How Does Fiction Teach? Fake Points Don't Make Points!

Here I continue reading sample passages. This time the section is from The Mirror or the Mask, aka TMOM.  I explain how blocking the "third option" (that the Gospel authors were sincere non-deceivers but nonetheless changed facts) forces us to confront squarely their claims to being scrupulously factual. They would have had to be *really* deep deceivers to exploit their hearers' expectations of literal truthfulness while deliberately changing what happened to "teach" theological truths. Because in reality fiction doesn't provide, by itself, epistemological grounding for believing theological truths.  In the book section I also talk about parables. I didn't read that section here. Jesus does use openly fictional parables to teach. But where does the epistemological force come from in that case? From the authority of the teacher (Jesus), which must be confirmed in some other way (e.g., by his miracles or resurrection). Moreover, Jesus never tries to make anyone think that his parables really happened. He uses a definite tag, such as, "A certain man had two sons," much like "once upon a time," and it's clear from the surrounding context that his disciples and the people understood that he was telling fictional stories. So the parables of Jesus are not a counterexample to "fake points don't make points."  Consider picking up a copy of TMOM today!  https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Mask-Liberating-Gospels-Literary-ebook/dp/B0896W473Q/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1600272214&sr=8-1

Originally uploaded to YouTube Aug 29 2021