalty for a Roman solder
    sleeping on guard was... DEATH! Okay, here comes the giant leap. Magdalene, the
    prostitute, finds the tomb empty. An Angel tells her Jesus is outside. She has a
    conversation with Jesus. .. . He's not dead?

          Guess what the Apostles don't believe the prostitute. But, there is a reappearance
    to the Apostles. Jesus talks to the Apostles and? Leaves on a cloud.. Yup, he floats
    up into the sky.. That's where Heaven is. Do you believe this? Well, dad sure did.
    You know some things are too fantastic to believe. But, some people will believe anything.
    I am not opposed to family values, "Do onto others as you would have them do unto you."
    That's fair. But, please don't tell me to believe in magical Jews, who fly through the air.
    Where is the evidence?! Here say isn't enough; show me a Jew, who can fly without an
    airplane or cannon. .. I don't want to spoil the X-Mass fun, but this Jesus story is nuts.

        I like Bill Murry in SCROOGED, "Stop hitting me with the toaster! I'll buy it!"
    There are a lot of fun X-Mass movies, Twilight was.. fun. Ho! Ho! Ho!

        Uncle Freddy did have a lot of glass figurines ... at his house in Arlington, MA.
    He showed me how to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch with his friend
    Tim.. who he lived with.... Ho! Ho! Ho!

    Merry X-Mass!