Note 1 — Chapter VIII · CONSERVATIVE POSITIONS

With the customary bad faith of the orthodox apologist, Dr. Thorburn represents as a sudden change of thesis the proposition that “the Christian narrative is merely an ethical adaptation of the Greek story,” because that proposition follows on the remark that the Christian myth “might fairly be regarded” [as it actually has been] “as a later sophistication” of the Buddhist myth. On this “might” there had actually followed, in the text quoted, the statement: “There are fairly decisive reasons, however, for concluding that the Christian story was evolved on another line.” This sentence Dr. Thorburn conceals from his readers. There had been no change of thesis whatever. ↑