How many people do you know, or know of, who would knowingly spread a falsehood even as it was getting them KILLED?
People say Christianity, specifically the Resurrection, was just a hoax that has drawn a following. But... this was an attempt to popularize a religion that has proven to have great political strength... so, why would its leader have permitted HIMSELF TO BE EXECUTED? Doesn't this event disprove the idea that He was making something up in order to elevate Himself? And what other purpose could such a hoax have, if not to redirect and concentrate political power?
And Jesus, the founder and chief hoaxer, wasn't the only one of the original group to let Himself be killed. Paul was beheaded. Peter was crucified (upside down at his own request, as he believed he was not worthy of the same death as Jesus).
Andrew was crucified. His choice of cross was X shaped, now known as St. Andrews Cross.
Some were hunted and killed by the crowds to whom they were preaching. They all suffered brutal deaths at the hands of those mobs... all but John. He was exiled on a Greek island called Patmos, and continued to write and preach there.
It is understood that he wrote the last book of the bible, Revelation.
What man in all of history would relax, smile, keep preaching and permit himself to be executed for a LIE THAT HE KNEW WAS A LIE? Isn't it human nature to stop short of your own painful death and say "okay, ya got me, I give up, I was making this stuff up from scratch, I renounce Jesus and all this Christian stuff, never mind." That was all they needed to do; give up and renounce their lie. Some of them were literally offered their lives to renounce their story.
None took the offer.
They VOLUNTEERED to die painfully in order to demonstrate the strength of their belief. BELIEF. They believed what they were saying was TRUE.
And this is really the only way it could be a hoax... if the apostles made it up and spread the lie. They were being TORTURED TO DEATH to make them stop spreading a lie..
They endured torture and death rather than renounce Christ.
Ever heard of that happening in any other time or place or context? You don't die for the sake of a lie. Nobody has.
Except the Apostles of Christ.
Something to think about.
/end rant, please disperse, as you were, etc.