Art Bell

[UnscreenedCaller]

Yikes... Dalai Lama not bias... he's got you snowed

I'm not a Buddhist, WC, so I'm really not snowed. My point was only that he was a man of faith, but would have no vested interest in maintaining any mythology surrounding Jesus.

[NowhereInTime]

I would send Jorch back. The minute he opened his mouth they would let Jesus go and crucify him instead.

Both past and present would be saved.

GNS.

[morgana213]

Michio would just come home and say he met a type 3 guy.

Art

Haha!  True.  And maybe Jesus really was/is a Type 3 guy....

[Bonanza Pilot]

Art, your question and follow up comments remind me of something Matthew Mcconaughey's character in Contact would say. 

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

Science and faith aren't mutually exclusive -- A Christian scientist could be a consideration.  I'd like to go personally, but if I had to choose someone, I think an old school journalist would be a good choice.  I initially thought biblical scholar because they can be objective, but I think you would need someone who can interact with people and track down leads, presuming language wasn't an issue.

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

I would send Jorch back.

Could it be angelsh?

[coaster]

Here is a Time Travel question, if we were able to put together the silly amount of power it would require to send only one man back to the time of Jesus to observe the events of his life and then return to report the events without bias, who would you send and would you make it a Man of Science or a man of Faith?

Art

A Man of Science would be tempted to explain the impossible with some kind of technical wording before ever admitting the impossible, right?

Art

Seems to me a Man of Faith could never come home and report something that would destroy it.

Art

So they are both being biased. I'd send an intellectual who is open minded to both science and faith, and honest enough to tell the truth about what they saw.

[ManiacMatt]

Whomever you send, give them some good camera equipment for documentation.  They might get stoned for witchcraft though.

[SaucyRossy]

What a great question. What about a man of science with faith?

But sticking to your question, I'd send a man with faith because if what he saw was completely wrong in every way it would shake him to his core and you'd have a broken man returning who couldn't convincingly lie to you.

[WhiteCrow]

correct answer is... I'd go   ...need to see for myself. I'm a Catholic so man of faith. Have knowledge and common sense and  understand that Jesus movement was started after his death. It was period in time, where a savior was expected. It was the in-thing and there was lots of 'saviors' that didn't make the grade. It's OK with me if Jesus turned out to be a mortal man, so much benefit in world from him and his handlers, that outweigh the bad.
People have the need for a God figure, Jesus he's the best yet...
Jesus teacher of morals, without a Jesus type, we're a Lord of Flies society

So I'd report back that I met with Jesus and he is the real deal. And that's the TRUTH so help me God. 

[RealCool Daddio]

Here is a Time Travel question, if we were able to put together the silly amount of power it would require to send only one man back to the time of Jesus to observe the events of his life and then return to report the events without bias, who would you send and would you make it a Man of Science or a man of Faith?

Art

We would need to send a Fair Witness, to grok in fullness.

[WhiteCrow]

So they are both being biased. I'd send an intellectual who is open minded to both science and faith, and honest enough to tell the truth about what they saw.

An Intellectual, would figure out a way to spin for their advantage... it's question of faith and faith is a personal thing...believe this spin or that spin. Which spin one believes is their faith.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

A Man of Science would be tempted to explain the impossible with some kind of technical wording before ever admitting the impossible, right?

Art

And if you sent a Rabbi back? A rabbi is also a Man of Faith.

[coaster]

If we did have a time machine, I'd pick Carl Sagan. “The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.”

[WhiteCrow]

And if you sent a Rabbi back? A rabbi is also a Man of Faith.

Why would I believe a Rabbi more than and any other man of faith... How about sending the Pope? or Jeremiah Wright?

[Eddie Coyle]

    Thomas Dolby better than George Michael.

[nooryisawesome]

Here is a Time Travel question, if we were able to put together the silly amount of power it would require to send only one man back to the time of Jesus to observe the events of his life and then return to report the events without bias, who would you send and would you make it a Man of Science or a man of Faith?

Art

Some scientist believe in God. I would send someone like them.

[Camazotz Automat]

Here is a Time Travel question, if we were able to put together the silly amount of power it would require to send only one man back to the time of Jesus to observe the events of his life and then return to report the events without bias, who would you send and would you make it a Man of Science or a man of Faith?

