President Obama has decided not to release photos of Mr. Bin Laden’s body. This was another heated call for our nation’s executives and I won’t comment on it here, but it got me thinking about conspiracy theories and our recent obsession with empirical, visual, tangible evidence as the basis for knowledge (I use ‘recent’ in the larger context of our existence). Conspiracy theories are almost guaranteed to surface over the next couple of days. I’ve actually heard one already, when someone claimed that Mr. Bin Laden died of kidney failure several years ago and that the U.S’ announcement is purely political.” Some 9/11 conspiracy theories are popping up again too. This reminded me of the conspiracy theories surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A radio analyst on npr observed that conspiracy theories materialize when there are tough questions. How did the SEAL really do it? Why did it take ten years? How did Pakistan not know? How do we know for sure that he is dead? The questions can seem endless. When our norms are shaken, questions are inevitable. This was most strikingly the case when a man named Jesus was missing from the grave more than 2000 years ago. Simply put, dead people are not supposed to come back to life. So when he did, conspiracy theories emerged.
I refer to an excerpt from Gracepoint Church’s Course 101: Christian Foundations booklet, which includes material from Basic Christianity by John Stott:
The resurrection narratives in the four Gospels begin with the visit of certain women early on Easter Sunday morning to the tomb. On arrival they were dumbfounded to discover that the body of the Lord had disappeared.
Not many days later the apostles began to preach that Jesus had risen. It was the main thrust of their message. But they could hardly have expected men to believe them if a few minutes’ walk could have taken them to Joseph’s tomb where the body of Jesus still lay! No. The tomb was empty. The body had gone. There can be no doubt about this fact. The question is how to explain it.
First, there is the theory that the women went to the wrong tomb. It was still dark, and they were dazed with sorrow. They could easily, it is claimed, have made a mistake.
The second explanation of the empty tomb is the swoon theory. Those who maintain this view would have us believe that Jesus did not die on the cross, but only fainted. He then revived in the tomb, left it and subsequently made himself known to the disciples.
Third, there is the idea that thieves stole the body.
Fourth, it has been argued that the disciples removed the body.
Fifth, the Roman or Jewish authorities took it into their own custody.
These theories have been largely rejected time and time again by many scholars, theologians and thinkers in general throughout the course of history. If you need verification of Jesus’ resurrection through personal observation, I cannot offer that here nor anywhere else. However, if you want some explanations, I’d be glad to point you to some further reading.
John 20:27-29 – Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
