Why won't christians study the roots of their religion, instead of just studying their religion?

Question

I've noticed that there are a lot of 'biblical' scholars floating around YA and among the general population, and even though they say they've studied the bible in Greek, Aramic, Hebrew and even Coptic, they always fail to find out how the religion was formed. Simply reading the Tanakh and comparing it to the OT of the bible clearly shows that the bible is a manipulation of the original words and stories, and uses scriptures out of context to identify Jesus as the messiah. If you study something that has such a big impact on your life and the life of others, don't you think you owe it to yourself and the people around you to be semi-thorough about the beliefs you're pushing on them? Why won't Jesus' followers find out if what he says matches what was written? Why won't they look at their religion's history?

Almost forgot... getting all your answers from christian resources is not a legitimate research. How would you know your barber or hairstylist wasn't overcharging you for lousy service if you only went to that barber/hairstylist or other shops owned by the same people?

Or take ciggarettes for example. Did you really trust them when they said they weren't addictive and didn't cause cancer? If all your info comes from the tobacco industry, you'll always think they're perfectly healthy, and maybe even good for you!

Hillbilly, I'm talking about the OT, and have you forgotten that Jesus was a Jew, his mother and father were Jews, and he said himself that he came for the lost sheep of Israel and didn't cast his pearls to swine or give his childrens bread to the dogs. I don't want to insult you, but please read the question again, and see if you can understand what I'm saying and what I'm asking.

Serena and Wendy, I'm not asking you to do it for me... I've already done it. No one lead me to it, I had questions that needed answers and went looking for them.

I'm asking you to do it for yourself. You think you understand the history of your religion, but you really don't. You can't understand christianity without understanding Judaeism, the religion from which it sprung. At the very least, take the quotes the gospels use to identify Jesus as the prophecied messian and look them up, read the passages the quotes are in. Find out for yourself why the Jews didn't accept him, instead of just pushing the zombie button in your mind and believing everything you're told.

Wendy, I don't mean to pick on you, but if your boss was a known terrorist, you may not want to continue working for him, regardless of how big the pay raise was. In the end, you end up just as wrong as he is, and are just as hated when the press gets hold of the story.

JohnfromNC, the fact that it survived so long is not a major accomplishment, there are several religions just as old and older that have survived. All it means is that people still take this stuff for truth and are too superstitious to learn the truth and accept it.

Guess what, I know your god is a load of crap, and Jesus is dead as the nails they hung him up with. Jesus was not the son of god, nor was he the first to be called the son of god. There's nothing original about Jesus, not even his name.

What's sad is that you can't see through the smoke and mirrors because you're too afraid to step out of it long enough to see clearly. Yeshua means Joshua, but the Greeks chose Jesus instead of Joshua because they knew they were full of sh*t. There's a reason the Jews don't accept him... perhaps you should find out why.

Answer 1

Quite simply because they are afraid of what they will find. Some have done a little research, and it has shaken their faith enough to where they didn't go digging too deep again. Many theists know in the back of their mind that there is a real possibility that their religion is false. They don't want to face that.

Answer 2

If the Bible was impacting people in a way that was offencive and detrimental, then I would agree completely. I just wonder, why anyone would want to take something, such as religion, which brings people great joy, happiness, and freedom, and question it. With all the anger, hatred, and selfish thinking in the world today, why pick on something that is decent and has a generally good premise.

Go ahead, you can call me ignorant, but since I have found God, I am happier, forgiving, and look outward to help others. Before I was selfish and suffering. I have no desire to question it. Why would I? Life is so much better.

It's like getting a gigantic pay raise, but wanting to know your bosses background and high school GPA first.

I also do not read all the ingredients on the ice cream I eat. It's tasty and makes me (and others) smile. Why mess with a good thing?

Answer 3

The only history needed is Christ risen. Those who saw it, preached it and recorded it. They gave their lives for the gospel. Would you give your life for a lie if you knew it was a lie? No one would.

As far as your flawed reasoning for studying sources that has the sole purpose of tearing it down, no. Old news. Every argument has been made. There is nothing new to add. If scripture has stood this long against the reasoning of philosophers, against the findings of science and the ramblings of men, then there is nothing that can stop the truth. God's word speaks into the lives of millions. That's living evidence. You're looking at it from a skeptics point of view but those who have had their lives dramatically changed will not want to listen to some angry, bitter men argue why their philosophies are better than the living word of God. Especially when you see the results of the godless right in front of you. All you have to do is open your ears and listen. Anger, bitterness and fear is what I usually hear. No thanks.

