Christians - why are you so confident in the bible?

Question

There are a lot of arguments on here about the bible's validity but what I'd like to know is where people got this idea that the bible is holy and authoritative. Ok, it's an old book, but being old doesn't make it true. Ok, there were a lot of contributors, but still that doesn't make it true. A lot of people believe it's great and that's traditional, but still doesn't make it true. Parents pass it on to children as they do a lot of other knowledge; I think you know where I'm going with this. If my parent told me not to touch fire because it would be bad, I could just go touch it anyway and feel how bad it was. We can't time travel to see the bible's stories with our own senses. So what's with this absolute and certain belief some people seem to have? Is it just that there are some nice ideas in there that help people cope and help society function? If so why are some people so closed to debate and so certain they are right?

Thank you for the thoughtful answers given so far explaining your reasons for making a leap of "faith". I'd like to reply to some of the others:

"Athiests, why are you so confident of what happens when you die..." I'm agnostic. Meaning, I don't know the meaning of life and I can't hope to be the first human in history to figure it out definitively, but I suspect and hope that there's something greater than us out there. If Jesus exists and is such a great guy, then he'd surely understand why I lived my life the way I do given the information I have.

"I'm not closed to debate, I just won't agree with anything you say different to my beliefs" I think that means you are closed to debate...

"...Therefore, we must only believe what is happening right now." Well, yes. I am not completely certain that history is accurate either. I wouldn't bet my life (or afterlife) on those individual facts.

Answer 1

Good questions. Implicit in your question is a certain way of ascertaining truth. Would I be correct in saying that your way of ascertaining truth is through empirical evidence? Scientific method? In other words, "proof?"

If so, I think that is only one slice of Truth. However, since I'm sure you don't want me to dance around your question, I will try to address it head on.

Jesus made a claim to be the son of God, as well as one-in-being with God. He also performed many miracles, including raising from the dead. Why do we believe this? Because many, many people gave testimonies that they witnessed these things. They had no self-interest in giving such testimonies. They saw what they saw. This was not just one group of people with an agenda, conspiring to tell about miracles. These were scores of people from different towns, racial groups, and even religions (Samaritans, Romans, Pharisees, pagans, etc all gave similar testimonies about Jesus)

The bible is not just a religious book, but also a historical document. Much of it, in terms of historical facts (Roman Emperors, Jewish politics, etc), is categorically affirmed by outside, secular scholarship. Thus, what the bible says about the presence of Jesus in the world has to have at least the same amount of historical credibility as any documents written at that time which we also take as history (accounts of Alexander the Great, Roman history, etc).

This leads me to my central point. If there are historical claims in the bible of many different people seeing Jesus perform miracles, and Jesus affirmed the validity of the Old Testament Scriptures as well as the monotheistic nature of God, we see the bible as more than just human. Since eyewitnesses of the day saw things about Jesus which proved he was way more than human, we are more inclined to believe He was supernatural. And if He was indeed supernatural, and even the son of God, we can believe scripture, since he confirmed and fulfilled it.

Lastly, many of the claims that the early believers made of seeing Jesus' miraculous power, are identical and paralell to the effect Jesus has in present-day time. Non-believers who have no interest in Jesus, and no reason to seek him, make convincing claims to have felt His presence, had miracles performed on them, and otherwise do the very same things he was said to have done in the bible. So it is present-day evidence confirming the "old documents" of the bible.

You should read a book called "Traveling Mercies." It's about a woman named Anne Lamott who was a very left-wing, progressive woman and hated even hearing about Jesus, and how she came to become a believer. She has a very convincing testimony. Thanks and God Bless.

Answer 2

Your reasoning lacks sense. You reason that because we cannot go back in time that we cannot validate the "stories" in the Bible. Going by that philosophy, then we cannot really prove that the Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution, Or the Gettysburg Address are real either. In fact, we cannot prove that anything that happened yesterday really did happen, regardless to how many witnesses that there are, because we cannot travel back in time to tomorrow and prove it. Therefore, we must only believe what is happening right now. That would be foolish!

One must accept the ancient writings of the Scriptures as historically accurate, because of the multiple witnesses of the same accounts. If one were to go to court and present their evidence for their case and have three or four witnesses that corroborated their story, the court would rule that the facts are as stated based upon the testimonies. The four Gospels are a perfect example of corroboration of witnesses. Three of the four writers were eyewitnesses and the fourth was a deposition taken by Luke. Hence the Bible account of Jesus Christ is fact.

