Why do you believe in your specific God but no others?

[Umaro]

Fishon, you're right in that I'm almost certain to not change my beliefs. However, I did not come here for that. I came here to learn what others beliefs areand why. I do not think I have been offensive to anyone, and I've tried to ask my questions as straigtforward as possible. If you do not feel my posts are valid, you may kindly ignore them.


I keep seeing posts on these prophisies. I'll admit I have not read a majority of the Bible. So what are these predictions more exactly? I have never really heard much aboutthe specifics. One thing jumps up as strange though. Wasn't the New Testiment written at least a hundred years after the death of Jesus? It's incredibly easy to fulfill prophesy in retrospect.

 

[calidog]

You have not come-off as offensive in any way, and your questions are straightforward.
I understand that the four gospels were written 60-90 years after AD, I could be wrong, and that the whole NT was written within 100 yrs AD, I could be inaccurate there also.
The book of matthew makes the most references to OT fullfillment.
Most bibles have footnotes to help.

 

[tapero]

There have been thousands of Gods throughout history, and more than I care to list currently in the world's view. How then can you just pick one God as true and existing, and deny all others exist entirely? From what I've seen, every God has about the same qualifications. A Holy Text, a faith requirement, a place of worship, and a following. Basically I'm asking what makes your God right? Everyone I've talked to is surprised I'm an athiest, but they are athiest to every single God except for the one. What makes the exception? My theory is that for the majority of people they follow the God their parents followed.
NOTE: I've heard "It's what I believe" for almost every time I've asked this question elsewhere. I already knew that much, so please don't repeat it. I'm asking why you have belief.

Hi Umaro,

I cried out to God. I had never been taught or raised to know God. My mother is agnostic. I cried out and He heard me. I went to a funeral where the gospel was preached shortly after, and then went to that pastor's church where he led me to the Lord. I know I don't know God very well, because He is awesome and we will be getting to know Him forever, but what I do know, I recieved by the bible and through the Holy Spirit and from preachers and checking what they say with the word. I can't tell you how I know it's truth, except that He lives in me, and this I know for sure.

Blessings, tapero

 

[AvgJoe]

Why do you believe in your specific God but no others?

Because only the Bible is repeatedly shown to be true through prophecy (no other religious text contains much prophecy, at all, and none of which comes even close to being 100% accurate), archeology, and numerous other avenues. If the Bible is true, then Christianity is true and the God that the Bible proclaims is the one and only God.

So, what are all these proofs of the Bible?​

When reading the Bible you will find that it is the most amazing book on the planet. The unity of the it is nothing short of a miracle. Throughout all 66 books, the same thoughts, themes and story is expressed.​

Consider the astounding conditions under which the Bible was written...

Forty different authors writing over a period of 1,600 years penned the 66 books of the Bible. Four hundred silent years separated the 39 books of the Old Testament from the 27 of the New Testament. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, they tell one unfolding story.

The Old Testament starts with the beginning of the Universe, and ends in Malachi with the promise of a coming Messiah. The New Testament starts with the birth of the Messiah in Matthew, and ends in Revelation with the destruction of the Universe and the promise of heaven. Every book in the Bible connects to the other books perfectly to tell the story of man’s sin and God’s plan of salvation.

When we look at this book, it shows an amazing unity—as if a single, guiding hand was behind it.

As those forty men wrote the Bible they were on 3 separate continents, yet they all wrote one unified message, the good news about Jesus the Christ. In that day, they had no mail delivery trucks, no drop ship planes, no Federal Express, no UPS and no e-mail. So how could it be that over such a great span of time, with the authors writing from 3 different continents that they all managed to write one coherent, unified message? Because as the men wrote, God spoke.

The unity of the Bible is an awesome piece of evidence that shows that the Bible is exactly what it says it is, the word of God, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. The Bible's blatant honesty, its historical and geographical accuracy, its prophetic accuracy, its awesome power to change lives and the amazing fact that it is still around are all further evidences that the Bible is the very words of God.

Following are some topics and links to study, concerning the validity of the Bible. If you are doubting the Bible, please lay your doubt aside and proceed with an open mind, and heart, and see what the evidence has to say.

