The Bible

[wheels5894]

I think this a rather interesting question - not for the conspiracy theory part but from the justification of the Bible.

Many people, and people here are the same, justify the Bible by either referencing it or the Church (though often not which one) when asked about the claim that the Bible is God's word - literally. Now the claim that this is so is crucial to the belief of many people but seems exceptionally odd if one tries to explain it to a non-Christian.

How do people explain this to non-Christians in a way that they might accept? I haven't found a way yet but would appreciate some suggestions.

 

[Simonline]

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[Simonline]

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[Simonline]

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[Simonline]

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[wheels5894]

Is the concept of the revealing of god by observing nature, found in the Catholic Catechism a better way to start to convince and atheist? We seem to have some re-herings in this thread but surely nature and its complexity is the place to start rather than prophecies that fail to work.

 

[EricLBess]

Each and every one of them (approximately 96% of which have already been fulfilled, to the letter, the other 4% still awaiting their time for fulfillment)?!

Simonline.

lawl.

I'm a little amused.


Thanks,
E.L.B.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

Is the concept of the revealing of god by observing nature, found in the Catholic Catechism a better way to start to convince and atheist? We seem to have some re-herings in this thread but surely nature and its complexity is the place to start rather than prophecies that fail to work.

An atheist will be an atheist until God calls them. No theology or fact producing I could ever do would change your mind or another atheist. The change can only come from God who knows your heart, he knows everything about you and better than you know yourself. I know this to be true because 20 years ago I called myself an atheist.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

Firstly, the Bible has not become the 'Be all' for those (i.e. Evangelical Protestants) who believe in Sola Scriptura. Whilst Evangelical Protestantism recognizes the value and importance of ecclesiastical tradition, unlike Roman Catholicism, she believes that ecclesiastical tradition is also subject to the final authority of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures as the revealed Word of God.

Evangelical Protestantism does not teach that the Judeo-Christian Scriptures are the only authority on all matters of faith and doctrine, only that the Judeo-Christian Scriptures alone (rather than the Judeo-Christian Scriptures and the magisterium of the Church) are (in the absence of the incarnate Messiah) the final authority on all matters of faith and doctrine.

Secondly, who or what 'foretold that such events were going to happen because God wills it' and on what authority did they foretell these things?!

If you are referring to the great and wonderous sign of Rev.12:1 (the woman being interpreted by the Roman Catholic Church as Mary, the mother of the Messiah) then where, in 1917, was the accompanying sign in the heavens of the red dragon and the fulfilment of the rest of the prophesy that is Rev.12?

Simonline.

It is the Catholic Church that chose the books that all Christians today call the New Testament. They chose these books for the Liturgy from more than 200 books that were being used in Christianity in the 4th century. This is fact and undeniable fact as any well educated scholar will atest. So if you wish to understand what the New Testament teaches then you would be wise to get your teachings from the Church that compiled the New Testament in the first place.

 

[wheels5894]

An atheist will be an atheist until God calls them. No theology or fact producing I could ever do would change your mind or another atheist. The change can only come from God who knows your heart, he knows everything about you and better than you know yourself. I know this to be true because 20 years ago I called myself an atheist.

So are you saying the evangelism, attempting to spread the Word to atheists and others who do not accept it is a waste of time and that we just have to wait for God to get to them? I feel sure we ought to be able to have some effect on the non-believers.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

So are you saying the evangelism, attempting to spread the Word to atheists and others who do not accept it is a waste of time and that we just have to wait for God to get to them? I feel sure we ought to be able to have some effect on the non-believers.

As Christians we are called to evangalize the Word. But not everyone has ears to hear or sight to see. It was the same when Jesus preached, some heard and saw what he said and others did not see or hear His message even though they could hear and see.