The New Testament is Historically Accurate

Ok, so I guess round one is not acceptance...There are a number of reasons why the New Testament is reliable, I will explain one in each round:1. The Embarrassing Content2. Historical Details3. Martyrdom1. Embarrassing Details: If you were going to make up a story and write a pseudo-autobiographical book, how would you picture yourself in the book? I don't no about you, but I'd be making myself look pretty good. Strong, brave, smart, and always doing what is right. The disciples? Not so much. The gospels have accounts of dim-wittedness among the disciples (Mark 9:32, Luke 18:34, John 12:16). It also have them being shown as cowards when all but one disciple hides while Jesus is being crucified. Peter also is called "Satan!" I don't know about you, but if I was writing a book, I don't think that I would say: "And Jesus called the second-in-command of our new religion 'Satan' and told him to shut up." But that is what Jesus does in Mark 8:33! In the books, the disciples refer to themselves as cowards, stupid, and their leader is referred to as Satan!Let's look at the story of the woman that washed Jesus's feet. The woman was a known prostitute. In those days, if a woman washed your feet with her hair, it could be perceived as a sexual advance, although it was not in that instance (Luke 7:36-39). If I was writing a fictitious or overly positive-light type of story, I can guarantee that my (modernized) version would not have gone like this "then a prostitute came and made a perceived sexual advance on the Son of God, Jesus let her wash His feet, and then spoke directly to her." Talk about embarrassing!Specifically at the crucifixion, only one disciples was present. The rest had run away in fear. Instead, women that Jesus knew was there! The women was portrayed as braver than the disciples!One more thing, the resurrection. The first people to ever find the empty tomb were women. In those days, women were not seen as viable witnesses! One of those women were also known to have been demon-possessed! So why would you write that your first witnesses were women, one of whom used to be possessed by a spirit? It makes no sense for a book that puts the story of Jesus in a positive light to contain those details. Only a totally honest writer would say those things.2. Historical DetailsThe NT writers gave us plenty us details to verify stories. Names, dates, places, times of day. If my story was fictional, why would I give so much information that could be based as inaccurate? Here are a few accurate geographical details: the proper crossing between named ports (Acts 13:4-5), the proper location of Lycaonia (Acts 14:11), and the place of a landmark that was well-known to sailors (Acts 16:11). These landmarks were properly placed without using a modern map! Only an eyewitness you actually went there would know these things. There are also details about the proper mode of Roman arrests, the condition of imprisonment in certain prisons (Acts 8:30-31), and many other details that only an eyewitness would know about.There are also literally hundreds of exact names, dates, and places that the NT writers give us. None of these are inaccurate.3. MartyrdomThe NT writers and believers also obviously believed what they preached. They died. Read the Bible. One was crucified upside down, one was beheaded, and another was banished to die on a deserted island. They really believed.Now for my opponent's premature contentions1. There was talk of a cover-up 11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. (NIV)Yeah, even the priests were afraid that Jesus really might have risen from the dead.2. Jesus didn't really dieJesus was flogged until He no longer looked human (John 19), He was nailed to a cross (John 20), and He was stabbed with a spear (John 19). You aren't recovering from that by sitting in a tomb without food or water for three days.3. The NT was written in a positive light See "Embarrassing Details" above4. "Why was he executed. Because of public outcry. He was causing a rebellion." 9 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah,the Son of God.” 64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[e] 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. (Matthew 26:59-66 NIV)No, He was executed for blasphemy.Sources:The Bible(I Don't Have Enough Faith To Be an Atheist, Frank Turek, 2004)