Two excellent ebooks on the subject:
How Do You Know the Bible is From God?
In Defense of the Bible's Inspiration

Another good read:
10 Reasons to Believe in the Bible


Proof of Textual Evidence
Old Testament:
The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity

New Testament:
New Testament Reliability

More on the Bible:
The Bible
Questions About The Bible


Proof of People Living at the Time of Christ
Extra Biblical Accounts
Josephus
Ancient Evidence for Jesus


Proof of Archaeology
Archeology and the Bible
Associates for Biblical Research
BASE Institute
Biblical Archeology


Proof of Science
Statements Consistent With
...Paleontology
...Astronomy
...Meteorology
...Biology
...Anthropology
...Hydrology
...Geology
Science & the Bible
Scientific Accuracies of the Bible
101 Scientific Facts & Foreknowledge


Proof of Prophecy (Messanic & dealing with nations)
The Bible: Proofs of Its Supernatural Origin
Messianic Prophecies
Fulfilled Bible Prophecy Dealing With Nations
Prophecy, the Bible and Jesus
Prophecy Revealed
How Do You Know The Bible Is True?

If the Bible is true, Christianity is true. In Christianity, faith is required but it does not have to be a blind faith. If you are genuinely seeking God, you owe it to yourself to seriously study these things.

God bless!

 

[fishon]

Fishon, you're right in that I'm almost certain to not change my beliefs. However, I did not come here for that. I came here to learn what others beliefs areand why. I do not think I have been offensive to anyone, and I've tried to ask my questions as straigtforward as possible. If you do not feel my posts are valid, you may kindly ignore them.


I keep seeing posts on these prophisies. I'll admit I have not read a majority of the Bible. So what are these predictions more exactly? I have never really heard much aboutthe specifics. One thing jumps up as strange though. Wasn't the New Testiment written at least a hundred years after the death of Jesus? It's incredibly easy to fulfill prophesy in retrospect.

Umaro,
Sorry if I came off as attacking you. If what I have to say now seems that way too, forgive me; I just don't know how to sound/write in a way that doesn't sound harsh, I guess.

What I find interesting is that you say, "...you're right in that I'm almost certain to not change my beliefs. However, I did not come here for that. I came here to learn what others beliefs areand why." If you have a mindset that you "almost certain to not change..." [your mind], then to say you came to learn doesn't mean much. Doesn't it seem to you like it would be a waste of time to try and teach you somethings, when you are of the mindset to not change your mind? Now I know others will disagree with me, but I am ok with that.

Umaro, it seems strange to me that you say you want learn, but you go to secondary sources: People! You said you have "...not read a majority of the Bible." I would suggest to you, my friend, that you go to the main source of Christian beliefs, the Old and New Testament, the Bible and find out first hand what it says. Would you not agree, it would be better go to the source of our belief system than get the opinions of many people. After you read the source, then you are better prepared to question and even debate.

I trust that when you say you want to learn, you will then go to the Bible and read it. You write: "Wasn't the New Testament written at least a hundred years after the death of Jesus? It's incredibly easy to fulfill prophesy in retrospect." I agree, in some cases you are right. However, for me, but you will have to read the Old Testament, the prophesies of a scattered Israel 2500 years ago being gathered together in the last days, to become a nation, a people once more was the clincher. No, but no one thought that that could really happen. But in 1948, out of nowhere, there is the rebirth of Israel. That prophecy came to being some 2000 years AFTER the whole Bible was written. But read it for yourself---don't take my word for it.
Good luck in your search.
fishon

 

[AvgJoe]

I trust that when you say you want to learn, you will then go to the Bible and read it. You write: "Wasn't the New Testament written at least a hundred years after the death of Jesus? It's incredibly easy to fulfill prophesy in retrospect." I agree, in some cases you are right. However, for me, but you will have to read the Old Testament, the prophesies of a scattered Israel 2500 years ago being gathered together in the last days, to become a nation, a people once more was the clincher. No, but no one thought that that could really happen. But in 1948, out of nowhere, there is the rebirth of Israel. That prophecy came to being some 2000 years AFTER the whole Bible was written. But read it for yourself---don't take my word for it.

