Miracles and Christian History
Dateline: April 19, 2000
"MIRACLES & CHRISTIAN HISTORY" > Page 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6
Paradox
But according to the principle here explained, this subtraction, with regard to all popular religions, amounts to an entire annihilation; and therefore we may establish it as a maxim, that no human testimony can have such force as to prove a miracle, and make it a just foundation for any such religion.
That is the great paradox and the great internal contradiction of Christianity. In order for it to be what it claims to be, one must be able to trust the historical testimony of its scriptural writers (whoever they were). Yet in order to trust their historical testimony, an epistemology based on the constancy of natural law is necessary in order for us to believe that there has been such a thing as 'history' for any of us - that it is even possible for us to know anything.
Since we are finite creatures, we can only trust each other's testimony to the extent that it is not violative of the natural law that we depend upon as the very basis for knowledge. But that epistemology means we must disregard the testimony regarding the key events upon which Christianity rests: the divine conception and most importantly the resurrection of Jesus. This does not even begin to deal with the prophecies, healings, etc. of the rest of the Bible.
Conclusion
It becomes obvious on the above analysis that no God could use 'miracles' as a medium of communication to humans, ever, anywhere. If it were true that natural law could be suspended, then it necessarily follows that I don't know anything - that in fact the only thing it becomes possible for me to know is that I can't know anything else. This would include knowing that the God who is 'speaking' to me is telling the truth or even really exists and isn't just an illusion created by some other creature not bound by the natural laws I thought I knew.
Even a 'direct revelation' can't be trusted: Am I speaking to God, being mislead by an illusion, or am I still in the 'real world' and hallucinating something of my own imagination? What possible demonstration could settle the questions?
If God claims he grants me omniscience so that I would know, well, even that could be illusory - I could be fooled into thinking I'm experiencing omniscience when in fact I am not.
In short, if 'miracles' are possible, then human knowledge is impossible. If there is a god he must be bound by the same natural laws I am and therefore must (as in does not have the ability to do otherwise) communicate with me, whenever it is he chooses to communicate with me, in a manner bound by those laws.
If dead men ever start walking, all bets are off; nothing we think is true is true. It is not even possible to claim to know anything with certainty, except the utter lack of certainty.
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