Why do people believe in the truth of the Bible, Jesus, etc?

Question

I used to be Christian, when I was growing up. I slowly lost my faith. The main reason for this was that, logically, I couldn't justify believing that the Bible is true. What evidence is there? I've come to believe that the only reason people believe the Bible is true and are consequently Christian, is because their parents told them that it is true when they were young and impressionable. I believe the same holds true for any religion. If someone was brought up to believe that God was an alien that lived on Neptune, they would believe that to be true also. So, where does my logic go wrong? I would especially like to hear from true believers, to get their point of view. I fully expect to receive answers such as "You're going to burn in hell" or "Jesus loves you even though you're misguided", but I do believe there are intelligent Christians out there who can go beyond that superficiality and offer intelligent viewpoints.

Answer 1

I could have written this question myself, and I look forward to your answers received. I too am of the mind that it is what we are taught, and in the worst cases what we are taught to fear the questioning of.

I always thought it would be an interesting (although possibly psycologically cruel) experiment to take a child or two from each of the major religions and raise them with no mention or concept of "god" or religion. Would the develop a belief of their own? At least it would be interesting to see what an intelligent person would lean toward if they only learn of the concept of god after growing to an age where they can decide on their own.

I feel that is what I did, but in reverse, and it sounds like what happened to you as well. As I got older and learned more about our world, I found that I didn't really believe what I was taught all my life. Frankly, I don't feel the need to believe in a god or religion.

I believe in being a good person as much as I can be, and that is fundamentally based in not causing other creatures intentional harm and living a moral and decent life. Very similar ideas to what most religions teach.

I also think it is a fine line between a religion and a cult. Religions just have broad acceptance. Kind of like if in 3000 years, the Branch Davidians were the most popular religion and David Coresh is referred to as Jesus is today. Obviously that won't happen, and I really only used that example because I think it is the one most people will know of whom I am speaking.

Answer 2

Here's my viewpoint, intelligence is in the eye of the beholder:

To say you were once a Christian, then lost your faith, indicates that you're still a Christian (Once Saved, Always Saved). However, if it was just a belief system that you held, you likely never were one.

That being said, intelligence doesn't have to stand in the way of faith. On the contrary, it should be part of it.

The best place I've found to start is Creation itself. Science is forever picking apart and disqualifying Evolutionary theories, and leaning more towards an "Intelligent Designer." That's where intelligence and learning comes in. Take a look at the facts and you can make your own discoveries.

I've mentioned before that I was saved at an early age, & educated in a Christian school. In my teen years, I fell away, not because I didn't believe anymore, but because I couldn't reconcile my Savior with the God that my dad didn't even worship (strange, but true). I struck out on my own, and stayed there for years. It wasn't until I had my kids that I realized, not only couldn't I raise them right by myself, but that everything I had learned about the very nature of God had turned out to be true.

Even now, I learn more and more about Him everyday. Some of it I never knew, or had only read about, but alot of it I see for myself. When I ask for a sign, I get one. When I pray, I know I'll get an answer because He's never ignored me in the past.

I think your logic has been clouded by your knowledge. It's hard to reconcile alot of the things that occur today with the idea of a loving, benevolent God who controls everything.

Don't think so hard. Don't try to find the contradictions (they're never there anyway). Let go of your preconceived notions about Him, and just let Him lead you. He'll answer any questions you have, you just have to keep your heart open enough to hear Him when He speaks.

Answer 3

If 99% of the people say that the Bible isn't true, that doesn't make it false. Most people don't believe in it, not because they have examined its claims, but because they do not want to be morally accountable to God for their behavior. As far as evidence goes, there is external (non-Bible) sources that support the Bible, historical existence of Jesus, etc. The early heretics (those who opposed Christianity) didn't try to deny that Christ existed. That would have been too farfetched, because even the historian Josephus recorded information about Jesus. If Jesus was not significant, then why record information about a wandering teaching carpenter?

If Jesus died, and was not resurrected, then why would the Apostles all with great boldness go out spreading the gospel to all the world and get killed for it. If I followed some guy and he died, I would have bailed out. When he appeared to them, they were energized to carry out his mission. The book of Acts records the early days of the church. They were frequently talking about the resurrection. Nobody would have done this had Jesus remained in the grave. Hope this helps.

I think you have adapted the idea that "Nobody can know what is really true." This works until you think about it logically. If there is such a thing as absolute truth, then two conflicting statements cannot both be true. Yes, there are lots of religions, but that doesn't invalidate the Bible.

