Hallucination?

I intentionally left out a theory that seeks to discredit the resurrection of Jesus from yesterday's sermon.  I did so because it's so pathetic that I just can't seem to get my head around it.  If some of you have good explanations for it, please let me know.

This idea?  It is the Hallucination Theory.

Essentially, the theory goes something like this:  the apostles and others saw Jesus in their minds as some sort of mass hallucination.  Here is my major issue with this line of thinking.  Multiple times in the NT, we see the resurrected Christ appear to various people.  A quick survey...

Women in the Garden (Mark 16, Luke 24, Matthew 28).

Two followers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24).

A gathering of disciples behind locked doors (Luke 24, John 20).

Another gathering, this time with Thomas (John 20).

An appearance to seven disciples on the seashore (John 21).

The eleven in Galilee on the mountain (Matt. 28).

At least 500 at one time (1 Cor. 15).

At the Ascension (Acts 1).


So, just to be clear:  all of these people in all of these settings with all of these different circumstances are coming up with one cogent, coherent mass delusion?  Now you might see why I didn't bother giving it any press in the sermon.

But that's just me thinking thoughts...