What is the evidence for the truth of the Bible?

Question

Please do not point me to Josh McDowell because I have read that and it is totally unsound. If you can't come up with good evidence, then why do you treat me as if I'm an idiot for not believing in it literally?

P. S. I'm sorry I'm in a bad mood. PMS. Sorry.

I believe in God. Just not in the entire Bible. I have studied it thoroughly.

Anne C - there IS evidence for wind. duh.

Answer 1

Adamray, let's look at your "evidence" for the bible.

1. "It's unique in its continuity". FALSE: The bible is part religious text and part history. Because it is part history, it will have some continuity, true... but there are numerous examples where the bible contradicts itself. A trivial example would a robe being called purple in one book and red in the next. Apologists say that the change in color is just one person remembering it differently... but that still represents a change in continuity!

There have been other written histories of cultures that combined religion. One was the Mayan's. However, christians came and destroyed those Mayan texts in order to try and convert the "heathens".
No evidence that the bible is true.

2. It is unique in its circulation. You're saying the bible is popular. What's your point? Just because something is popular doesn't make it true. Did Darth Vader exist a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away? Does Santa exist at the North Pole? No evidence that the bible is true so far.

3. It is unique in its translation. So it's been translated? Could that have something to do with missionaries striving to bring the bible to various cultures? This provides no evidence that the bible is true.

If anything, it makes it more suspect. Why couldn't have God made the bible written in a language that would be automatically be understood by all without translation needed? Right now, the hundreds of translations spur hot debates over what was meant. The fact that there have been so many translations makes it appear as if the bible is false or that its god is not omnipotent.

4. It is unique in its survival. FALSE. What about the teachings of Confuscious?!? Buddhism?? The fact that the original Bible and the original tablets of the 10 commandments do not exist makes the bible even more suspect. You are not helping your case with your arguments.

5. It is unique in withstanding attack. So it's withstood criticism for awhile. So what? If it was truly the one true religion, how could there be criticism of it? Shouldn't its truth be obvious to all? Shouldn't it be totally free from error?

I should point out that the books of Mormon, Dianetics (holy book of Scientology), and the Koran have been under heavy attack too and are prospering. Survival from criticism does not make a book true.

So far, all of your arguments stem from the fact that the bible was and is a popular book. Your arguments do not offer any true proof that it is true.

In reality, there is no direct historical evidence that Jesus EVER existed. The Gospels were written DECADES after his supposed death.

So, Heron... in answer to your question: there is no hard-core evidence that the bible is true. Because it is part historical narrative, some facts about the Hebrews are true. However, there is nothing other than that.

Answer 2

For starters, the Bible is the most popular book in the world. Its in the most languages and read by more people than any other book ever written. But thats not much proof, so I'll try to convey some proof for why the Bible is true. The Bible has more original new testament manuscipts than any other book. I dont remember the exact nuber but its the many thousands of originals like the Dead Sea Scrolls and such. The closest beyond that is the Illiad which has only like 28. This supports its authenticity alot. It also has the earliest recorded manuscripts which date back to about 60 A.D. which is very early in comparison to the Quaran or any other religious book. Most of the other religious manuscripts were written hundreds of years after the actual events took place so its harder to believe that they are true. Archeoligical digs have discovered many many sites and stories that took place in the Bible that can back up what it actually said with physical evidence. Also, other historical writers of that era wrote about the same stories of the Bible confirming much. There is too much evidence that supports that bible is totally true and accurate to remember off the top of my head but if you'll read THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel he talks about everything you need to know about the truth of the Bible. He was a journalist/atheist that tried to disprove the bible and ended up becoming a christion after his investigation. I hoped this helped some, ive asked the same questions as you. What "imrational" or should he be called "imcloseminded" is ridiculous. There are so many more original new testament manuscripts than any other buddhist or religious text COMBINED its just silly. Secular writers of the same time perioud verify the same stories. Explain that way. There is no hard evidence that can prove the bible is false. And its popular for a reason!! Its true! what did these writers have to gain by lying? did they make it all up? why did they all have the exact same stories? interesting... get back to me...

Answer 3

Sadly there is none. It has been reasonably shown that many of the people were real, including Jesus. And many will try to use this as evidence. But that is like using the Iliad to prove the existance of Zeus and co. Sure Troy has been found to be a real battlefield, but that does not help prove the supernatural aspects of the book. The fantastic stories (like Noah, Jonah, and some about Jesus) are simply tall tales. I would put them in the same category as Paul Bunyan. There are many Christians who are aware of these things and choose to not take the entire Bible as literal truth. These are reasonable people. The fundamentalists who do take it as absolute truth, however are like dead weight holding up the progress of mankind. Approximately half of the US population still does not believe the theory of evolution is true! Thanks Jerry Falwell!

Answer 4

I am not sure there is good evidence.

If you read Holy Blood, Holy Grail, you will know that there are many bibles that were left out and it is possible that they were the real bibles, not the current official ones.

Also, if you go ahead just read the book of Genesis, you will find more holes in than a Swiss chess. Tons of stuff that does not make sense. It is agreed among the scholars that the book of Genesis was authored by three different people in 3 different periods. So that pretty much rules out it being true.( You can read a book called in the beginning by Karen Armstrong)

Answer 5

The only real evidence I have to offer is my own experience. What lead me to believe the Bible to be true was the leading of the Holy Spirit. Up to that point I had believed there was I God, but I wasn't sure He really cared. I asked God if He really did care? He began to show me His love for me in little ways. By the way I do not think you are an Idiot for not believing. Until you have an experience like I did with God everything else will seem like conjecture. When I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, truth began to open up to me like never before. It really is okay to ask God questions and even ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Just be open and honest about why you feel the way you do. I really do hope you find the proof you are looking for.

Answer 6

If you would read the Bible then you would understand that everything going on in the world today is right there in the book and what has happened in the past it is clearly stated you just have to read which is something most people hate doing!! but i love it especially the Bible!!! the Bible is The Word of God!!! read it and learn!! amen!

Answer 7

The bible is like any good works of fiction. It places a few actual places and some actual people in a fictious story line and the reader is fooled into believing all of it. The is very little evidence that supports the bible and much that discredits it.

Answer 8

Good argument. Also, you should know the Bible is a portion of a much longer series of texts called the Gnostic Bible. The church deleted over 30 of the books years ago, but you can see copies of the original are being sold in a lot of book stores now.

Answer 9

AAAAARRRGGGHH!! My heart cringes when I see someone get hung up on legalities in religion. I can tell you from experience that if you continously question the authenticity of the Bible, you will never trust it. Certain personality types believe it as the authentic word of God without question and will follow it to the death, and others need proof, and each will defend their position to the end of time. Who is right? Only God knows!
My advice- stick to the basics- believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!! There is nothing else that you need to do. If you chose to accept the Bible as the unerring word- that's ok. If you finally decide that it has some issues with authenticity- then so be it. Your faith will save you, not your understanding of the historical accuracy of the Bible. Christ came to give us freedom from legalities- enjoy his gift!

Answer 10

weird and wonderful. i concept the Bible turned right into a e book, not a hypothesis. _____ Edit: Ah, you've got here upon one among those lists of techniques in which "modern-day technological know-how confirms the Bible." I continually concept it changed into weird and wonderful that no one ever talked about those claims were in the Bible till they were talked about scientifically. feels like the courting between medical concepts and faith follows a demanding and quickly progression: a million. The church ridicules the idea. 2. The church condemns the idea. 3. The church tries to eliminate the idea. 4. The church claims it changed into her theory all alongside. Wait round. In yet another hundred years you'll have Christians getting to comprehend that the Bible tells us all about evolution.