The only atheists who annoy me are the ones who love to make snarky comments about my intelligence or psyche. On the other hand, there are a lot of Christians who annoy me.
I'm afraid you are right. "igniting a revolution in the 70s" was long ago. Who at Apple is going to ignite anything these days, except maybe to burn the company down?
I would welcome a treatment that makes aging easier, but not necessarily that extends lifespan significantly. The reasons you cite are why.
Ella, I have admired your writing for years—in fact you are the first Medium author I followed (and now I am one). However, this article really is unsophisticated... sorry. May I recommend this book: Derrick Peterson, Flat Earths and Fake Footnotes: The Strange Tale of How the Conflict Between Science and Christianity Was Written into History (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2021).
My review is here: https://pierrewhalon.medium.com/the-peace-between-science-and-religion-a834d0c2383c
So we agree that Yeshua ben Yosef is a historical figure. However, your assumptions seem to prove your conclusions. There is more archaeological evidence, for example, Peter's house in Capernaum, and the discovery of Sepphoris, which change your picture of Jesus. Furthermore there is a lot of textual material you do not account for, the odes of Solomon or the Book of Wisdom. You are correct that there were a number of wonderworkers extant, but that the gospels insist that his miracles are not proof of his divinity.
In other words the picture from a historical perspective is more complex than you assume. Keep going!
I wanted to meet Chauncey after reading this... with smiles.
I am Pierre, named for my mother's uncle whom she loved, although the birth certificate says "Peter" though they never called me that. Just in case I wanted to renounce my French citizenship...
Middle name is Welté, my mother's maiden name. Good solid Alsatians.
Last name, Whalon, I was told that it is actually Welsh, not Irish. Not sure about that, but the Whalons arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1730s, with a small land grant in Westport. They became farmers and whalers. Some still farm...
And great-to-the-nth grandfather William was a Continental Army soldier. His son married a Mayflower Rogers. So I could join both the Sons of the American Revolution and the Mayflower Society (moi??)
What a mess... but that's what's in a name.
Thank you Richard.
Ah yes, the old creation-ex-nihilo trick. No god needed. And the old begging-the-question trick. Enlightened? Not yet. But keep trying.
