On these posts there are obvious fanatics who quote the Bible as if it makes a point. I've read it more than once and have heard too many supposed "Christian" views on how they choose to interpret it. All in all it ends up giving the opposite effect when someone starts barking out quotes from the Bible that we know is badly flawed rather than face the questions with real, thought out answers. You have to know the Bible you're reading was written a long, long time ago, lots of it is missing, and lots of it was left out or changed to fit the ideas of the people of the time. Is there a Christian religion that can face those facts and stop ignoring reality?
2006-09-20 16:06:47 · 49 answers · asked by Spookshow Baby 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Melrae: Like trying to get blood from a stone...
2006-09-20 16:15:58 · update #1
Mamabear: Thank you. perhaps I will.
2006-09-20 16:18:52 · update #2
Jim_Darwin: It bothers me because some of these people are using a book that was written to control goat herders thousands of years ago and they think it still applies to today's society. They make laws that affect me based on this book.
2006-09-20 16:21:56 · update #3
...blah blah blah.. Lee Strobel..blah blah blah CS Lewis... blah balh blah...Buybull...blah blah blah Josephus blah blah fricken blah...
It's all crap sweetheart.
(it's nice to see devil bettie back ;) )
2006-09-20 16:25:02 · answer #1 · answered by lenny 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
The case for Christianity can be boiled down to one event. Jesus dying on the cross. That single sacrifice to save everyone says it all. Before he went to the cross he gave us one last commandment. "Love one another as I have loved you". He was beaten to such a degree that he was unrecognizable as a man and yet he said to forgive them. This event is written from several different viewpoints in the new testament. It is an uncomfortable notion that someone would be willing to do that for us.
You are absolutely right. There are so-called "Christians" out there who vomit forth scripture like a doll with a little cord that you pull. These are your typical "Bible thumpers". They spend so much time thumping the Bible they forget that they can actually open it, read it, and actually try to engage in some thoughtful interpretation. They pick out a few verses, usually ones that specifically target the person or group they are trying to rail against. Homosexuals seem to be the primary target these days.
You can't just read the Bible and take it word for word. You have to allow God in and allow those words to be written on your heart. Faith and spirituality are beautiful qualities. Don't let the ugliness of religion destroy them.
2006-09-20 17:39:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Haven't you heard that there are more Believers than there are Thinkers? Well it's true, the Believers can't live without that book telling them how to Believe all the time. I find it amusing that when you ask a question about the validity of the Bible they answer you with a quote from it. How can you Believers not question someone that said a God told them to write it, yet no one has any proof of that at all? How? It has been proved with archeology that the first 5 books of the Bible were stories written 1500 years before the Bible was ever put together.
I don't get it and I don't think any Christian can explain it without using a quote for it, so good luck getting any good answers.
2006-09-20 16:13:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Christianity is a faith based religion. Based on the Bible and on Faith in God. To base a case on anything else would not be
Christianity. Contrary to what you state, the Bible is not badly flawed, it is actually the ONLY historical book that has survived throught histrory to remain Historically accurate. Yes, parts of it is missing, because several council members had strict guidelines to go by to decide exactly what books should go into the Bible as we know it today, books that did not measure up did not go into the Bible. However, NONE of it was ever changed. From the earliest times Jewish scribes had to follow strict detailed procedures for copying scriptures when transcribing the Bible.
2006-09-20 16:27:38 · answer #4 · answered by creeklops 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
OK look. These Christians dont do a very good job showing Christianity to be worth while.
I am an atheist but if you want good christian apologetics sites check out
http://www.christian-thinktank.com/ . Glenn Miller is the best I think. He speak with respect and answers questions that Christians are way too afraid to say they dont know the answers to.
http://www.tektonics.org/ (Although J P Holding is typically an arrogant prick)
risenJesus.com Mike Licona is OK
forget josh McDowell,C.S. Lewis and Lee Stobel, these people sh!t on them. They still dont have a compelling arguement however, but these represent some of the best christian apologetics
www.infidels.org with have rebuttals to many essays posted on these christian web sites.
also many other atheist sites. But its christian apologetics you may be after
Forget asking the average christian, they will say "Its Faith so bugg off, we dont need proof, Jesus is real regardless because the bible says so, ner ner na ner ner"
2006-09-20 16:19:15 · answer #5 · answered by CJunk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a Christian, I don't think I ever will be... but, my fiance is and I've done a bit of research into this field and I've come away with a few realizations.
