Chakka, your one note samba has always been that the Gospel writers are unknown… however, I can (as you certainly can) select any number of websites that agree with me regarding historical attestation, while you can select any number that agree with you, no?
The only difference that I can see is that yours will always disregard scholars that maintain centuries of investigation in to all that goes into the science of paleography if those scholars and their interpretations refer to anything spiritual. They are quick to quote Flavius Josephus, for example, if their citations concerns only secular events. This includes a plethora of such scholars. To me that seems patently unfair and borders on dishonesty.
I, on the other hand, maintain that the superb, calculated and careful investigations of such scientists into such subjects as we are discussing here are to be considered in the same light. On that basis, the fare very well indeed.
So, having said that, what does it really matter if two decades separated the events from their memorialization? If you maintain that such a short amount of time corrupts the writings then what are you to say in support of other historical writings (of secular events and characters) when they are separated from the events by 1,000 years or more?
I've beaten the dead horse of Vercingoeterix and Hannibal enough, but scores, if not hundreds of other examples exist of probable historical characters we all accept as true when no contemporaneous writings exist for them. Would you not agree?
So, if only bias separates us from one another in such disagreement, then your suggestion of wishing each other Merry Christmas (or here in the colonies, firstly Happy Thanksgiving) is well taken… and I sincerely return the greeting.
Naomi, please enter Dr. Jose' O'Callaghan Martinez in your Google or other search function and you'll locate more information on the Dead Sea Scrolls possibly containing Mark fragments (as well as other references to New Testament writers) to keep you busy 'til spring. These are, of course, both pro and con. Dr. O'Callaghan (as he is generally known) died in 2004, I believe, but investigation into his studies continues...
Grasscarp forgive my oversight in not thanking you for your support… it's greatly appreciated… especially in this Forum. How's things, aviation wise?
We're still trying to keep the brown side down and blue side up here with the installation of the newer Collins Pro-line auto-flight system. I'm getting too old for this flying airplanes by pushing buttons on a key board...