Thoughts on the Resurrection

Easter is next week. It seems like this time of year the History Channel and various other outlets make some announcement meant to diminish the Christian aspect of this holiday. Take for example last year when the "Tomb of Jesus" special appeared which was supposed to be proof that Jesus did not leave behind an empty tomb, but rather that he died and was buried and stayed that way like everyone else. These shows don't bug me, I expect them every year and there are always flaws in their arguments. What bothers me, is when the scholars on these shows make claims that Jesus didn't die and that they are still Christians in spite of that fact. What?! I'm not a philosopher but the logic behind those claims is what loses me. If Jesus didn't die then how did a new religion rise up based on his death with 30 years of his death? If Jesus didn't die then why do we have documented evidence of people that were willing to die for a belief in his death and resurrection? Couldn't somebody have told those people that the guy they were dying for was living in Jerusalem and having kids with Mary Magdalene? Obviously this is not hard, scientific evidence. I'm just saying from a logical point of view a religion should not have come about based on his death and resurrection. I don't see any reason that his followers would have made that up. There is no reason to assume that someone's death and resurrection somehow brought about the forgiveness of your sins, unless this actually happened and the resurrected Jesus appeared to them and explained it.

Paul, one of these first century Christians wrote,

"Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."
-- 1 Corinthians 15: 12 - 19

I think he realized how foolish it would have been to worship someone who had not died and rose again.