Yes, check it out Umaro, the rebirth of Israel is a truly incredible prophecy that was fulfilled less than 60 years ago. This prophecy is not found in the New Testament, it is from the Old Testament book of Ezekiel which, as fishon pointed out, is from about 2500 years ago. Here, in more detail, is the prophecy of Israel's rebirth (to the exact day):

Ezekiel's Prophecy of Israel's Rebirth in 1948​

In the year 592 B.C. in the Babylonian Empire a Hebrew slave named Ezekiel was instructed by an angel to:​

"Lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel. After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year." (Ezekiel 4:4-6).​

At the time of this visitation the Jews were in captivity after being overthrown by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzer in 606 B.C. This 70 year captivity of the Jews had been prophesied extensively by Isaiah almost 100 years earlier (Isaiah 39:5-7) and (Jeremiah chapt 25&27).​

Now the prophecy in Ezekiel chapt 4 predicts a total of 430 years of punishment for the nation of Israel. 70 years of this period of punishment are accounted for in the 70 year Babylonian captivity. That leaves 360 more years of punishment unaccounted for. For centuries biblical scholars could find nowhere in history a period of punishment on Israel that could corresponds to the remaining 360 years of punishment.​

In the book of Leviticus, chapt 26, we are told that if the nation of Israel did not hearken (obey) unto the Lord that she would be punished. Then after being punished, if the nation continued to be in rebellion toward God that the punishment would be multiplied by seven:​

"If you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant...I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies. If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over." Leviticus 26: 14-22.​

Recently Biblical scholars have applied this Levitical principle of multiplying Israel's punishment by seven to the remaining 360 years of punishment and found a phenomenal discovery.(4)​

The Biblical prophetic year in the Jewish calendar is 360 days long. This discovery was made by Sir Robert Anderson in his book The Coming Prince.(5) In fact, all ancient calendars of the world, at one time calculated the year as 360 days. So if you multiple the 360 years of remaining punishment x 360 days/year x 7 times punishment (Levitical principle) = 907,200 days. 907,200 days is 2483.8 years (modern Julian calendar years). So, 907,200 days of punishment remained for the nation of Israel after the 70 year Babylonian captivity. The question is where do you begin calculating the remaining 907,200 days?​

Servitude of the Nation​

There is a Biblical term applied to the nation of Israel called the period of the servitude of the nation. This refers to the period of time that the conquered people of Israel lived through without their own rulership. The people and nation of Israel ceased being a sovereign nation in 606 B.C. And began the first 70 years of servitude at that time. After the 70 year Babylonian captivity they returned to the land but they were ruled over by a succession of empires (Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman) until 70 AD When Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. Then for the next 18 centuries the Israelites were dispersed among the many nations of the world and for the most part were slaves. To the Jewish mind they lost their sovereignty in 606 B.C. with the Babylonian takeover and didn't regain it until the servitude of the nation ended on May 14, 1948 when Israel again became a nation.​

The Babylonian captivity began July 25th 606 B.C. and ended July 23rd 537 B.C. This was the very day that the Medo-Persian emperor Cyrus gave the decree that allowed the Jews to return to Israel. If you begin counting the 907,200 days of remaining punishment from July 23rd 537 B.C., the day of Cyrus' decree and the end of the first 70 years of the servitude, and go foreword 907,200 days you get May 14th 1948.. This was the very day that David Ben Gurion announced to the whole world the official formation of the nation of Israel. Skeptical? Read on.​

Desolation's of Jerusalem​

Another term commonly discussed is the period of the desolation's of Jerusalem. This was the period of time prophesied by the prophets in which the city of Jerusalem would be desolate and 'trodden down by the gentiles". Many people have mistakenly believed that this term was the same period as the Servitude of the nation discussed above. However, this period of the desolation's of Jerusalem did not begin in 606 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzer took the first captives. The desolation's of Jerusalem began with the third siege of Jerusalem with the destruction of the city and the temple. The city and the temple were destroyed on August 18th ,587 B.C. in the third siege of Nebuchadnezzer and the Babylonian army. Exactly seventy Hebrew calendar years later (360 days/year) brings us to August 16th, 518 B.C. If we begin calculating the remaining 907,200 days of punishment from that day it brings us to June 7th ,1967. This is the very day Israel recaptured the city of Jerusalem during the Six day war with Egypt, Jordan and Syria..​

