📅 Today is Day 19 of The 20-Day Easter Special
Each day leading up to Easter, we’re critically examining a core resurrection claim—one at a time—through the lens of reason, evidence, and The God Question’s Core Philosophy.
🧩 The Central Question
Christians often declare: “The resurrection is the best explanation for the evidence!” But what happens when we actually apply critical thinking?
Today, we’re not asking what to believe—we’re asking how to think. Specifically, how to evaluate the resurrection claim with the same logic we’d apply to anything else.
🧭 Apply The God Question’s Core Philosophy
- Does the claim rely on evidence or belief?
- Are alternative explanations considered?
- Is there independent corroboration?
- Is the claim falsifiable?
- Does the explanation raise more questions than it answers?
Let’s examine how the resurrection fares under these five filters of reason.
1. 🔍 Does the Claim Rely on Evidence or Belief?
The resurrection is based entirely on ancient, anonymous texts. We have no eyewitness testimony—not in the modern sense. The Gospels were written decades later, by unknown authors, in communities already devoted to Jesus.
In most areas of life, we demand strong, first-hand evidence. Imagine trying to prove a dead man came back to life using only third-hand blog posts written 40 years later by his followers.
Yet in religion, belief is often treated as its own evidence.
Critical Thinking Tip: Belief may motivate—but it doesn’t validate.
2. 🔁 Are Alternative Explanations Considered?
A critical thinker doesn’t jump to conclusions—they ask:
- Could the tomb story be a legend?
- Could the appearances be dreams, visions, or grief-induced hallucinations?
- Could the resurrection motif have grown over time to elevate Jesus’ status?
Christian apologists rarely explore these possibilities in good faith. Instead, they leap from “the tomb was empty” (which isn’t even verifiable) to “therefore, God raised Jesus.”
That’s a non sequitur—a conclusion that doesn’t follow from the premise.
Critical Thinking Tip: Consider all the possibilities. Then weigh them, not by what you want to be true, but by what best fits the evidence.
3. 🔗 Is There Independent Corroboration?
Critical thinking requires corroboration from multiple, independent sources.
For the resurrection, we have:
- No physical evidence
- No external confirmation from Roman records or first-century historians
- No contemporary mentions of a public execution followed by a mass resurrection event
All “supporting sources” are internal: the New Testament writers themselves. And they don’t even agree on the details.
Critical Thinking Tip: When all the “evidence” comes from insiders, ask what outsiders had to say—and why they didn’t say it.
4. ❌ Is the Claim Falsifiable?
Can the resurrection be proven false?
- If the tomb is empty: “He is risen!”
- If the tomb is occupied: “You’ve got the wrong tomb.”
- If people report visions: “Proof of resurrection!”
- If no one reports visions: “They were afraid to speak!”
A belief that explains every outcome explains nothing.
Critical Thinking Tip: If a claim can’t be tested or disproven—even in theory—it doesn’t belong in the realm of knowledge. It belongs in the realm of imagination.
5. ❓ Does the Explanation Raise More Questions Than It Answers?
Saying “God raised Jesus” immediately invites deeper problems:
- Why wait three days?
- Why appear only to a select few?
- Why allow confusion, contradictions, and decades of oral storytelling before documentation?
- Why choose a time and place (1st-century Palestine) where no one could verify any of this?
These aren’t minor narrative quirks. They are logical red flags.
Critical Thinking Tip: A good explanation simplifies. A poor one multiplies mystery.
🧠 Final Thought: Start with the Method, Not the Conclusion
Critical thinking isn’t about debunking. It’s about pausing. Asking. Testing. Refusing to confuse desire for truth with truth itself.
The resurrection might be comforting. It might be inspiring. But that doesn’t make it true.
Only one thing earns that label: evidence, examined with rigor.
🧭 The God Question’s Invitation
The resurrection is Christianity’s central claim. But no belief—however sacred—is above scrutiny.
If a belief is true, it can withstand your questions. If it isn’t, it shouldn’t survive your trust.
Let’s keep asking.
📺 For Further Exploration
Video: Secrets of the Psychics – NOVA Documentary
Overview: This classic NOVA documentary features renowned skeptic James Randi as he investigates claims of paranormal abilities and miracles. Through demonstrations and critical analysis, Randi exposes the techniques used by self-proclaimed psychics and faith healers, emphasizing the importance of skepticism and scientific inquiry.
📅 Note: After we wrap up our 20-Day Easter Special on April 20, we’ll return to our regular schedule of posting three times a week:
- Tuesdays & Fridays – our structured explorations through all 11 blog categories
- Sundays – our Sunday Special Feature, where we critically respond to real-world religious claims in real time
We hope you’ll stay with us as we continue asking bold questions and applying reason to faith.
God or Delusion? 