Answer 4

The reason is that it is the truth. Jesus was a real person, and did die and rise from the dead. The new testament was written by very reliable sources. Luke was a doctor, Paul was a member of the elite political society. There were over 500 wittnesses of Jesus' ascension and at the time that the gospels were written (less than 50 years after the ascension of Christ) many were still alive and Luke interviewed them to obtain the details of Christ's life. Also the dead sea scrolls, you can compare them to the text of the pentatuke (the greek old testament.) and they are almost identical. The people that wrote these scrolls were a reclusive society who had no contact with the writers of the pentatuke.
As for creation v. evolution, you can not explain the existence of life without intelligent design, it just doesn't work. If I told you that a meteor hit the earth and caused my car to evolve you would say that I am a complete idiot. You would be right. The human body is thousands of times more complex than the most advanced car in existence and yet you would say that it just "happened"? Can you explain to your satisfaction why a dog can bark? or why the planets do not collide in their orbit? Notice I do not ask that you explain it to my satisfaction, but to yours. If you stand back and very carefully look over the facts you will probably come to the same conclusion I have, that without a creator the universe and our world are statistical and realistic impossibilties. You may not, but it would be well worth your while.

Answer 5

Most people that grew up as a Christian were only a christian by name, But never actually had a "Born Again " experience , and since most Pastor Preachers are teachers of the Word of God are not rooted in to the word and only preach what is popular with the congregation its very disturbing to those who truly are seeking out a real understanding of God , The Bible gives us 1 chapter on Creation and 50 chapters on a house God had built in the desert ,Its called The Tabernacle in the Desert , most and I would say 90% of Christians have never heard of such a thing ,Why ? because too many are arguing over the 1 chapter in Genesis, If you where to do a study on Just One whole Book of the bible lets say the book of Luke you would be surprised what it says in its actual Greek Language , Why it was written and What makes Luke say these certain things that the other gospels say nothing about , So Logically speaking most people when they say that the bible isn't logically right have never been under Good teaching are have never touched the hym of the garment that Jesus wear !

Answer 6

There is no such thing as as "ex" Christian. no one is "born" a christian. and no one can just say they are. you are not a christian because of where you are born. no man can decree you to be a christian. you can not "earn" you way to being a christian. You can read the Bible day and night over and over again and it will not make you a christian... being a Christian dose not come from a Bible. If you have to ask "what evidence is there?" then you are not, and never have been, a Christian.
There in no evidence that will satisfy a non-believer. God can not be proven.

you will not find God in The Bible... but you might, and some have, find a clue as to how to find Him....but...only if you are honestly seeking Him.

There is really nothing in The Bible of The True Christian Faith for the non-believer who is not honestly seeking.

I acept email questions concerning the basics of The True Christian Faith. 1 honest question receives 1 honest answer to the best of my ability

Answer 7

The Truth I have is the Holy Spirit within me that bears witness that Jesus' testimony is true. Also I have the Holy Bible - "God breathed" - inspired by God but penned by men. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ was/is who He says He is and He died, was buried, rose on the third day according to the Scriptures and sits at the right hand of the Father. I KNOW He lives and I know I have the Truth. I pray you find Him - you must not have accepted Christ truly if you were once a Christian and now are not - if you had the Holy Spirit - nothing can take that from you - nothing. Once you have received the Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit - you are saved and sealed. It is a done deal. Find Christ - He is real - also how do I know - I have a real, thriving, active relationship with Him and the Father. Blessings to you dear one, and I pray you find the Truth - Jesus Christ before it is too late.

Answer 8

Are you sure that is the only way you learn about God? Through your parents? I was much like you, I grew up with my grandma taking me to Catholic masses and I HATED it. When I became a teenager I became an atheist. But after a while life had really become empty and meaningless. After a series of really bad events, I finally started believing in God not because anybody told me to, but because I knew him to be true and he started answering my prayers, eventually I read the Bible and got saved.

There is actually tremendous arheological evidence that the things in the Bible happened as they did. The flood, the walls of Jericho falling the wrong way, the empty tomb. The Bible neither contradicts in history nor theology.

But if I may offer a certain truth; Christians dont believe in God because we read the Bible, we believe God therefore we read and believe the Bible! Unbelievers dont reject God because of what is in their minds, they reject God because of what is in their heart. You have to want Gods truth and have that prayer connection before you are ready to believe the truths God has for you because there are many things in the Bible that require patience and work to understand far more than mere miracles.

Answer 9

Buy Lee Strobel book, A Case for Christ, that addresses the subject. He was an atheist and also a reporter who was on a mission to prove the bible was false. Through studying not just the bible, also history books there was an overwhelming amount of evidence to prove that the bible was indeed true. I wish you peace in finding the answers you are searching for.

Answer 10

It's true most people generally accept and practice the faith their parents bestowed upon them. They are taught at an early age about religious doctrine and thus they never question it. Thus if one believes in the Bible, and Jesus, then one must be a Christian without qualms. Plus of course who wants to go to hell, right? Just like finding a perfect home, or ideal job, if one chooses to live a religious life, or practice some faith (in my belief) one should examine what's out there. If your dad's a surgeon and you get scared at the sight of blood, you might want to think about all your options there before you apply to med school. Perhaps, when we question, when we seek answers that are not readily available, then we might have found what ideology or religious doctrines that best guide us.