Art

All these identical time travelers (accidental replication) ... walking around Jerusalem ... trying to conceal their GoPro Tachyon Streaming Cams.

Next thing you know, it's like a Star Trek convention.

But to answer the question, definitely send a scientist, preferably a mycologist, just in case John Allegro was correct.

[BobGrau]

correct answer is... I'd go   ...need to see for myself. I'm a Catholic so man of faith. Have knowledge and common sense and  understand that Jesus movement was started after his death. It was period in time, where a savior was expected. It was the in-thing and there was lots of 'saviors' that didn't make the grade. It's OK with me if Jesus turned out to be a mortal man, so much benefit in world from him and his handlers, that outweigh the bad.
People have the need for a God figure, he's the best yet...Teacher of morals, so don't turn into Lord of Flies.
So I'd report back that I met with Jesus and was the real deal. And that's the TRUTH so help me God.

There's a good point here... even if someone did work out The Secret Of The Universe etc. no one would believe them.  :

[Avi]

And if you sent a Rabbi back? A rabbi is also a Man of Faith.

Yes, but my people know the languages in use at the time, which is deal-breaker for almost everyone else.

[WOTR]

What a great question. What about a man of science with faith?

But sticking to your question, I'd send a man with faith because if what he saw was completely wrong in every way it would shake him to his core and you'd have a broken man returning who couldn't convincingly lie to you.

I was thinking somebody like the Christian scientist that Knapp interviewed awhile back but then figured that people would be skeptical if he returned with "good news".  Somebody like Dawkins would have been unswayed no matter what he saw (I think even if he did find "evidence" that he would report otherwise as he believes that Christianity is responsible for most of the worlds evils and that would not change even if it were based on truth.)  I started thinking a good old agnostic but ruled it out as well.

For my answer (personally), I would like to send a man with faith- but it is selfish.  The world would not accept the report.  On the other hand, the "believers" will not accept the report of somebody who started with no faith.

The problem is that regardless of who you send, it will only deepen the divide that already exists.  Let's say that the report comes back that miracles were performed- it still does nothing to say that he was who he claimed (or, to be fair to those even more skeptical, that he was who the authors of the bible said that he claimed to be.)  Muslims would continue to say that he was just another prophet and tensions would only increase.  Report that no true miracles took place and people will question the motivation behind the report...

[Mind Flayer Monk]

Yes, but my people know the languages in use at the time, which is deal-breaker for almost everyone else.

Seems like a good choice. Other than a Zoroastrian.

[WhiteCrow]

I'm not a Buddhist, WC, so I'm really not snowed. My point was only that he was a man of faith, but would have no vested interest in maintaining any mythology surrounding Jesus.

Didn't think you we're a Buddhist... Belief is spin... some spin lies for their advantage, some are liars and rationalize their spin is for the greater good, some believe their own spin, some believe other's spin.
What we believe has spin at it's foundation. Nothing wrong with that, if it's moral spin. 

[WOTR]

Maybe, I'm one of the few likely to suggest that not sending an observer might be best?  Every person sees and remembers events through a distorted lens.  Are some mysteries better left to the individual?  Can (or should) we trust the report of one man?

[Avi]

Seems like a good choice. Other than a Zoroastrian.

Zoroastrians spoke Persian dialects, not Aramaic. Still, I'm all for sending the most famous Zoroastrian of our day (it's time travel - we can go back and get him):


Queen - Don't Stop Me Now (Official Video)

[Avi]

Maybe, I'm one of the few likely to suggest that not sending an observer might be best?  Every person sees and remembers events through a distorted lens.  Are some mysteries better left to the individual?  Can (or should) we trust the report of one man?

I have complete faith in Farrokh Bulsara.

[Eddie Coyle]

I have complete faith in Farrokh Bulsara.

  A Mercurial talent, indeed.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

As for men of faith, perbaps a Pastafarian.  If he came back still wearing his sacred colander, everyone would know only an act of Jesus could have kept him alive.

[Heather Wade]

I'd send Brent Spiner. 

[nooryisawesome]

Larry Pressler maybe.