How can a rational person think of the ancient mythologies as false, but still believe in a Christian God?

Question

I don't mean to be disrespectful, this just doesn't make sense to me. I understand the whole concept of "I just have faith." What I don't understand is how a rational thinking person can justify looking at the ancient Olympian gods (Zeus, Aphrodite, etc..) and think of those as just stories and myths, but takes the Bible seriously. (This question doesn't pertain to those who take the BIble metaphorically.) In that same position, I can't see myself trusting a collection of sometimes contradictory stories from a primitive, ancient civilization. Moses heard God in a burning bush? To me it sounds just as unbelievable as any other primitive mythology.

Answer 1

YES! Someone who finally gets it. The concept of a God impregnating mortal women to create demi-gods had been around for centuries before Jesus was ever born. Hercules was among the most well known myths as being the son of Zeus, yet is often thought of as just a myth while the story of Jesus is taken to be the real deal? There is zero difference in the two stories, but Christians swear to the fact that theirs is the truth.

Answer 2

Part of it, for me anyway, is because I know that none of the charecters in Greek/Roman mythology ever really lived. Whereas Biblical charecters really did live. I also believe Greeks and Romans (Gentiles) were also getting prophecy from God about the coming Messiah, His life and the end times, but they told the prophecies, not as though they were a furture event, but that they had already happened. Thats why there are so many similarities between the myths and the Bible, and the myths stopped being told once Jesus actually came.

Answer 3

Look up the word "doublethink" on wikipedia. It's a term that best describes the "mentality" of rational, but religious people. It comes from the "1984" novel, by George Orwell.

Basically, it's a way of lying to yourself, and then forgetting that you lied to yourself. I've never been able to do it, personally.

Edit - And by the way... "Thou shalt have no other gods before me...." Uhm, hate to break it to you guys... but that sentence, by itself, PROVES that the Hebrews originally thought that there WERE other gods... IE: the pagan mythological gods that you now scoff at.

Originally, the writers of your own bible believed in those same mythologies. If you turn off your doublethink long enough, this will make perfect sense to you...

Answer 4

In the end, it boils down to one thing. You will only believe it out of faith. I know I can not bring you back to the creation of the world and show you its creation.

In the same way, an evolutionist cannot show you evolution. Oh, sure he has his graphs and his rock layers and all, but that can be easily explained from the Creationist view as well. How can an atheist believe in evolution? Only by faith.

(For a definition of faith, check out Hebrews 11:1; There is also a yahoo Q. on what Faith is)

Answer 5

The difference is that some beliefs are true and others false. It really doesn't take much faith to be a Christian. There is evidence everywhere. Most people just choose to overlook the evidence. It really takes much more faith to be an atheist.

Answer 6

I see no answer that includes this, so i would be happy to shed some mild on the venture. The previous testomony rules, maximum human beings of that are written out interior the e book of Leviticus, have been given to the Isrealites, with tips from God. God needed his human beings to be outstanding from the society that they got here from (Egypt) and the pagan societies of the land they have been entering into (Canaan). each and each of those rules had a purpose in making the Isrealites a those that replaced into thoroughly become independent from different societies. some even had different purposes, as maximum human beings might logically assume, alongside with ingesting beef to evade tapeworms. on the venture of why the Isrealites weren't allowed to consume beef, the backside that outlawed it is contained in right here verse: "you're able to be able to consume any animal that has a chop up hoof thoroughly divided and that chews the cud." Leviticus 11:3 (NIV). This verse made sparkling what (terrestrial) animals have been allowed to be eaten. beef replaced into then fantastically given as an occasion of what to no longer consume in this verse: "And the pig, even with the indisputable fact that it has a chop up hoof thoroughly divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you." Leviticus 11:7 (NIV) Shellfish weren't precise, yet have been nonetheless outlawed, as expressed in those verses: "Of each and all the creatures residing interior the water of the seas and the streams, you're able to be able to consume any that have fins and scales. yet all creatures interior the seas or streams that have not have been given fins and scales--no remember if between each and all the swarming issues or between all the different residing creatures interior the water--you're to loathe. and because you're to loathe them, you mustn't consume their meat and you ought to loathe their carcasses." Leviticus 11:9-11

Answer 7

Because all those old pagan gods are "dead" (they were never actually "alive" to begin with). There is definitely one God who created the entire universe and everything in it - that in itself is proof of His existence. Just in case that weren't enough for you, there are the testimonies of everyone who's ever had a personal experience through prayer with God. Prayer is not one-way communication; it's two-way. That's the main difference between the "gods of gold, silver, wood and stone" that "hear not, see not, and perceive [sic] not" and the Living God who sees, hears, and communicates with humanity.
One of the main evidences for God's existence is in the changed lives of those who follow Him. Drunkards, atheists and prostitutes are transformed into law-abiding, peaceful, upstanding citizens completely outside of their own control. No other religion on Earth can claim that ability. Also, the existence of Love is another evidence for His existence, since God is Love. No other religion on Earth claims that their god is Love; in fact, many of their gods are distant and loveless. Have you ever heard that "Allah is Love"? Of course not. The Muslims believe that Allah is a distant god who is capricious in his dealing with the human race, who randomly punishes or rewards people at will so there is no personal love toward his creation. Muslims worship him out of fear, not out of love.

Answer 8

If you understand the Whole concept of "I just have faith" then understand to have a relationship with the "living God" who want to have a realationship with you...

Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children – this was his pleasure and purpose.”

you were made for his pleasure.

Answer 9

I believe that God is the one true God, above all others.

In the 10 commandments, it says not to have any other Gods before Him.

So if people were and are worshipping those others you mentioned, would that make them real?

I think it does to God. Anything we put before His headship, is another god.

Answer 10

Those mythologies couldn't be proven, but the Bible can be proven. Also, Jesus was an actual historical person who could be spoken to and touched. Zeus was not an historical person, he was a statue.