Why Christianity?

[Utah Knight]

I would like to know how do you know that Christianity is true? What makes you think the world was flooded, the universe was created in 6 days, the world is less than 10,000 years old, a donkey spoke to it's master, that a God destroyed an entire city, that people rose from the dead, that water turned to wine, that an all powerful, all knowing, all loving deity exists, and many more amazing claims made by the bible that seem to conflict with how we know the world to operate. What evidence is there beyond emotional feelings can give reason to believe these things?

i will try to answer some of your questions

I know Christianity is true because all things in this world cannot have come to pass by mere chance.

I feel that the world was created in 6 days but not as we see days who knows how long days were to God because time as we know it is different than as God knows it a life to us is as a blink to God

I know the world was flooded because many cultures around the world know of a great flood around the same time frame

The world is in utter chaos due to the fact that Satan is ruleing it and he has great fury because he knows he has but a short time as it says in the bible

 

[Zor]

Up to this point, none of this is essential to Christianity.

Now we have essentials.

All these things are in the bible, essential or not. So, those things aren't part of Christianity? Or are they just tossed aside because they seem unimportant?

I think there is more than emotional feeling involved although the experience of the holy always includes emotion. The evidence is primarily personal experience. That is why Christianity is spread through witnessing and testimony, and above all, the testimony of lives lived in accordance with Christ's command to love. Evidence of a scientific sort cannot be used to establish the truth of faith.

I expect that what people find most convincing in Christianity (or any faith) is that it provides a meaning and purpose to life and sustains them in hope and courage to endure the inevitable sufferings and sorrows of existence.

You think that the evidence is primarily emotional. I guess I'll accept that. I'm here to understand how Christians justify christianity, so I guess I'll take anything you have to say.

 

[Zor]

@ebia

How do you know that's okay to refute only parts of the bible? All the things I mentioned are in the bible, and I am confused to see that you think that it's okay to think that the bible is wrong and still be a Christian. Could you clairify a bit please?

What is the strong evidence that Jesus rose from the dead?

Because I know him.

How do you know him? How can I know him?

 

[Zor]

I know Christianity is true because all things in this world cannot have come to pass by mere chance.

How do you know that it couldn't have come to pass by chance? How do you know the chances of the world existing?

I feel that the world was created in 6 days but not as we see days who knows how long days were to God because time as we know it is different than as God knows it a life to us is as a blink to God

How do you know that this is true? Many Creationists take the bible for what it says. If you can't take the bible for what it says then how do you know that the rest of it is true?

 

[aiki]

This thread makes me think of something my wife said to me last night. She thought many atheists (and maybe some agnostics, too) come to these kinds of forums expecting to challenge people who, for the most part, do not give well-reasoned answers to the questions they pose, or who have neither the time nor interest in answering the dozens and dozens of little objections they have to the Christian faith. These anti-Christian folk then go away feeling confirmed in their belief that Christians really have no leg to stand on logically, scientifically, philosophically, etc. Unfortunately, they haven't had any exposure to the best reasoning, the best defenses of the Christian faith that can be had, which is exactly as they want it. They don't desire a real challenge; they don't hope to encounter an argument for which they have no good counter; they just want to reassure themselves with the illusion that Christianity (and by extension all faiths) are the domain of the emotional and weak-minded. Genuine seekers of the truth about Christianity won't come here for the best answers to their questions; they'll go to the sources I mentioned earlier in this thread, for that is where the best answers may be most readily obtained and most fully expressed.

Peace to you.

(Please forgive me for going slightly off-topic here.)

 

[calidog]

A lot of good info avalailable:

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/8449/apologists.html

for starters

 

[calidog]

That's why I don't get too involved in christian appologetics (although they are quite facinating to the believer).
Appologetics explain spiritual truths in worldy launguage. Spiritual truths are from God.

 

[bennyk]

I know you probably don't want to hear this (because you may consider it unreliable), but Jesus did rise from the dead, and that confirmed the Old Testament and inspired the New Testament.

OVER 500 people saw Jesus after his resurrection.

