Why do Christians think they can answer questions about the Bible...?

Question

...by quoting the Bible?

It seems that every time I ask a Christian why they believe in the Bible, they quote the Bible! How can they not see the flaw in that logic? How can a Christian, in good conscience, use that as an argument?

How can Christians try to use the Bible to prove things to people who DON'T BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE IN THE FIRST PLACE? How on earth can they expect this to work?

Also: why do (some) Christians seem to think the Bible is a valid source of information? That it contains a few facts known to be historically correct does not make it infallible!

paulywog, veritas: Thanks for proving my point. YOU CANNOT QUOTE JESUS OR THE BIBLE AS A WAY OF PROVING SOMETHING.

Sawyer, ms-trust: Why shouldn't I ask questions about other religions and things I'm curious about? Isn't that kind of the whole point of this forum? I'm curious. That's all the motive I need.

David: There are facts in other ancient books that relate to science and history, including prophecies that came true. That doesn't make the entire content of such books completely correct or true.
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I am not putting anyone's beliefs down. Did I say something false? Christians DO use flawed logic in many of their arguments. That's fact, not opinion. I never said anything negative about Christianity that wasn't true. My intent is not to insult but to understand, so Christians, why are some of you so threatened by such a simple question?

Answer 1

You can't prove the existence of God and thus, the veracity of the Bible. To believe in a religion (any religion) is to have faith, and to have faith means to believe when there is no proof. Otherwise, it would be "I know God exists" rather than "I believe God exists". No one can prove the existence of God, but some choose to belive in God anyways. If you're hoping someone can prove to you the reasons why they believe - then of course you are going to be disappointed.

To answer some of the other points brought up on this forum: there is no evidence that the Bible is true. There is scientific proof that a great flood happened, but that does not proove that the flood was caused by God's anger or there was a Noah's Ark. It could just have easily been made-up stories by people who experienced the flood and were amazed at its destructive power or folklore. Not meaning to be blasphemous, but just pointing out the fact that Biblical events require faith, and cannot be proved through science or historical research.

Answer 2

Your logic seems flawed as well my friend. I am not put off by your question and do not see it as an attack, so do not think the remainder of my comments are geared that way.

How do you explain Darwin without quoting Darwin? or any Philosophy? If the listener does not open his mind to the possibilities of the subject about to be discussed then you are right no one can teach anything.

You look at fossils and tell me they are millions of years old. I look at you and say "God created with a faux age look and these are just some nice details he threw in for free." We are now at an impass.

You also say the Bible contains a few facts known to be historically correct, but you neglected to say where they are wrong. You might would agree with me that given time and a little bit of luck more and more may be found to prove the Bible right again and again. How long must this trend continue before it becomes infallible? I will gladly say that the Bible will never be 100% proven true. Why? because it is a book on faith not a history book. It took the merest chance finding of a single coin or something to finally prove Pilate existed. Before that most did not believe in this fictional person put forth in the New Testemant texts. Sorry I do not have the exact dates, but this is an example not thesis.

Finally, it is not in Earth we expect this to work. But, we do our meger best with what we have and with our personal experiences trying to reach those that we believe to be lost and fast approaching a fate we would steer them from. If this is not our sole reason we should keep our mouths shut and not give the "enemy" fuel for the fire.

P.S. I just remembered an excercise for Christians that goes very well with your topic. Try to give your testimony or as Gemma suggests the proofs of God with out using the Bible or "churchy" lingo. I believe you will find it harder than you think, but well worth a go.

Answer 3

According to Leviticus 19:15, Matthew 7:1-5, & John 7:24, ANY Christian has the right to match anything against the Bible. If a ministry is truly of God, it will match up perfectly with the Bible. The problem comes when the things in question violate the Word of God. THAT'S when people get mad - when hypocrisy is unmasked and laid bare for all to see. (Like you are doing now)
James 1:20 says, "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." If you get MAD when I question your non-belief, this is powerful proof of Satan's influence in your life (2 Peter 2:19).
If you are asking a Christian a question about the bible, where do you think they will get their answer? Nevertheless the Bible writers claimed repeatedly that they were transmitting the very Word of God, infallible and authoritative in the highest degree. This is an amazing thing for any writer to say, and if the forty or so men who wrote the Scriptures were wrong in these claims, then they must have been lying, or insane, or both.
But, on the other hand, if the greatest and most influential book of the ages, containing the most beautiful literature and the most perfect moral code ever devised, was written by deceiving fanatics, then what hope is there for ever finding meaning and purpose in this world?
If one will seriously investigate these Biblical evidences, he will find that their claims of divine inspiration (stated over 3,000 times, in various ways) were amply justified.There is no logical reason why this could not be true. After all, even fallible humans can get things right some of the time, especially if they are supervised by Someone who is infallible.

Christians do not claim that the humans who penned the books of the Bible were always accurate in everything they said or did. We simply believe that the Bible is right when it claims that God guided these men in their task of writing Scripture, in such a way that the result is an infallible book. The apostle Peter undoubtedly said some foolish things during his lifetime, but God did not allow him to clutter up the Bible with any of those blunders.

Answer 4

Because the entire christian belief system is based upon the Bible. So, if you ask a question about the Bible then you have to understand that our answer will be from the Bible because that's what we believe. If I asked someone about science, where would they go to find the answer? A science book. Therefore, if you ask a Bible question the answer will come from the Bible. Hope I've helped. Have a nice day!

Rachel

:)

Answer 5

Friend listen, you ask people why they believe and they tell you why using scriptures. If that is not the answer you want then you should make that clear in your question. As far as trying to prove something to you from the Bible when you don't believe in the Bible makes perfect sense. You are explained about computers from computer books, about car repair from car repair books, etc., so what do you seriously expect Christians to teach from?

