One of my favored arguments against the historicity of the miracle accounts in the gospels is drawn directly from my own experiences in middle school.
I went to some lengths to convince other children at school that I was an alien. I was smarter than the vast majority of students at my school, and was able to blind them with science so that a fair number actually came to believe my claims. Not only did I manage to convince a number of students myself, many went on to convince other students, making up feats I had not and could not perform as “evidence.”
I can’t say for sure that all the students who claimed to believe that I was an alien actually did, but a number staked a considerable amount of social status on their belief in my claims, so I’m fairly confident they were not all faking it.
Anyway, it was that experience that taught me about people’s propensity to simply make up evidence to convince others of their beliefs.
My favorite part of this anecdote is that it still gets the point across even if I am lying, and made the whole thing up myself.
Operating under the assumption that this actually happened: What was the backstory behind your alien-ness (e.g. where did you claim to be from?) What were the reactions of the parents of your peers, and your teachers?
I claimed to be from the planet Myridia (spelling ambiguous, I never wrote it down.) I believe I said it was something like seven light years away (if not seven, then some single digit number,) and that it was part of a relocation project due to overpopulation.
I don’t remember if I ever talked to my parents or teachers about it, but they knew me well enough to figure that it was something I’d do for entertainment, rather than a delusion or cry for help.
A majority of my peers didn’t pay much attention, and probably figured it was just a story I came up with, but a considerable number took it quite seriously, and while I can’t say they weren’t gullible in light of what they actually fell for, some of them were considerably smarter than the average student. I tailored my lies to hold together on a much higher level than most students were likely to address them at, and think it flattered their intelligence to think that they had investigated the claims further than others, and reasoned their way to a conclusion contrary to what the majority believed.
there was not much at stake (on the contrary, increased social status for them; kinda cool to be associated with you)
the whole gig was short-lived (I hope they still don’t believe you are an alien)
Now, compare that with the Hebrew apostles, and consider that, even today, to become a “completed Jew” can cut you off from your entire family. Imagine what it would be like in those days.
One of my favored arguments against the historicity of the miracle accounts in the gospels is drawn directly from my own experiences in middle school.
I went to some lengths to convince other children at school that I was an alien. I was smarter than the vast majority of students at my school, and was able to blind them with science so that a fair number actually came to believe my claims. Not only did I manage to convince a number of students myself, many went on to convince other students, making up feats I had not and could not perform as “evidence.”
I can’t say for sure that all the students who claimed to believe that I was an alien actually did, but a number staked a considerable amount of social status on their belief in my claims, so I’m fairly confident they were not all faking it.
Anyway, it was that experience that taught me about people’s propensity to simply make up evidence to convince others of their beliefs.
My favorite part of this anecdote is that it still gets the point across even if I am lying, and made the whole thing up myself.
Operating under the assumption that this actually happened: What was the backstory behind your alien-ness (e.g. where did you claim to be from?) What were the reactions of the parents of your peers, and your teachers?
I claimed to be from the planet Myridia (spelling ambiguous, I never wrote it down.) I believe I said it was something like seven light years away (if not seven, then some single digit number,) and that it was part of a relocation project due to overpopulation.
I don’t remember if I ever talked to my parents or teachers about it, but they knew me well enough to figure that it was something I’d do for entertainment, rather than a delusion or cry for help.
A majority of my peers didn’t pay much attention, and probably figured it was just a story I came up with, but a considerable number took it quite seriously, and while I can’t say they weren’t gullible in light of what they actually fell for, some of them were considerably smarter than the average student. I tailored my lies to hold together on a much higher level than most students were likely to address them at, and think it flattered their intelligence to think that they had investigated the claims further than others, and reasoned their way to a conclusion contrary to what the majority believed.
Some of the students were just idiots though.
I can see a few problems with your example:
you were all kids (kids are more credulous)
there was not much at stake (on the contrary, increased social status for them; kinda cool to be associated with you)
the whole gig was short-lived (I hope they still don’t believe you are an alien)
Now, compare that with the Hebrew apostles, and consider that, even today, to become a “completed Jew” can cut you off from your entire family. Imagine what it would be like in those days.