It is optimistic in the extreme to expect an unconvincing creation myth, which has clearly been shown to be false by our observations of the world around us, to convince atheists to rethink their views.
Psalm 14:1 "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works"
I can confirm you are indeed a fool (as has said the scripture), and why can i confirm that? Because you said "creation is shown to be false by our observations around us"
and yet that is the very thing that declares God to be real, as says the scripture... Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork."
The gospel of Matthew is not 'the word of Jesus'. It is the words of a scholar writing about a century later. Your confidence that the stories handed down to this author over generations, and his subsequent rewriting and embellishment of them, would retain the words that Jesus spoke, or even an accurate copy of their meaning, seems hugely misplaced.
If this were true then no place could be found for witnesses in a court case, contrary to your reasoning. And nonetheless Jesus himself confirms the Gospel writings in his words to the apostles as follows... "John 14:26 "But the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE, WHATSOEVER I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU."
As for your blanket dismissal of the views of scientists, do you listen to your doctor when you're ill? Do you get on planes? Do you use the internet?
Most doctors have a basic understanding of anatomy and physiology, and a basic understanding of the things that make one sick, the very same things i had to learn to become a qualified naturopath. The difference is that Doctors are trained to prescribe manufactured drugs that only suppress the problem and cause undesirable numerous grievous side-affects, whereas a Naturopath like myself prescribes 'natural' God given remedies that have been shown many times to heal and without the side-affects. What's your point???
Just...one...little...shred...of...convincing...evidence. That's all I ask for. It's very little to ask really, but it isn't forthcoming.
Free will, language, building skills, technical expertise, imagination, emotions and the ability to procreate and do good or evil. As God said Genesis 1:26 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
A human being is a marvel of creation, surely you must recognize that?
You could convince me that your God existed long before you could convince me that he has created a Hell for us. But you could not convince me of the former, so the latter is way beyond you.
Hell was prepared not for us. Jesus speaking > Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL and HIS ANGELS"
Got did not make hell for humans; Adam and Eve brought hell on us when they disobeyed God, because God gave them the choice and said "Do not eat from that tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day ye eat of it ye shall surely die".
Humans disobeyed, God didn't disobey. It's our fault, but now having the knowledge of good and evil, Jesus came to save us and bring God's grace to help us 'choose' to do good and not evil.
There are different degrees of punishment depending on your crimes and degree of your immoral life. Without Christ you stand no chance and 'will' be going there, but God sent Jesus to save you from that place, to avoid putting you there, understand?
But because God's wrath abides on everyone by default (because we have all broken God's perfect laws thousands of times) then Jesus came to save us, that's why he is called in the Bible "The propitiation for our sins (The appeasement of divine wrath by sacrifice) Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission of sin". Thus why Jesus said John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
And thus: John 8:24 "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."
So if you reject him by YOUR OWN CHOOSING, then the following verse applies to you... 2 Thessalonians 1:9 "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction away from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power"
God knows you better than you know yourself, don't be proud and defiant and intellectual, you will perish. We all need to accept that God is the supreme being and His ways have to be respected. Come to your senses. The way to do that is believe what Jesus did for you, but one thing you need... Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
I've told you now what you need to know. The Bible is the incarnate word of God, you can believe it because it is not the word of man. Your choice now, nothing more i can do for you. Don't take our Western freedom and prosperity for granted, be thankful and repent and give God His rightful place and glory. He does love us, but He abhors us when we do evil. Only in Christ can God's wrath be removed from you... 1 Thessalonians 1:10 "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead,
even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come."
God's wrath is coming to this earth, it will happen, many Christians have been shown the vision of that day, and men have heart attacks and drop dead in that day purely from fear of what they see, but Jesus has done the required work, he satisfied the death sentence, so all you have to do now is believe in what he did for you and that God has raised him from the dead, then repent and live a life showing decency and honesty and integrity and good works not dead evil works. Born again by Gods Spirit. John 1:13 "who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
If you say that Jesus is not the Messiah, or that there is no Messiah, then the scripture says you have the spirit of anti-Messiah, and you will perish.
Make the right decision, for the Lord's sake and your own sake. God is offering you salvation...