Evidence other than hearsay

Gumph said:

In my research into Christianity, I have been presented by much evidence that has been acceptable to the persons providing it to me.

I was wondering if there is anything I could look into that does not rely on me having to believe in or trust the words of someone else. Is there perhaps something that I could experience personally or any other suggestions?

Click to expand...

Well, being that you're looking at something from 2000 years ago you're not likely to find the answer to your question.

But experiencing things personally is difficult but not impossible.

Gumph said:

In my research into Christianity, I have been presented by much evidence that has been acceptable to the persons providing it to me.

I was wondering if there is anything I could look into that does not rely on me having to believe in or trust the words of someone else. Is there perhaps something that I could experience personally or any other suggestions?

Click to expand...

Sure, study Gods Word for yourself. Study topically at first so you get a broad overview of things on your mind. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you through His Word. Go here and run some word and/or phrase searches. www.biblehub.com

Also, use the concordance provided there as well.

The Lord will give you light over time.

God Bless.

You are on the right track when you say "Is there something I can experience personally". This is how we experience all minds. Other minds are not seen but perceived, whether that be God, or our friends and family. If your heart is prepared to hear an answer then call out to God to make Himself known. If not, pray that your heart would be made ready to receive Him.

Gumph said:

I am unable to study Gods Word without having to rely on others telling the truth. There is too much intentional lying and unintentional errors in every other aspect of our lives for me to accept second hand information without being able to personally verify it.

Click to expand...

Well, like I said ... rely on the Holy Bible, it is the truth, you and God ... that is the only way you will be able to "personally verify" it.

God Bless.

Gumph said:

In my research into Christianity, I have been presented by much evidence that has been acceptable to the persons providing it to me.

I was wondering if there is anything I could look into that does not rely on me having to believe in or trust the words of someone else. Is there perhaps something that I could experience personally or any other suggestions?

Click to expand...

The Scriptures are evidence. Hearsay is when someone other than the eyewitness speaks of a matter without actually themselves witnessing or experiencing.

The various NT writers lived and experienced the actual events. That’s evidence.

I think you are looking for subjective proof. Meaning personal experience.

We can experience things from God!, but you just can't say God i don't believe you at all, but i want to experience something from you just like that,
you must seek from him and start believing a bit before you experience something from Him, a lot of christians experimented the Holy Spirit and the presence of God, enough proof for them of God to last a life time, you can feel him, you can 'detect' or discern him,
but you must take some steps first, you need to tell Jesus that you want to know him, and that he saves you, and you need to be willing to accept Him as your saviour and lord. And accept the gospel.
The gift of God is free to whoever believes and calls to Jesus.

The bible talks of 'heavenly gifts' and 'spritual blessings' spiritual good things that christians can experience.

Some people found him when they were not even looking, like some got invited to church, and the Holy spirit came to them and just convinced them that their lives needed to change. But some other times we need to search first!

Gumph said:

I was wondering if there is anything I could look into that does not rely on me having to believe in or trust the words of someone else. Is there perhaps something that I could experience personally or any other suggestions?

Click to expand...

I have a couple of links that might help you:

Biblical Archaeology Society

Is the Bible True?

Gumph said:

In my research into Christianity, I have been presented by much evidence that has been acceptable to the persons providing it to me.

I was wondering if there is anything I could look into that does not rely on me having to believe in or trust the words of someone else. Is there perhaps something that I could experience personally or any other suggestions?

Click to expand...

Some other resources to explore:

For those interested:

JEDP
Answering the Documentary Hypothesis | CARM.org

Manuscript evidence for superior New Testament reliability | CARM.org

Manuscript Evidence for the Bible (by Ron Rhodes)

The Institute for Creation Research

http://www.equip.org/article/facts-for-skeptics-of-the-new-testament/

Manuscript Evidence by David Hocking

Is the New Testament Text Reliable? | Stand to Reason

The Textual Reliability of the New Testament | John Ankerberg Show

http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/webfm_send/410

4. The Manuscripts Tell The Story: The New Testament Is Reliable

A Closer Look: The Historical Reliability of the New Testament

Biblical manuscript - Wikipedia

The Earliest New Testament Manuscripts

Bible Menu

New Testament Manuscripts Copyright by Norman L. Geisler ppt download

The bearing of recent discovery on the trustworthiness of the New Testament : Ramsay, William Mitchell, Sir, 1851-1939 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

A Brief Sample of Archaeology Corroborating the Claims of the New Testament | Cold Case Christianity

New Testament Documents – Date and Authorship

https://www.bible-history.com/new-testament/timeline.html

Mark fragment Qumran: 7Q5: The Earliest NT Papyrus?

Matthew dating: Arguments for a pre-70 CE Dating of Matthew's Gospel

Early Gospels: The case for the early dating of the Gospels

NT documents: New Testament Documents – Date and Authorship

When Was the New Testament Completed?

Archeological Evidence - Evidences of the Bible

https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/ramsay/ramsay_gasque.pdf

Josephus and the Old Testament | Scriptures of the Jewish Bible - the Law, the Prophets and the Writings

Flavius Josephus, Against Apion, BOOK I, Whiston section 8 --Josephus

Book of Daniel scholarship: An Introduction to the Book of Daniel

Biblical timelines: Time Line Survey of Bible Events

Daniel DSS: New Light on the Book of Daniel from the Dead Sea Scrolls

Jewish Talmud and Death of Jesus: The Jewish Talmud and the Death of Christ

Evidence external of historical Jesus Christ: Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources

Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources

Testimony of the Evangelists - Wikipedia

4. Jesus Feeds 5,000 People (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15)

The Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses: We Can Trust the Factuality of the Gospel, by Bob and Gretchen Passantino

The testimony of the evangelists examined by the rules of evidence administered in courts of justice : Greenleaf, Simon, 1783-1853 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls - Daniel 9 Daniel 9fragments.

Gumph said:

In my research into Christianity, I have been presented by much evidence that has been acceptable to the persons providing it to me.

I was wondering if there is anything I could look into that does not rely on me having to believe in or trust the words of someone else. Is there perhaps something that I could experience personally or any other suggestions?

Click to expand...

So what would you do if you were on a jury?

RDKirk said:

So what would you do if you were on a jury?

Click to expand...

Very good point. When a police Officer or DA attorney takes a deposition from a witness that deposition is not hearsay when presented to the court. It is entered in as eyewitness testimony. Very much like Luke set out his Gospel account:

Luke 1: NASB

1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

Gumph said:

In my research into Christianity, I have been presented by much evidence that has been acceptable to the persons providing it to me.

I was wondering if there is anything I could look into that does not rely on me having to believe in or trust the words of someone else. Is there perhaps something that I could experience personally or any other suggestions?

Click to expand...

You want to swap out books for your own anecdotal evidence?

Not that I have a problem with anecdotal evidence, but that's what you'd be doing. The catch with answering your question that for it to be of value to you, you'd have to believe it.

Gumph said:

I am unable to study Gods Word without having to rely on others telling the truth. There is too much intentional lying and unintentional errors in every other aspect of our lives for me to accept second hand information without being able to personally verify it.

Click to expand...

There is nothing stopping you from studing the scriptures.
All you need to do is become fluent in aramaic, biblical hebrew, ancient greek and another dozen languages and you can study the bible using the manuscrips held in various universities etc.

Or you can accept what even erhman says that the bible is 99% what Jesus and the early church had.

The standard of evidence is whether something is reasonable.
So when historians discover that Luke is always accurate when reporting political, geographic and other facts it is reasonable to assume that he is equally accurate in reporting what appears to be unbelievable.