Rephrasing the Bible question?

Question

Have you ever felt a vague disquiet at the possibility that perhaps the only thing that the faith of those people (Parents, Pastors, Role Models) who tell you to believe in the Bible (Catholic or Protestant) is based on is that they were once told the same? In other words, if you say that you believe in the Bible because you have faith, what exactly is your faith based on? Specifics, please.

Answer 1

Dear Carla,

Here is a brief answer with several specifics, as you requested.

Two key specifics to determine if the Bible is trustworthy are its internal consistency (or coherence) and its external accuracy. Coherence deals with how it fits together logically. External accuracy deals with how it meshes with what we know about reality, at least in the places where we can compare what it says to external sources. Both of these can be applied to test the Bible, as well as other belief systems.

Other specifics that supports the trustworthiness of the Bible are things like fulfilled prophecies and manuscript evidence. Fulfilled prophecies support the idea of revealed supernatural knowledge. The manuscript evidence for the Bible is overwhelming compared with other ancient texts, and gives reasons to believe that the Bible has been reliably maintained.

Clearly not everything in the Bible is readily testable, such as spiritual things like heaven and hell, but you can verify much of it with other historical sources, archaeology, and how it describes human nature. That is, you can check on many of the people, places, and events by other means, not just because some role model tells you to believe it. There are entire books covering this topic, and I'm sure you can find much information online, too. The evidence that supports the veracity of the Bible in ways you can evaluate should undergird your faith in the rest of what the Bible says.

Answer 2

.
The probability that a person believes what he/she does is a function what part of the world [geographical] one is born in and whatever -if any- belief systems that person's culture values

You could have been told that the Koran was THE only holy writing....or maybe the Rigas...or maybe the Avesta or maybe the Torah..or ...or...or...

If you had been born in central China [ up to the 20th century]..you do the math...what are the odds that you would have even heard of Christianity or Islam or Judaism????

This is not a "vague" disquiet...this is the start that all thinking persons do....defining or discarding one's beliefs

As Kierkegaard said....you have to make a "leap into faith"

Faith and belief are not based on anything concrete; and contrary to these "role models" -the "fact" that there exists some "holy scriptures" is no proof.....if it were so...high school geometry would be like a god.....it's full of proofs


all religions/belief systems are "leaps" into faith

Read a LOT,,,question everything..don't believe anything just because you are told to.....make your own judgements..I repeat...READ a LOT expose yourself to different sources

Did I mention that you need to read a LOT????

only then can you make any "leap" into something

Answer 3

I was raised a Catholic, but that faith didn't make sense (the vague disquiet you describe.) I lumped biblical Christianity into Catholicism, and didn't even look at a Bible for a number of years.

When I was a junior in high school, I decided to investigate various faiths, as my school was a melting pot of Mormons, JW's, Muslims, Christians and Wiccans. After looking at all of these faiths (plus a couple not listed), I looked at the faith of the Bible and found the truth that I had been looking for. I did leave Christianity for about 20 years, but I keep coming back to the God of the Bible.

Answer 4

The Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit, has an important mission. When you learn truth, or especially truths about Jesus Christ, you feel the influence of the Holy Ghost with quiet, clarifying impressions and feelings. The most common feeling is peace. So if I read the Bible and pray for discernment, the verses containing the most truth will be verified by the Holy Ghost. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I also believe that the Bible is supported by the Book of Mormon, so I read both. I have also studied a little bit about Judaism, so that helps to see where the Bible came from. If you are willing to keep studying and praying, those fine, quiet feelings from the Holy Ghost are available to all. If someone is living with some at-risk behaviors, the Holy Ghost may have a harder time testifying, but if someone is willing to humble himself or herself and take time out of their schedule to read, ponder, and pray, it is possible for every child of God of any age to find out the truth for himself or herself. Is it possible to fall away from having faith in the Bible? Yes, especially if people stop reading it, or if they depend on their own understanding. So the challenge is to live your life in such a way that the Holy Ghost can help teach you and add to your understanding so that scriptures become a delight or a source of learning that brings you closer to the nature of God and Jesus Christ.

