Rigor, Plain and Simple


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Posted by CB on February 23, 2011 at 14:03:10

In Reply to: Re: Thoughts about signs and wonders posted by OT2 on February 22, 2011 at 17:13:58:

I'm glad you've found relief for your knee pain. I see no reason to believe that means the arthritis has disappeared and the bone is whole again.

If an unbiased third party--someone with nothing to gain or lose as a consequence of the investigation--were to obtain before and after xrays of your knees--and these xrays were verified as being yours (e.g., sworn testimony of the radiology techs who took them)--and a radiologist with nothing to gain or lose interpreted the xrays to mean there had been a complete reversal of the arthritis--and a second or even third doctor who was skeptical of the claim then verified exactly the same conclusion--and all the examiners provided sworn testimony to that effect--well...

It would be good enough evidence to enter into a court of law. If such testimony were provided, I'd accept the evidence and believe the claims made about it.

This is something like the argument NT Wright makes in Jesus' Resurrection & Christian Origins for the testimony of witnesses and historicity of the resurrection. While there is no hard evidence (e.g., xrays, EEGs, CT scans) regarding the before and after state of Jesus' body, there is an agreement among the witnesses that make an outright hoax historically improbable. Lots of people from many backgrounds and perspectives really believed they met the risen Lord after he was crucified, died & was buried. The objective truth of their testimony cannot be established; however, the convergence of so many eye witness testimonies suggests something extraordinary must have occurred in the 40 days between Easter and the Ascention.

By contrast, no one in a position to be objective and unbiased about the matter has stepped forward to testisfy about the miraculous healing of your knee. Therefore, I have no reason to assume something miraculous has taken place. I don't think your claim of a possible miraculous healing is a hoax, but that doesn't mean you've provided sufficient evidence to support your claim.

I'm really sorry we've gotten into this unproductive debate. I don't have anything else to say on the subject.


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