Can you give a clear and compelling reason to trust/distrust the authority of the New Tewstament?

Question

If you examine the new testament you see that early belief was based largely on empirical grounds. There are some verses that suggest an empirical basis for Jesus’ life.

Peter retelling what he Saw and Heard
2 Peter 1:16-18

Thomas Sees Jesus Risen from the Dead
Jn 20:24-30

Peter and John speak boldly b/c they cannot keep silent “What we have seen and heard”
Acts 4:18-20

But who alive today has seen those things happen? As far as I know, people today must put their faith in eyewitnesses that they have not met who told someone else, who wrote a book, that we find scores of generations later.

It is also true we trust scientists who make observations that we cannot or don’t have the time to replicate ourselves. ***We take much of our knowledge by the authority of others, but we should question that authority intelligently.

Can you give a clear and compelling reason to trust/distrust the authority of the New Testament?

Answer 1

I let Thomas Paine make my case:

http://www.ushistory.org/Paine/reason/reason30.htm

Answer 2

Sure. A few, actually
1. Much of the New Testament was written by people who weren't involved and never met Jesus, Paul and Luke in particular.
2. Most of the New Testament was written DECADES after it occured. Try accurately remembering what you did on a given day last year and see how close you get.
3. All of the apostles had a vested interest in keeping the whole Messiah thing going. Most of them had given up their livelyhoods to follow this guy for three years. What were they going to do if not keep it up? Just go home and say "Oops, my bad, who'd you sell the fishing boat to?"

Answer 3

It's hard to believe the written word of mankind. I don't care what man's word is "inspired" by...sometimes it cannot be trusted"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, mrs. Lewinksy" --Bill Clinton--(OUR FORMER PRESIDENT for example).

Christianity doesn't mention Jesus from the time of his birth until age 14-15, then he's not mentioned again until age 30, about the time it took him to study theology and find ways to preach his "good word".
1 to 14 and 16-30.... Those are some pretty large gaps. If I was devoting my life toward christianity I would want to know a little more about the guy I was living my life vicariously through.

Then again, christianity doesn't mention what happened from about 34 A.D. to 80 or 90 A.D.
Those again are some pretty large gaps to fill.

As far as I'm concerned I'm glad that Jesus was crucified. They told him not to preach his teachings and he continued on. They told him AGAIN not to preach and he continued on. AGAIN they told him not to preach his teachings, he went on, so they killed him. I don't have any respect for those who don't follow laws or rules, and yet the hypocrite made laws and rules for others to follow.

I just don't understand the devotion to the New Testament. Pick up a Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Geology book and learn about how we came to being.

We are responsible for our own actions, not the actions of others (ex. Jesus - 1973 years ago.)

Answer 4

Why ask others for what only you can provide? You have to pray about it to get a testamony. If you pray, having faith in Christ, with real intent, the Holy Ghost will confirm the truth to you. Then you will be a witness.

Answer 5

It was written by people for starters. They want to reinterpret anything they want it to be.

Answer 6

No.