Matthew ends his Gospel with a very genius strategy. He doesn't list all the people who saw Jesus after his death, he doesn't talk about Thomas touching the wounds in his wrists, he talks about the tomb guards and the authorities who tried to cover it up!

Why would they spend so much time trying to cover something up that didn't happen?

The guards said the disciples stole the body when they were asleep. First logical problem with that: how would they know if they were asleep. Second logical problem with that: it would've taken a heck of a lot of work and noise to move that boulder, and the guards would've awoken. Third logical problem with that: each guard would most likely be working in 2-3 hour shifts, and the penalty for falling asleep on a job like that would probably be death. Do you find it that likely that ALL the guards would've fallen asleep during their simple 2-3 hour shifts (of which the penalty would be death for falling asleep).

And this is not something that happened in a corner, denying the EXISTENCE of Jesus is simply illogical. And I'm sure even athiests/agnostics would agree that Jesus did exist. Now that we know that he did exist and was crucified, why is the tomb empty?

Because he has risen!


I will pray for you and God bless,
--Ben

 

[Ketsagirl]

Aboutbibleprophecy.com is a great site! This just helps confirm my belief that the Bible is the true Word of God.

 

[ebia]

@ebia

How do you know that's okay to refute only parts of the bible? All the things I mentioned are in the bible, and I am confused to see that you think that it's okay to think that the bible is wrong and still be a Christian. Could you clairify a bit please?

The bible isn't wrong. Your mistake is to treat it all as factual post-modernist style history, when much of it is entirely different of literature, such as myth, poem, saga, liturgy,... The obsession with factual accuracy is a modern red-herring.

What is the strong evidence that Jesus rose from the dead?

When other would-be-messiah's were crucified (and there were many) their followers quickly evaported or changed their allegiance elsewhere. Crucifixion is the surest possible sign of failure. But in Jesus case they didn't. It's inconceivable that they would continue to follow him unless they really had experienced what they clamed - to have seen him raised from the dead. Similarly Paul's conversion is inexplicable unless he really did experience something on the Damascus Road.

How do you know him? How can I know him?

The same way you get to know anybody else - by spending time with them and having a conversation with them. Ie. through reading the bible and prayer (public and private).

 

[chilehed]

I would like to know how do you know that Christianity is true?

Because the evidence supports it.

What makes you think the world was flooded,....

There's some abiguity in the story, when you consider ancient literary styles.

the universe was created in 6 days, the world is less than 10,000 years old,...

I don't beleive either of those things. The texts don't demand a 144-hour creation, nor a young earth.

...a donkey spoke to it's master, that a God destroyed an entire city, that people rose from the dead, that water turned to wine,...

To assume that these things are impossible is to assume that there is no God, which cannot be proven by science.

...that an all powerful, all knowing, all loving deity exists,...

It's a rational conclusion from what we can observe. St. Thomas Acquinas discussed it at length.

...and many more amazing claims made by the bible that seem to conflict with how we know the world to operate....

The world doesn't normally operate that way. But if the evidence indicates that miracles happened, then it's irrational to dismiss the evidence on the grounds that "miracles don't happen".

...What evidence is there beyond emotional feelings can give reason to believe these things?

The evidence of history. Read "Evidence that Demands a Verdict", by Josh McDowell.

 

[johnhsittm]

I would like to know how do you know that Christianity is true? What makes you think the world was flooded, the universe was created in 6 days, the world is less than 10,000 years old, a donkey spoke to it's master, that a God destroyed an entire city, that people rose from the dead, that water turned to wine, that an all powerful, all knowing, all loving deity exists, and many more amazing claims made by the bible that seem to conflict with how we know the world to operate. What evidence is there beyond emotional feelings can give reason to believe these things?

The first three I don't believe. I don't take those stories literally. As for the rest, why do I choose to believe in God?

The first reason is very personal and private, so I won't be sharing that. The other, though, is that the idea of a God that loves us gives me hope. It leads me to believe that we are not some freak accident on a chunk of rock orbiting an average star in an insignificant galaxy. If that's all we are, I don't see much point left to life. The idea of what would happen if there is no afterlife has haunted me for years. It scares me to the point of panic. And as for why I chose Christianity specifically, well, that has to do with the first reason.

