A while ago I posted this, in which I began to answer a list of questions posed by an evangelical Christian group on my campus. Now that laziness has kicked in I’m regretting my initial enthusiasm (there are something like 40 questions on the list) but I can’t think of a good reason to give up, so here’s the second instalment. I’m going to make the answers brief – I’m not out to conclusively refute Christianity, just to give my own responses, pretty much off the top of my head (man that’s a weird saying!) with a bit of googling if I feel like it.

Without further ado, here’s question two (hey, it rhymes ): How do you account for the vast archaeological documentation of Biblical stories, places, and people?

Short answer: I don’t. Nor do I accept it.

Longer answer: Actually, I’m not the slightest bit convinced that such documentation exists. I’m not an archaeologist (although I did want to be one when I was at high school) so I have to trust the experts. If the archaeological evidence conclusively (or even just strongly) supported the Biblical account of history, I’m pretty sure we’d have heard about it. Since I haven’t, and I’m not completely uninformed (New Zealand may be in the middle of nowhere but we do keep tabs on the rest of the world), I think it’s reasonable for me to assume that that’s not the case.

I have heard the argument that academia is anti-religious and there are historians and scientists who have the facts to prove the Bible true but are too afraid to say anything for fear of ridicule or censure. I’m not buying it. I have several reasons but I won’t go into that now because I want to get to the next question.

Question three: Since absolutely no Bible prophecy has ever failed (and there are hundreds), how can one realistically remain unconvinced that the Bible is of Divine origin?That’s a big claim. First of all, you’d think, if it’s true that no Bible prophecy has ever failed, that more people would be talking about it. Personally, I’ve heard a lot more about Jesus dying for my sins than I have about prophecies coming true.

Anyway. Here’s my answer: prove it. All it takes for this claim (that absolutely no Bible prophecy has ever failed) to be false is one failed prophecy. Here’s a whole bunch. And some more. There also appears to be some debate over when certain ‘prophecies’ were written… You might say I’m doing biased googling, and I am. But I don’t think it matters. Obviously I’d need to do some proper research if I wanted say informedly (if that’s not a word, it should be) that Biblical prophecy is either miraculous or bollocks, but for now, I’m applying Occam’s Razor. It’s just way too implausible.

I have to get up early (for me) tomorrow so that’s all for now. Next up: more of these frustrating questions and probably a rant about Easter being a public holiday or something about the seven ‘updated’ deadly sins.

The true civilization is where every man gives to every other every right that he claims for himself. Robert G. Ingersoll