It is very simple. First, my denial is neither dogmatic nor a priori; it is not an argument from personal incredulity. Second, I disagree with your premises, your reasoning, and your conclusions when it comes to mythicism practically requiring early Christian belief in a celestial crucifixion. I can be agnostic about Jesus' historicity, or even an outright Jesus mythicist, without any resort whatsoever to a celestial crucifixion. I can also be, in precisely the same manner, a Hercules mythicist, as it were, while not in any way denying that the myths about Hercules located his Twelve Labors on earth.Giuseppe wrote: ↑Fri Apr 24, 2020 10:04 am Part of my difficulty to justify your apology of yourself from accusation of crypto-Christianity, Ben, is my own difficulty to understand how one could be sincere at all, when he says that Jesus could be mythical, when the same guy denies so dogmatically and a priori a Crucifixion in Outer Space in Hebrews.
That is equivalent to say :
- That I don't recognize intellectual consistency for mythicists who assume an earthly crucifixion in Hebrews;
- That the dichotomy: Outer Space AUT historical Jesus, for me is a correct true dichotomy.
In short, you and I share nothing in common on the topic of how a celestial crucifixion relates to Jesus mythicism. We do not even have a Ground Zero. For you it is a sine qua non for Jesus mythicism, and for me it is just one option of several. I will not be debating you on that matter, because there is no starting point. What I will say, once again, is that none of this has anything to do with any "faith in my ancestors." That kind of accusation is simply a distraction.