I strongly disagree and think your post is just proof of my post how subjective it is based on our age the time people grew up in. The music and movies people grow up with is usually what they consider the best. Lawrence of Arabia is a far better movie to me than Empire or Raiders.
I would guess 80% of movie watching people would rather watch Raiders than Lawrence of Arabia.
There is a reason why Raiders of the Lost ark still airs multiple times per week and Lawrence of Arabia barely airs at all.
I like LofA, but it's not in the same stratosphere of the greats of the 80s and 90s and later IMHO.
You gotta see LofA on a really big movie screen, most folks have only seen on it on a living room TV and whatever sound comes thru the TV over the years with lots of commercial cuts
You're really stretching the comparison and using the word "stratosphere"
Raiders in '81 won Set Decoration, Sound, Editing,, Visual Effects and a Special Achievement in Sound Editing, all technical marvel awards
Lawrence of Arabia won all the technical achievement awards in 1962, 2 decades before they had the kind of effects used in Raiders PLUS PLUS PLUS it took home Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and of course Best FILM
You're playing a bad hand IMO but you are welcome to have your POV and I bet some if not many would take Raiders over LofA
I absolutely love both movies and it would simply depend on my mood