How could Ezekiel have predicted this? He couldn't unless he was instructed by One, who really does exist, and that lives outside of time. Truly God sees the beginning from the end and is outside of time as we know it.​

Footnotes:
4. Missler, Chuck and Lindsey, Hal. The Babylon Report.
5. 1991.Hal Lindsey Ministries 1-800-Titus 35​

 

[prophecystudent]

Folks, quoting scripture to one who obviously does not believe in the document does little to answer the question.

Why do I believe in God? It is simple. I have had presonal and close contact with Him.

Having a modicum of education and experience in the physical sciences, I can say for certain that the universe was created. Who created it? God.

As someone else posted, there are hundreds of prophecies outlined in both the Old and New Testaments.

There are more than 300 prophecies regarding Christ. Note that many of them were from the OT, and written centuries before Christ was born.

Those prophecies regarding His birth, the place of His birth, His death, how He would be killed, that He would be resurrected and ascend to heaven are simply a few of the ones that have already come to pass, exactly as predicted by the bible.

The only ones not yet fulfilled are the ones regarding the rapture and tribulation and all that follows them.

They, too, will come to pass as written in the bible.

Look at it from the "objective" side. Specifically, what is the probability that a single male person would be born and fulfill more than 200 bible prophecies? I doubt there is anyone who is capable of actually calculating that probability.

Is it then all a coincidence as some would have us believe? I think not.

There is really only one God, all the rest are either idols or figments of someone's imagination. The God who made the universe and all that is in it is obviously the one and only one.

Simple logic says that intelligent design must be the basis for our universe. For example, what is the law of physics that allows something to spring into existence from nothing? There is no such law, and some being must have existed and had the power, and intelligence, to create our universe.

This is not the thread to discuss creationism vs evolution but one must consider the source (and creator) of the universe if one wishes to understand why we, as Christians, believe in Christ and His Father, and not forgetting the Holy Ghost.

In short, I believe in "my God" because I have experienced His love and power at first hand, and I also am forced to review the evidence for His existence.

Fred

I am adding information to this post. It discloses some efforts to calculate the probability of Christ not being who He said He was/is.

I will also post the link so you all can read more if you wish.

There have been described in the Old Testament 300 prophecies of the first coming of the Messiah and 500 of the second coming, all of then made hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus and fulfilled to the letter in Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
George Heron, a French mathematician, calculated that the odds of one man fulfilling only 40 of those prophecies are 1 in 10 to the power of 157. That is a 1 followed by 157 zeros. Compare it to this; your odds on winning the state lottery are 14 followed by 6 zeros.

Another mathematician, Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, claims the odds of being fulfilled only 60 of them by the only person who claimed to be the Son of God, and who died on a "tree" on Calvary, and who rose the 3rd day are astronomical!... not just one in one trillion, but one out of ten to the 895th power. That is a one over a one followed by 895 zeros

http://biblia.com/jesusbible/prophecies.htm

Lots of reading at that site, and it may prove helpful for those who doubt the accuracy of the bible, or doubt the reality of Christ being who He says He is.

Fred​

 

[jkwonie]

There are Two main reasons why I believe in My God.
The first reason is that i have always been brought up to believe in My Lord Jesus Christ. The second reason is that It's hard to believe that statue like things that people call gods Put the Sun in the sky and allow me to live from day to day. When i call on God, he is there for me. Personally, My God has been truly good to me. My desire is to praise him for everything he's done for me and all the things he do. Life has been crazy for me growing up so you can tell that i am living on total faith. Not to down others and their gods but I am only going to put My One and Only God first.

 

[Stinker]

Good post Avejoe!
I like Daniel's prophesy too!



Daniel 2:31-45 (Amplified Bible)


31You, O king, saw, and behold, [there was] a great image. This image which was mighty and of exceedingly great brightness stood before you, and the appearance of it was frightening and terrible.