If "god" exists, it must be a 4-dimensional being. Hear me out;
*As 3-dimensional beings, we are capable of reaching into a 2-dimensional space and taking something out, putting something in, changing things around, etcetera, without ever being detected.
Think about that. Picture a piece of paper. On it is drawn a stick figure (Bob) and a square with a penny in it. Bob wants the penny but he can't get to it, the walls of the square block his way. As a 3-dimensional being, you can take that penny from the square and put it next to Bob. That is not the limit of your power. You can do anything... erase his arms, turn the paper face down, fold it or even rip it in half.
If a 3-dimensional being can do that in 2-dimensional space, we have to assume that a 4-dimensional being can perform similar feats in our 3-dimensional space. Perhaps those feats are what we call "miracles." Maybe this 4-dimensional being drew this "Jesus" on his piece of paper and led him to his ultimate destiny. Personally, I don't buy into the divine aspect of Christianity... or any religion for that matter. I consider myself a realist and it's hard for me to convince myself of these magic tricks. I am aware, however, that the universe is presently expanding into infinity (at least we hope so), so there is an infinite chance for anything to occur, and one of these occurances could be a 4-dimensional being.
I'm convinced that if "god" or whatever you like to call it exists, it has to be a 4-dimensional being. We might be nothing more than stick figures on a piece of paper, you see?
I've told this to my Christian fiance, and she doen't have a problem with it. She does however have a problem with this next bit; with infinite probabilty, there comes an infinite chance that there are beings in the 5th dimension, the 6th and so on. She believes that God is it, the highest... there's nothing above him.
There's a movie called "What the Bleep Do We Know?" that I think you should check out. It goes pretty deep into this kind of thing and you may develop some theories from it.
2006-09-20 16:25:08 · answer #6 · answered by aaron.lattin 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Geesh, did anyone here get your point? I too, would love to hear a REAL case for Christianity. Other than the Bible, the answers usually consist of things like: ask and he'll answer, Jesus loves you, look at a rainbow, yada, yada yada. I have yet to hear any thing that remotely supports a reason to believe.
I don't get these people who asked why you care. This is a discussion board, is it not? What's up with people tonight? Full moon or did the devil make them do it?
2006-09-20 16:35:12 · answer #7 · answered by Kathryn™ 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can recommend several books that make the case. For instance Lee Stobel used to be an atheist legal journalist for a major newspaper and when his wife came home one day and announced that she had become a Christian he made it his personal mission to use all of the evidenciary procedures used in a court of law to prove to her that her faith wasn't based in truth.
He went around for months interviewing scholars and historians and asking tough questions like a prosecuting attorney would. When he was finally done he became a Christian and is now the Pastor of a church.
Here's his web site if you are really intersted in finding out the truth about Christianity and not just posting something to ridicule people who don't answer posts in the manner that you think is credible.
http://www.leestrobel.com/
2006-09-20 16:16:59 · answer #8 · answered by Martin S 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am not going to quote scripture, I am not going to try and convince you... but I will tell you this, and this is truth, not theory, not something I read, truth.
The happiest moment in my life was when I was filled with the holy spirit. I had absolutely no control over myself... all I could do was cry and pray to God. How is this a real case? Because people talk about God being real and not real... I am a college grad, and before that I was a straight A student in high school... I graduated with the highest honors in both... so I am not crazy... after haveing said that I can tell you that that experience with God was the most real experience that I have ever had in my entire life. How is that for a case that doesn't quote scripture?
If you want to know more, feel free to e mail me.
2006-09-20 16:32:24 · answer #9 · answered by ToYkaT04 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
First all, everyone who claims to be a Christian, isn't, because a real Christian would follow Christ, as God and not claim a human has assended to heaven, and is a go between between themselves and God.
But the bible, IS the only book we have about the life of Christ, and that's what a true Christian would go by. The problem is in the versions of it, and the interpretations of those versions.
2006-09-20 16:15:22 · answer #10 · answered by classyjazzcreations 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Spooky, I liked your last picture better than this one. The facial close-up is always more dramatic.
Anyway, if you are really interested in a "good" case for Christianity, there are several good books you can probably get from your local library. They will be much better reading material than anything you find on Y! answers: better researched, more organization, more cohesive, etc. Try looking for the following:
"The Case for Christianity" (don't know the author)
"More than a Carpenter" (Josh McDowell i think)
"Mere Christianity" (C. S. Lewis )
Have a good read!
2006-09-20 16:15:34 · answer #11 · answered by MamaBear 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