by jimwalton » Tue Jun 24, 2014 4:12 pm
A lot of factors play into a scenario like this. First, I don't think any rational person would just accept testimony like that out of hand. It's too preposterous. Anybody but anybody would expect some kind of certification that such a thing has happened, because it's too out of this world. But if the testifiers were people that I knew and trusted, that would really make me wonder what was going on. Depending on their sincerity and insistence, it would motivate me to investigate the testimonies and material evidences for myself. But by now, according to your scenario, most likely all the material evidences have been moved and changed: the "crime scene" is corrupted beyond repair and the evidence is no longer there. What would it take for me to believe on testimony alone? That depends on who the people are who are doing the telling, how they are telling it, and what effect I see on them and others based on what they claimed has happened.
After all, the gospels and Acts tell the story that the disciples were extremely doubtful and skeptical, but they and others became radically changed people. I'm sure all of it would weigh in as I considered the credibility of the report.
A lot of factors play into a scenario like this. First, I don't think any rational person would just accept testimony like that out of hand. It's too preposterous. Anybody but anybody would expect some kind of certification that such a thing has happened, because it's too out of this world. But if the testifiers were people that I knew and trusted, that would really make me wonder what was going on. Depending on their sincerity and insistence, it would motivate me to investigate the testimonies and material evidences for myself. But by now, according to your scenario, most likely all the material evidences have been moved and changed: the "crime scene" is corrupted beyond repair and the evidence is no longer there. What would it take for me to believe on testimony alone? That depends on who the people are who are doing the telling, how they are telling it, and what effect I see on them and others based on what they claimed has happened.
After all, the gospels and Acts tell the story that the disciples were extremely doubtful and skeptical, but they and others became radically changed people. I'm sure all of it would weigh in as I considered the credibility of the report.