32As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
33Its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay [the baked clay of the potter].
34As you looked, a Stone was cut out without human hands, which smote the image on its feet of iron and [baked] clay [of the potter] and broke them to pieces.
35Then the iron, the [baked] clay [of the potter], the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken and crushed together and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them could be found. And the Stone that smote the image became a great mountain or rock and filled the whole earth.
36This was the dream, and we will tell the interpretation of it to the king.
37You, O king, are king of the [earthly] kings to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory.
38And wherever the children of men dwell, and the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens--He has given them into your hand and has made you to rule over them all. You [king of Babylon] are the head of gold.
39And after you shall arise another kingdom [the Medo-Persian], inferior to you, and still a third kingdom of bronze [Greece under Alexander the Great] which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40And the fourth kingdom [Rome] shall be strong as iron, since iron breaks to pieces and subdues all things; and like iron which crushes, it shall break and crush all these.
41And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of [baked] clay [of the potter] and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall be in it some of the firmness and strength of iron, just as you saw the iron mixed with miry [earthen] clay.
42And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of [baked] clay [of the potter], so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle and broken.
43And as you saw the iron mixed with miry and earthen clay, so they shall mingle themselves in the seed of men [in marriage bonds]; but they will not hold together [for two such elements or ideologies can never harmonize], even as iron does not mingle itself with clay.
44And in the days of these [final ten] kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people; but it shall break and crush and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever. 45Just as you saw that the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter. The dream is certain and the interpretation of it is sure.
------------------------------------------------------

The book of Daniel was written in 603 B.C.

This document would be admissable in a court of law because it has been verified as a legitimate historical document.

We know today that the writer was a member of a nation called Judah that was at this time a prisoner of Babylon in 603 B.C.

It has been verified that the 2nd kingdom called Persia, would rule the then known world beginning in 539 B.C. to 331 B.C [1st part of 39th verse of Dan.2]

It has been verified that after the Persian rule came the Greek rule from 331 B.C. to 63 B.C. [2nd part of verse 39 of Dan.2]

It has been verified that Roman rule started in 63 B.C. and lasted for for many years in that part of the world even though that kingdom had divisions:
http://intranet.dalton.org/groups/Rome/RMap.html

It is clear from Dan.2:44-45 that this mysterious 'kingdom' would be unlike any man-made kingdom. It would not be an earthly kingdom because an earthly kingdom could be destroyed, an earthly kingdom would be able to be 'passed down' to successors.

Inasmuch as each event could only be recognized as having occurred only after it started, so it is with this 4th kingdom which began during the early Roman rule of that part of the world.

Therefore, it follows that this 4th kingdom is present and since there can be no kingdom without a king, it follows that the king is also present.

 

[Txeagle]

JK sorry to bother but I can't contact you. you have to many PM's

 

[Fortuna]

Umaro---There have been thousands of Gods throughout history, and more than I care to list currently in the world's view. How then can you just pick one God as true and existing, and deny all others exist entirely? From what I've seen, every God has about the same qualifications. A Holy Text, a faith requirement, a place of worship, and a following. Basically I'm asking what makes your God right? Everyone I've talked to is surprised I'm an athiest, but they are athiest to every single God except for the one. What makes the exception? My theory is that for the majority of people they follow the God their parents followed.

Hi Umaro,

I believe through Faith and Experience.

Test it out for yourself, that is the only way you can truly know. If you are up for the challenge, I suggest you become a Christian for at least one year, then maybe you will understand.

To accept this challenge one would need to go to church regularly, pray, attend bible study, read the bible and have clergy answer their questions.

I have experienced many other religions and paths. Christianity is the only true religuion for me because God has touched me and blessed me since I became a Christian in Nov, '07.

One can only know this, not through the mind, but through giving oneself over to Jesus and letting Him know you are His.

Blessings, Fortuna

 

[Raul7]

Our Lord is One, the God of all creations. The God of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. That is our Lord and to Him we submit.

Only argue with the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) in the kindest way - except in the case of those of them who do wrong - saying, "We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him." (Qur'an, 29:46