whenver i tell a person about jesus' miracles, they dont believe it, because tehre is no proof, it just people making up stuff about him and writing it down. if thats the case, then how do we know jesus even existed? im catholic btw so im a believer.
2007-01-17 03:53:34 · 32 answers · asked by Zero 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
im not doubting jesus' existance, i know he existed. we also know its common truth that he existed, whether ur religious or not. with that said, it should also be common truth that he did miracles,
2007-01-17 04:10:21 · update #1
We don't. The writings about him are all in question. I personally suspect he was likely just a ancient version of Benny Hinn or David Koresh, but then it is also possible the entire thing was made up.
2007-01-17 03:59:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The evidence points to a source of the stories about Jesus. There may have been more than one "Jesus" that those stories are based on, there may be historical figures that lived much earlier than the supposed life of the bible Jesus that some of the teachings or activities are based on. We can never really know because the 4th century "Church Fathers" destroyed any earlier documents that may have shed any light onto who the historical Jesus may or may not have been in favor of the edited and rewritten Gospels ordered by the pagan Emperor Constantine to consolidate his grip of power on the Roman Empire with his man made Roman Universal or "Catholic" Church.
BTW I was raised as a Catholic but then I found out the real history of the church. The Spanish Inquisition was most fascinating.
2007-01-17 04:07:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The truth is that we don't know for certain that Jesus even existed. There is very little extra-biblical evidence. If you believe, and it gives you comfort and hope and a sense of moral purpose, that's a good thing.
People believe all sorts of things, most of them beneficial. We humans need to operate on the basis of belief, whether that belief be in God, or science, or the basic good will of humanity. It's that belief that makes society possible.
It's often extremely difficult to persuade people that our beliefs are absolutely true, and we humans tend to think that those who do not believe what we believe are somehow opposed to us, but this is usually not the case.
2007-01-17 04:07:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We don't know. But I do believe there was a man named Jesus (well Yeshua or whatever, but don't get off track here). Now the new testament was written approx. 80-100 A.D. I'm guessing after everyone who knew Jesus died. This means that it's likely the stories were exaggerated by this point. Next people starting realizing people would pay to get rid of their sins, but they wouldn't just pay another man, so again the story of Jesus gets exaggerated. This is what I think, again there is no proof, but there is signs of this if you look through the history of Christianity.
I usually just say Jesus was an over exaggerated rabbi.
2007-01-17 04:00:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Existence and pulling off miracles aren't really comparable.
Did Paul Bunyan really exist? Was he a giant with a big blue ox as his best friend? Could he chop down trees with the single swing of a axe?
The stories of Paul Bunyan are written in a book. What makes his existence or feats less believable than those of Jesus?
2007-01-17 03:59:02 · answer #5 · answered by wheresdean 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We know that He existed because there is mountains of historical evidence (and I'm not referring to the Bible).
For a good example, check out C.S. Lewis's book "Mere Christianity." He set out to disprove Christianity and researched the historical record, coming to a realization that not only did Jesus really did exist, but people believed what He said during the time that He lived.
Anyone who tells you He didn't live is ignorant of the facts.
But it's relatively simple to prove that He was actually alive on the planet. No serious scholar doubts His existence. The real question is do you believe that He is who He said He is?
2007-01-17 04:02:04 · answer #6 · answered by Peter B 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The evidence for the Bible is multiple scriptures that were written by different authors at different periods of time, yet they all had the same message. There is no other book in the world that can make that claim.
BTW, there really isn't any dispute of substance about the fact that Jesus was a real person who lived about 2000 years ago. It is recorded on non-religious documents as well as scriptural.
2007-01-17 04:01:01 · answer #7 · answered by Nancy O 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think if you look through my old answers I do question rather he did.
It is not a really extraordinary claim that there was a man with that name, so it doesn't need much evidence. The miracles need a lot more. So it would be easy to say he was real, and not God's son.
If I said I was a human, you would probably buy that. If I said I was really the alien from the Flintstones, you would have a few questions
2007-01-17 03:59:09 · answer #8 · answered by Alex 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Exactly... we have no proof Jesus ever existed.
If we can prove he existed then you still need to prove, among other things:-
* that he was the Son of God (which requires proof that God exists)
* that he performed miracles (which you have just stated cannot be proved)
* that he was resurrected after death (tricky one)
As an atheist I have no problem with the fact that Jesus existed- I'm happy to accept there once was a guy called Jesus who preached kindness and passive resistance, much like Gandhi did. No doubt he could have been arrested and crucified as a trouble-maker. But the existence of such a man doesn't prove God exists. There are many great men in history who have had numerous false stories woven around their lives - every time the story is told something is added or exaggerated and there is no evidence to suggest that Jesus is any different.
2007-01-17 03:57:39 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
Well, actually, we don't know he existed. There seems to be some other historical support for such a person, but there isn't any proof. I don't doubt that there was a charismatic teacher who inspired people to write the Bible, though. The fact that so many people wrote about him is good support that he existed, but still, not proof.
2007-01-17 03:58:19 · answer #10 · answered by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, we aren't 100% sure he did exist. I'll buy that he existed. But remember, anything written about him was written at least 30-40 after he died. So accuracy is called into question.
I believe that George Washington existed, I do not believe he cut down a cherry tree and said "I cannot tell a lie". See how that works?
2007-01-17 03:58:22 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