 

[MrDave]

Dear Friend:

Seems to me you are not asking for evidence but for PROOF of the existence of God and are rejecting the posts that give evidence of the existence of God.

Well, I will PROVE the existence of God when you PROVE the existence to YOU!!!

I can’t see you, I can’t hear you, I can’t touch you, I can’t smell you and I can’t taste you.
So I guess it’s reasonable for me to believe you don’t exist and therefore it would be a total waste of my time to PROVE anything to someone who doesn’t even exist.

It is virtually impossible to PROVE anything. PROVE YESTERDAY happened. You can only offer evidence not proof. That is why in a court trial they do not require PROOF but only offer evidence, then they ask the jury to decide based upon the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.

You are asking Christians and Moslems and others to PROVE their God or belief system. We can not PROVE our God or belief system, we can only point to the evidence and ask you to consider the evidence then choose to believe or not believe.

In fact, my God never tries to PROVE Himself but states the evidence is sufficient for belief. The Bible begins with “In the beginning, GOD”. God says, I’m here, I don’t have to prove it. Then God explains what happened “In the beginning”. Whether I believe it or not does not change a thing as far as God is concerned. Lack of belief but some of his creation does not disprove God no more then that some believe proves God.

Jesus himself addressed your question for PROOF:
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders (ie PROOF), ye will not {believe}. Then Jesus proceeded to NOT GIVE PROOF. Satan’s temptation were all requests for Jesus to PROVE himself, Jesus did not. The religious leaders said while Jesus hung on the cross, COME DOWN AND PROVE YOURSELF. Jesus did not.

Why? Because even if Jesus did give proof the scoffers would not believe. You see, you don’t believe even though there are many eye witnesses of Jesus being alive after being dead.

My God said I was to testify of Him, not PROVE him. So I won’t even try.

Your free to believe whatever you wish, but you will die someday and you will face the consequences of which ever belief system was the right one. If atheist are right, then you and I end up exactly the same, if Islam is right then your and I end up exactly the same. If Hindu is right, then you and I end up exactly the same. BUT if Christianity is right, then you will suffer the consequences for those who did not believe and I will enjoy what the God says he has for those who believe.

The ball is in your court. You get to choose ONE BELIEF system and only ONE. Choose wisely.

DECISION DETERMINES DESTINY

 

[gluadys]

All these things are in the bible, essential or not. So, those things aren't part of Christianity? Or are they just tossed aside because they seem unimportant?

Christians have long held that some things in the bible are more important than others. It is not important, for example, that we understand the details of the laws pertaining to burnt offerings found in Leviticus. What is important is that we understand the witness of Leviticus to the holiness of God.

We do not express our awe of God through burnt offerings any more, but the fundamental concept of holiness is still important.

Most Christians recognize that much of biblical teaching is presented in a story-telling form. The details of the story need not be literalized as if the story was recounting an actual event. So in that respect the particulars you named are not important.

But it is still important not to discard the stories because they do point to some profound and important ways to understand God, ourselves and how we relate to God and the rest of God's creation.

I don't think it is important to suppose God actually took a literal rib from a man and made a woman from it. But is the picture not a marvellous way of presenting the unity and equality of men and women in marriage? Isn't that important?

You think that the evidence is primarily emotional. I guess I'll accept that. I'm here to understand how Christians justify christianity, so I guess I'll take anything you have to say.

I would say experiential and existential rather than emotional. Personal experience counts for a lot. But it is more than just emotion.

If you can't take the bible for what it says then how do you know that the rest of it is true?

This is the literalist fallacy. The unstated term in your question is "literally" as in "If you can't take the bible for what it says literally....."

Literalism presumes that all truth must be a physical fact. But that's nonsense. Does the truth of a poem or a painting or a symphony have to be a physical fact?

The truth of the bible is often more like the truth of a great work of art than like the factual truth of a scientific experiment.