Re: Signs of Scientism

Pim van Meurs wrote:
*[regarding the resurrection]*

>
> I was not there to witness it, I was not there to research it so I am
> not sure if the resurrection from the dead really happened. Could it
> have been a deep coma? Could it have been a near death experience?
> It's hard to tell lacking the evidence. So what do I accept as a
> scientist and what do I accept as a Christian? The two are very
> different. In the end it does not really matter though since the
> meaning of Christ's resurrection is far more important than the proven
> veracity of such an event.

Not to hear the apostle Paul tell it.

from I Corinthians
15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead,
how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ
been raised.
15:14 If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and
your faith also is in vain.
15:15 Yes, we are found false witnesses of God, because we testified
about God that he raised up Christ, whom he didn't raise up, if it is so
that the dead are not raised.

I don't think we have the option of compartmentalizing our beliefs in
such a way as to say 'this is what I believe as a scientist' and then
say 'but I believe something else as a Christian.' Either you believe
something or you don't. I struggle with this too, Pim. It's easy to
say I believe in the resurrection but it's impossible to state in any
scientifically satisfiable way just what that was. Yet we are asked to
believe it nevertheless. Writing the whole thing off as metaphorical
may end up being a dangerous temptation. This struggle of belief isn't
new. It reflects pretty well the original differences between the
pharisees (who believed in angels, demons, resurrections etc.) and the
sadduccees who did not. As hard as Jesus was on the pharisees, he
certainly didn't side with the sadducees on this. (See the sadducees'
challenge in Mark 12:18 and Jesus' response to it.)

--merv
Received on Tue Jan 17 08:00:57 2006