And the reason we KNOW (not think) the Bible is a valid source is because everything that it promises we see come to pass (or into reality so as not to sound too scriptural for you). For example: The Bible clearly tells us that there will be people like yourself who will deny the truth no matter how it's brought to them.

Answer 6

Got it. You don't want me to prove the validity of belief in G-d from the scriptures. OKAY. Fine. Well, let's just explore thinking first of all. How did the process of thinking develop. How is it that the male species of homosapiens and female species evolved so precisely (with respective, complemantary sexual organs) and not just from a physiological perspective. Consider the whole concept of the way males develop (emotionally et al) and the same process as that of females. How did that entire process evolve. Take a look at the entire concept of the balance which exists in this universe and how could that have possibly evolved (all of it simultaneously). Let's look for a moment at instincts (like fight or flight) and how did they develop evolutionally. The desire to eat and procreate. The way a woman thinks vesus the way a man thinks, how did that develop.

Okay, so many questions. Well, let's take a page out of one of my apologetics for a moment. You see, I haven't resorted to using the bible. Take a sheet of paper and put on it a dot. Consider for argument's sake that the dot represents all of G-d's creation, and He like the painter is outside of that dot. What would we supposedly find in the middle of that dot. Well, there may be at least three things which we may find there. One, Time. All of time is in that dot, and of course G-d is a timeless being. In the middle of all time, is the Cross (we'll get back to tht later). According to Newton, the amount of energy in the universe is fixed and guess what, in that dot we have found all of that energy (G-d gave us what we needed, no more, no less), now at least one more thing is in that dot, and that is knowledge. All knowledge is in that dot, all that is known, written/unwritten and that which is not known (or discovered yet). G-d is responsible. Oh, yes, let's consider one other abstract, LOVE. All love that exists in the universe, emanates and was placed in that dot by G-d. That cross I mentioned earlier, do you know what that represents? The Love G-d had for you, for that signifies your worth. The cross is where He gave that which was most precious to Him for your life.

Let us look at systems for a second. Everything has a system. The computer you're on has several systems (sub-systems). Well, your computer is a closed system contained in an open system named "the room where your are in". That is a closed system with respect to the open system named "the building you are in". Which is a closed system within the open system "the area that you are in" and so forth until we gravitate to the universe being the closed system, and then we are faced with G-d and we must then determine whether He is in a closed or open system. Each system going inwards makes rules for the next successive system, but the rules do not apply outwardly. This then leads us to suggest that we cannot apply to G-d the rules which apply specifically to that which He created, because He does not belong to the system. Here is where one must go "outside the box".

Let me suggest this, at this juncture. It will matter little, whether I've proved to you anything at all. What will make a difference is when you do stand before Him, you will be held accountable for what I've shared with you, and what other Christians have shared with you, whether it was from the bible or not. If G-d can speak the world into existence (when you think outside the box, it is possible) then He can write His word and as any author, He can preseve it for an eternity. In fact there was a Russian mathematician named Ivan Panin who scientifically demonstrated the divine inspiration of the scriptures scientifically. The link I'll list below.

I apologize for those Christians who may have failed you before and I hope I haven't. The scriptures teach us that we must always be prepared to have an answer for the hope which lies within us. It also teaches us to study, in order to show ourselves approved as a workman. There is no limitation on our studies, and in my life there have been many pursuits which have profited me much.

Answer 7

The belief I place in the Bible is a very personal one that is based on faith and experience, neither of which I can convey on other people. I believe the Bible from cover to cover.
If you are really interested in finding the answer to the question of whether or not the Bible is credible, you have to do some research. There are facts in the Bible that relate to science and to history that have been proven to be true, but at the time they were written that was not part of known science and parts of History that had not occured yet.

Answer 8

Their are many reasons to believe that the Bible is true, which I could state some of it here, but I doubt if you would listen anyway. To someone who believes in the Bible the Bible provides the answers, and it interprets itself (e.g. Old testament prophecies coinciding with New Testament prophecies etc.) To us it is the direct word of God, not that it is perfect but it is what we have at this time to work with. It contains enough information to secure our eternal salvation....if we are so inclined. The question needs to be asked of you, why do you think that you can answer Christians questions by your own opinions, or those of men (e.g. Charles Darwin etc.) When we don't hold your views as valid, and furthermore unspired? In order for any people to come to the same truths they must hold the same sources of information in common.

Answer 9

I love the Bible.... now.

But...

I can only tell you what happened to me.

One evening after work, I came home and sat in an armchair. I was just relaxing, and for some reason I started talking to "Something". I called this "Something" Lord. (WEIRD!)

So, I said "Lord, I have a wonderful life. My husband and family love me. I have a great job and good friends. Would you please take over the direction it is going, because I'm not sure where it is going?"

I had a normal evening.Later I went to bed. In the morning I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I was excited. Everything looked brighter and clearer. (WEIRD!)

I went to work and was giddy all day long. I didn't know why. It was just a kind of nice excitement bubbling up.

One of my co-workers told me a sad story and I said, "Oh, you should ask Jesus to help you with that". (WEIRD)

I wanted to climb up onto a high building and yell "Hey Everybody - Jesus loves you" (WEIRD)

I started wanting to read the Bible. I would go to the Christian Bookstore on my lunch hours hoping to meet Christians.

It's been 28 years now and i still feel excited about Jesus.

People who meet me say "I want what you got!"

That's all I can say.

Answer 10

The Bible is our main information source. If a person asks a question, we go to where we get our information. The other sources for us would be the Holy Spirit and personal life experiences.
It is only a valid source to believers and not expected to provide proof. We give a person what information we have. The rest is up to that person if they choose to believe or not.
I believe this is why so many "debunkers" of the Christian faith try to discredit the Bible. To invalidate our main source of belief, you disprove our religion.