The Resurrection of Jesus is a historically probable event.

I concede that Jesus was a real man and that he died by crucifixion. I also believe that he was dead (i. e. , did not survive the crucifixion). ==>Refutation<==2. The Empty Tomb What evidence for this does my partner cite? None. Consequently, we should reject such a fable. 3. AppearancesMy partner says Jesus appeared to over 500 people! Who exactly are those 500 people? My partner (and Paul) makes the bare assertion fallacy (ipsite dixite) because no proof has been provided. As Gerald Seigal from Jews for Judaism notes: Paul, writing about twenty-five years after the crucifixion contends, without giving a geographic location, that "upwards of five hundred brethren" had simultaneously seen the resurrected Jesus and that many of them were still alive at the time of his writing (1Corinthians 15:6). No information is provided to indicate whether this experience was a visionary revelation or an actual appearance in the flesh. Moreover, Paul does not tell us whether he was among the five hundred, or whether he had heard the story from one of them, or whether it was merely a story that was circulating among certain Christians. This alleged postresurrection appearance is conspicuously omitted in both the Gospels and the Book of Acts. Had the Corinthians wanted to verify Paul's statement, it would have been, as Paul must have known, virtually impossible for them to do so, considering the primitive means of communication available in those days. Neither did he mention by name any of the five hundred for possible contact by the Corinthians, had they wanted to seek verification. Who experienced this alleged postresurrection appearance, and when and where this supposedly took place is not stated. The whole incident was either an unverifiable rumor utilized by Paul or simply the result of his overzealous missionary activity. [1] Women There are several problems I have with this assertion: (1) Women were trusted; (2) Women were the primary targets of early Christians; and (3) The fallacy of embarassmentWOMEN WERE TRUSTED Josephus records an account of the sacrifices at Gamala and Masada. What sources does he use? Two women in each case. Does my partner believe such a tale? Probably not. However, it shows no embarrasment for this. Sometimes, Josephus leaveso ut his sources, yet here he goes out of his way to report that only women were his sources. Had it been an embarassment, if my partner claimed, then it would make no sense. WOMEN WERE THE TARGETS OF EARLY CHRISTIANSIt may come to a surprise to my partner, but women were the primary targets of conversion to the early Christians. Richard Carrier notes: "Historians agree that many more females than males were converting to Christianity in its first centuries," and recognizes" Christianity's appeal to women as an important factor in its success. " [3] This might help explain why women were placed at the "empty" tomb. It is also important to note that Christianity, in its early years, had a rival cult called "Mithraism" that only accepted male converts. It is probable that Christianity was trying to rival their Mithraic cult. THE FALLACYOverall, my partner argues an appeal to embarassment--a fallacy. IMMEDIATE PROCLOMATION Actually, the early Christians did not immediately proclaim Jesus. Again, from Gerald Siegal: The New Testament fixes public announcement of the supposed resurrection not three days immediately following the crucifixion event, but after a period in which some of Jesus' followers regrouped following their initial shock and disappointment and formulated their future plans. Public announcement of a resurrection was set for the Jewish festival of Shavuot, "The Feast of Weeks," approximately fifty days following the crucifixion (Acts 2:1, 22-24). By that day, Jesus' corpse would have been sufficiently decomposed to prohibit positive identification. [4] So, contarary to my partner's claim, the public pronunciation was 50 days after the crucifixion; far from "immediately. " ------------------------->A CASE AGAINST THE RESURRECTION<--------------------------------Contention 1: Jesus only appeared to his followersIsn't it quite odd that Jesus only appeared to his followers? Let's see what Jesus said about his "resurrection": Matthew 26:63, Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven. ” Matthew 14:62, And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. ” These two quotes are directed to Cephias the high priest during his trial. Here, Jesus tells him that he is going to see the Son of Man (Jesus) seated at the right hand of the Power coming with the clouds of heaven. Neither the New Testament, nor outside sources, record such an event. This begs the question as to why Jesus wouldn't appear to the high priest. It would make a lot of sense for Jesus to walk up and say "Ha! I'm alive, you didn't kill me; now repent of your murder! " Contention 2: The lack of evidence1. If a claim is extraordinary, then in the absence of extraordinarily strong evidence in its favor, the claim may be considered false.2. The claim that a Jesus rose from the dead is an extraordinary claim. 3. Therefore, in the absence of extraordinarily strong evidence in its favor, the claim that Jesus rose from the dead may be considered false. 4. There is no extraordinarily strong evidence for the claim that Jesus rose from the dead. 5. Therefore, the claim that Jesus rose from the dead may be considered false. If one were to reject teh Muslim claim that Muhammad split the moon, then why should we believe such an awe-inspiring event that Jesus rose from the dead? As Richard Carrier puts it, why don't these things happen now? [5] I'm out of room. ____________Bibliography1. Siegal, G. (n. d. ). Do 500 brethern establish a reliable claim to rhe resurrection? Retrieved April 20, 2012, from Jews for Judaism: . http://jewsforjudaism.org...; 2. Masada: Josephus, Jewish War 7.399. Gamala: Josephus, Jewish War 4.81. For Masada, Josephus lists their qualifications the same way he would for a male witness: one is an elder, the other is famously sensible and well-educated with respectable connections (we can assume the five children who survived would not have made useful witnesses even if they were trusted). For Gamala, the qualifications of the two women in this case: they were the granddaughters of an eminent man. from: Carrier, R. (2006) Not the Impossible Faith. Web: . http://www.infidels.org...;3. Gillian Cloke, "Women, Worship, and Mission: The Church in the Household," The Early Christian World, ed. Philip Esler, vol. 1 (2000): pp. 422-51 (quotes from p. 423). Retreived from Carrier, R. (2006) Not the Impossibel Faith. Web: . http://www.infidels.org...4. Siegal, G. (n. d. ). Why DIdn't the Jewish Authorities Produce Jesus' Corpse? Retrieved April 20, 2012 from Jews for Judaism:. http://jewsforjudaism.org...; 5. Carrier, R. Why I don't Buy the Resurrection Story.