Answer 4

You seem to think that the basis of the Christian faith is the bible, when it most certainly is not.

The Christian faith is based on the living God, who personally founded an authentic and powerful, living Church.

Evidently, you're too smart to figure that out, and they probably forgot to explain it in the Tanakh.

Answer 5

The spread of Chistianity

The Mithraic sun cult was still holding sway over Christians in Rome in the first three centuries AD. In fact emperor Constantine never abandoned sun worship and kept the sun on his coins. He retained the title of Pontifex Maximus, high priest of the heathen state religion. The pagan festival of the birthday of the sun: Sol Invictus, on December 25th at the winter stolstice, was adopted as the birthday of Jesus. The pagan custom was to cut green branches and hanging little lights on them. Our Christmas tree! At that occasion presents were given in the god's name.
The ancient sign of life, the ankh, known for thousands of years, was transformed into the Christian cross; the figure of Isis nursing her child Horus, Isis Lactans, became the figure of Virgin Mary with Jesus at her breast .
The weekly day devoted to Sol, Sunday, replaced the Jewish sabbath on Saturday.
Existing devil-sacrifices were replaced by processions in a saint's honor, with an offering of oxen to the glory of God.

With the council of Nicea in 325 under emperor Constantine the Christian doctrine became crystalized. Gnostic and other deviant views were banned. Only the accepted canonical scriptures were tolerated, the other apocryphal works were destined to go into oblivion.
Newly conceived ideas of 'church' (ecclesia), 'faith' and 'religio', religious practices, structural organization with various ecclestical levels were introduced to make it an institution which could be manipulated by whatever state accepted its practice to keep their people under control.

After Constantine emperor Theodosus I made Christianity into a state religion in 392 AD. Pagan worship was banned thereafter and persecuted. Christians who did not agree with the Nicene Creed were forcefully converted or slaughtered. In 401 AD Mary was declared to be the Virgin Mother.

Around the year 500 another surge of expectation of the end of the world roused the emotions. It would not be the only instance in the centuries to follow.

From the fifth century onward traces of paganism were erased radically. Existing customs were converted into Christian practices: worship of saints and martyrs, instead of the ancient gods, pilgrimages to their tombs, incense burning, exorcisms and prophecies, became part of Christian life.

Alas, the new religion brought no peace. Armies still fought wars. There was hardly any social reform. The distinction between classes only grew. So did inequality in distribution of wealth.

The Church acquired more and more possessions and grew to a powerful institution. Religious intolerance was greater than ever before.

It also became the first Middle Eastern independent systematical religious organisation. Centuries later it served to be an appealing model in the formation of that other great religion: Islam.

Answer 6

not everyone is like that. in my religion class, we not only study the fundamental beliefs of christians, we aslo study how christianity was started. i am a seventh day adventist and in my class we are currently studying the beginnings of the seventh day adventist church. before that we were studying the start of christianity itself.

think about what you say cause you cant put one group of people into the same box. we all think and act differently, not everyone is the same.

Answer 7

Mainly because the manuscripts you are talking about, concerning "religion's history" are not, in themselves reliable. You don't seem to have studied deeply enough yourself. The Tanakh is only for the Jewish people. Our "New Testament" came later. Some of the old manuscript pieces found around the dead sea are suspect. God bless.

Answer 8

I know the roots of my church. Jesus Christ established my church and put it into the hands of Peter to lead. That church is still going as strong today as it was over 2000 years ago.

One - There is only one church, no matter how wounded and fractured.
Holy - It has been set aside by God for his own purposes.
Catholic - It is a universal church; its message is for all peoples in all times and places.
Apostolic - It is the direct and complete successor to the church established by Christ and His apostles.

And the church will stand until the end of time. That church that Christ established is the Holy Catholic Church

Answer 9

The history of Christianity is not exaclty bathed in glory. Blood maybe, glory no. Much doctrine is based on dogmatic power struggles and a desire to aggrandise wealth (for goodness sake, the Catholic church for centuries sold indulgences - money for forgiveness).

Based on its history, christianity is brutish, ignorant and immoral.

Answer 10

Have you studied the Rabbinical writings related to the Messiah? You might be surprised at what characteristics they expected to see when he arrived.