From: oser@fermi.wustl.edu (Scott Oser)
Newsgroups: alt.atheism
Subject: Easter whodunnit
Date: 10 Jan 1993 19:21:38 GMT
Organization: Washington University Astrophysics
NNTP-Posting-Host: fermi.wustl.edu

	Let's assume for the moment that Jesus did not rise from the dead.
One possible and often repeated explanation of the subsequent events is that
graverobbers took the body, resulting in an empty tomb.  (Calm down, theists.
If you don't want to assume these things, you don't have to play.)
	If this is what actually happened, then let's play Sherlock and try
to see whodunnit?  I've come up with four possibilities:

1) Ordinary graverobbers.  Perhaps ordinary graverobbers, unconnected to
Jesus or his disciples, took the body to sell to medical students or whatever
they did with robbed corpses.  This theory has the advantage that it allows
Jesus' disciples to honestly believe that he may have risen.  After all, the
body had mysteriously disappeared, and their upset emotional state as well
as certain things Jesus might have said could have led them to believe that
he rose from the dead.

2) Jesus' disciples.  Perhaps some or all of Jesus' disciples decided to take
the body, hoping to somehow continue the movement through a farce.  This
theory has the advantage that there is clearly motive for them to do so.
A big disadvantage is that we have no record of anyone ever confessing to
the deed, even when the disciples were being persecuted and executed.  I 
find it hard to believe that anyone would allow themselves to be killed for
the sake of a known lie.

3) Jesus' family.  The NT tells us that Jesus' family was opposed to his
mission during his lifetime, and specifically that his brother James joined
the church only after the resurrection.  Perhaps James and/or other family
members decided to take the body themselves, and use the resurrection to
take control of Jesus' movement themselves.  This theory has the advantage
that since James was not a follower of Jesus, it is more credible that he
would accept perpetrating such a farce than would the disciples, who
seemingly believed in Jesus.  Also, James WAS able to gain leadership of the
early Church.  It is also easier to keep secrets within the family.

4) Jesus himself.  Mindblowing, huh?  The scenario goes like this:  Jesus,
knowing he would be killed, hires accomplices to steal the body and to later
claim they saw him resurrected, the idea being to give the disciples a reason
to continue to proclaim the kingdom of God.  Perhaps these accomplices included
the man some of the disciples met on the road, telling them of Jesus'
rising.  These men would not likely later be part of the movement, and so
could have easily kept their mouths shut.

Out of these possibilities, I kind of lean towards number 3.  Given that
Jesus did not miraculously appear to his brother James, I find the premise
that James was in on it to be the best explanation of his sudden "conversion"
to the teachings he was so lukewarm to before.  All of these scenarios
except number 2 assume that Jesus' disciples, shaken by his death and a
superstitious lot anyway, could easily be convinced that he had risen.
I find this reasonable.  For an analogous case, consider that John the
Baptist's disciples believed that he had risen, even though as far as I
know neither atheists nor Christians believe this.
	Any thoughts or theories?  And please don't write telling me I'm
full of shit and that Jesus is Lord(tm) or whatever.  If you can't at
least for the sake of argument assume my premises, have the courtesy to
just ignore the thread.  Thanks.

-Scott O.

Newsgroups: alt.atheism,talk.religion.misc