In response from 6days statement:
Keep in mind, I only listed a few samples of highly questionable claims in the Old Testament – claims that wouldn’t raise any eyebrow in fantasy stories. As offensive as it is to almost everyone’s morality, the accounts in the Old Testament of killing all but the virgins in battle, and then passing out these innocent young ladies to the conquering soldiers and priests is much more likely to be based on true events than the magician-type hocus-pocus. So far, your “history book” that you want accorded the status of evidence ain’t looking so good.
I asked:… History books are considered as part of the evidence and help to confirm events of the past
If you were presented with a purported history book (not the Bible) that affirmed an entire river was suddenly loaded with hemoglobin, wooden sticks transforming into serpents, serpents and donkeys with the capability of human speech, etc. etc., would you consider that history book as a reliable source of evidence?
That is almost exactly the response I have heard several times regarding the Christian Old Testament when I lived in non-western cultures.Haha... not likely!!
So far, the only corroborating evidence I have seen you come up with is the claim that a New Testament author named a bunch of countries correctly. A multitude of fictional books do that – accurately describe geographic details - just as reliably as what you alluded to. (In a similar vein, I can attest to the truthfulness of “The Bourne Identity” because I have not only personally seen many of the places portrayed in that story, but can attest to the architecture, the local customs, the modes of transportation, the cuisine, and so on – in much more detail than your New Testament does. Evidently "The Bourne Identity" has just got to be true, with that degree of accuracy in the story.)However, if the events were supported by other corroborating evidence and witnesses, I would certainly at least consider it.
Keep in mind, I only listed a few samples of highly questionable claims in the Old Testament – claims that wouldn’t raise any eyebrow in fantasy stories. As offensive as it is to almost everyone’s morality, the accounts in the Old Testament of killing all but the virgins in battle, and then passing out these innocent young ladies to the conquering soldiers and priests is much more likely to be based on true events than the magician-type hocus-pocus. So far, your “history book” that you want accorded the status of evidence ain’t looking so good.