What's the difference between the Apostle's claims and the claims of others who started religious movements? So I recently watched a documentary about a new age movement and felt a bit rattled by what I perceived to be some examples of peoples behaving in a way that undermines the common arguments for trusting the gospel accounts.
The video was about a new age movement called Breatharianism which basically claims that humans don't need to eat food but can instead subsist on the divine energy within them. While the gurus of this movement certainly did benefit financially and otherwise by promulgating their message which they had to have known was a lie, they also seemed to me at certain points to risk their lives for it.  At multiple points, there was evidence that the gurus who claimed to have gone years without eating actually did eat regularly.  So they knew what they were saying was a lie.  Yet, they several times volunteered to undertake tests to prove this thing they knew was a lie.  Even after knowing that some of their followers had died genuinely trying to follow the no eating rule.
For instance, the most prominent woman volunteered to be monitored by 60 minutes to ensure she didn't eat for an entire week.  The experient was ended by 60 minutes and not by her when the doctor who was monitoring her told her she was in imminent danger of dying.  Certainly, it worked out in her favor, she got more publicity for nothing, but it seems as though she was determined to do this thing that she knew very well could have killed her despite the fact she had to know what she believed was a lie.
Lots of people say, it's not plausible that the Apostles knowingly lied about seeing Jesus resurrected because of the persecution and eventual death they suffered because of it.  It doesn't seem rational to die for a lie.  And yet these breatharian people seem to be willing to do so.  So what's the difference here?
I found the subtitle over at Snopes.com to be interesting:

Claims about &quot;breatharians,&quot; people purportedly living on light alone, do not offer proof that they survive this way.

Now, let's compare that to one of my favorite verses from the Old Testament (emphasis mine):

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10)

People are willing to die for many reasons. Some good, some bad. One hopes that in most cases, they are willing to give their lives for something noble, useful, and true.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

What are the Breatharians dying for? I honestly don't know. The only benefit I can see to the practice of Breatharianism is saving a few dollars on food. Theoretically (I assume), if the practice were at all correct, subsistence on the energy of the universe wouldn't cause you to loose weight (at least not below a healthy weight, right?). In short, there's no purpose or value to the belief and no proof that it's valid.
Christianity, on the other hand, offers a way to prove its worth. And if that Old Testament verse wasn't good enough, let me leave you with something from the New Testament.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21)

So, care to know more about Paul the Apostle's faith, belief, and the Savior he served and eventually died for? You can prove all things by sitting down with us and asking some questions. What you'll discover is the world is full of confused people who will do almost anything to save or earn a dollar — but the faith you're looking for is free.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isa 55:1)

Huh.  Maybe what the Breatharians did was confuse a real life with a metaphor.