Answer 5

hahaha. I answered a question like this a while ago. Glad I copied it. lol

Hebrews 11:17-19
People put their trust in different things. Some place faith in the Lord; others trust in themselves or another person. Faith can even be placed in relationships, money, or politics. Anytime we put absolute trust in something, we demonstrate faith. So, the question isn't, Do I have any faith? but rather, In what have I placed my faith? Looking at that question honestly will shake up your assumptions about your spiritual life.
An old saying explains, "Faith gives feet to belief." Simply put, this means that faith is the active expression of what you believe about God. If you have the idea that He sits in some far-off place called "heaven" and only halfheartedly listens to your prayers, then that will reveal itself in your day-to-day walk of faith. Your God will seem small, powerless, and disinterested. The result will be a string of seemingly unanswered prayers and a general sense of defeat.
If, on the other hand, you believe that God is right beside you, whispering in your ear, pouring out His Holy Spirit upon you - and that He is intimately familiar and concerned with the minutiae of your life - then such a belief will impact your faith walk. Prayer will be a joyful exchange between cherished friends, and the evidence of our heavenly Father's miraculous power will become commonplace in your daily life.

Weak faith says, "God can." Great faith says, "God will." But perfect faith - godly faith - says, "It's done." Your faith is your testimony.

Answer 6

Faith Is Based On The Holy Ghost

Answer 7

My faith is based upon personal mircales (that happened to me by the grace of God, such not loosing my heads when I played with a major explosive that went off). Nudges from guardian angels and other events from God.

Whe you are traveling at 90 MPH and put on the breaks and there is a car in front of you and you stop dead next to them after you were right behind them and YOU didn't move the wheel (it was in a fixed location) you have to wonder did God place a hand there to nudge you off to the side so you wouldn't die or kill them and you!

I did, of course, stop FACING traffic, although there was none at the time. It was a two lane road, one lane in each direction!

Have that happen enough and you start to wonder and then start to believe.

I'm not sure how much of the Bible I believe in, but I do believe in the ways Jesus said to be.

When you can't argue with something, you can't argue with something!

Answer 8

I do not believe it because I was told to.
I have a relationship with Christ which is in my heart and spirit. My life has changed because of it - and it is wonderful - there is a meaning to my life. I opened my heart to teaching and the love of God.
My faith is based on the fact that I agreed with the teachings of Christ and the people, and was born again into a new life.
When I accepted Christ, and believed he was God and trusted my life to Him, it was the best decision I ever made.
And is based on his presence in my heart every moment of life - the peace of knowing who I am and where I am going, and what my purpose in life is. That the Holy Spirit guides me to be like the Lord, and teaches me to be loving, and seek wisdom - much of which is in the Bible.
No disquiet - never. It is such a struggle not to believe, isn't it?
I know God is a live because he is in my heart and spirit, and that comes through the profession of faith. Through the choice God gave us to accept or reject him.

Answer 9

I know how I feel when I think of God, I know how I felt when I was away from him. I am so much stronger a person because I don't have to face the world alone. I am a better person too. God has really made me want to put others first, and I constantly try to think of more ways to do so.

I feel so much at home at church, and when I get goosebumps from hearing a beautiful song about God's love for us.

Quite the contrary, my friend. I am SO GLAD that my love of the Lord came from my parents, because it saved me from a lot of lonely years from trying to find it on my own. I'm so glad that my parents gave me that gift.

Answer 10

YES I have had that feeling for a while now, because their are so many religions in the world today, I wonder who Is being decieved. none of us want to think our parents would teach us wrong, but the Bible says the devil himself is turned into an angel of light, It says if it were possable even the very elect would be deceived. I have studied the Bible, and what I get from it is not always what i was taught as a child, now im 47 years old and wondering what on earth was i thinking by not readin for myself to find the truth. it seems people are more intrested in their traditions then in what will get them to heaven, that sad because tradition will not get us to heaven, we HAVE to find the truth.