In the Old Testament, we see the same corroboration by authors. Through the generations, many men witnessed the same things.

The Jewish historian Josephus also documents Jewish history that parallels the Scripture.

Aside from this, the Bible predicts future events, and we can read about these events and see them unfold in this present time, and in the future.

Perhaps you are not Spiritually discerned, and are unable to comprehend God’s Inspiration of the Bible, but only a fool could deny the accuracy of the Bible. Remember, “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God” – Proverbs 14:1

Answer 3

The view of a scientist, who also is a Christian -

The belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God has to be taken on faith. There is no way to prove that this is true scientifically or philosophically. It *must* be taken on faith.

I obtained my faith merely by reading the bible. It's pretty amazing that someone as skeptical as I could arrive at such faith, but it is the case. I have read the bible at least 6 times cover to cover. It took 2 or 3 before my faith became firm.

There *are* some reasons for believing that the bible is true. Note that these are by no means *conclusive*. As I said, it must be accepted on faith that the bible is true in whole. Nevertheless, it is simply amazing that so many real, scientific archaeological finds corroborate what is written in the bible. There are few or none (none that *I* know) that refute what has been written in the bible. That is pretty good circumstantial evidence that the bible is "true"!

Of course, the response to that is "the bible is just history ". But that's the point! If archaeology supports the bible, without exception, as an accurate historical text, then isn't it likely to be entirely accurate? Like I said, this is hardly conclusive, but it *is* persuasive.

One final point: that thing about your parents telling you not to touch fire? They *were* right, weren't they? Likewise you can refuse to believe the bible. If you do, what happens when you discover you are wrong?


A famous philosophical analysis:

IF the bible is *true*, AND you *follow* its instructions, then you will live a less-entertaining few years on earth followed by an eternity of paradise.

IF the bible is *false*, AND you *follow* its instructions, then you will live a less-entertaining few years on earth followed by death.

IF the bible is *false*, AND you *ignore* its instructions, then you will live a more-entertaining few years on earth followed by death.

IF the bible is *true*, AND you *ignore* its instructions, the you will live a more-entertaining few years on earth follwed by an eternity of torture in hell.

What's your best bet?

Jim

Answer 4

When you read a good book, do you imagine the characters and what they look like? Do you see the pages come to life like a movie in your head? I read a lot and when I read that is what happens to me..When I read the Bible it also translates into the stories and I can see them happening and imagine what it must have been like.

The Bible, is a very accurate Historical reference whether or not you chose to believe the overall theme of it (God). There are wars that happened, chronologies of Kings and Rulers that existed. The Old Testmant is literally a history of the jewish religion. The New Testmant was written within appox 20 years of Christs death, so the authors of the Gosples actual interviewed numerous eyewitnesses who saw the things that occoured... The Bible, is one of the only books that they are continually finding historical artifacts to prove its exsistence rather than to disprove. They have found numerous cities and places that are described acurately in the Bible. Plus, why would these men and women be willing to die for something that was a lie? Something that never supposedly happened in their lifetime, people started dying for Christ within several years of his death...why would any one in their right mind suffer a horrible death such being beheaded or crucified if it never happened?
The Bible, like the Quran is a foundation for our religious beliefs...however, it was written in a much more timely fashion than the Quran..Years and Years did not go by between events and their recordings.

I would strongly recommend reading a book that shows a lot of proofs that the Bible is a legitimate book (more specifically the New Test). The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel...This is not a right wing fundamentalist book, it was written by a man who was searching for answers he was an investigative journalist...now he is a pastor based upon Facts that he found. It is really a unique book, and it would really answer a lot if not all of your questions from a logical not a religious point of view.
I may be a Christian, but I like to use my brain and I like to ask why and this book really provided me a lot of answers to the why's and how's....So hopefully you are open minded and you will check it out, I know that Barnes and Noble has it (I was there today). I think you will find that this book is a truly great debate between a non- believer and people who believe who are archaeologists, historians, professors etc.
It convinced me.
Sorry of any spelling errors, spell check is running really slow and I know there are a couple of typos...have a nice night

Answer 5

Why would anyone have a hard time with God created the world in 6 days and then flooded the entire place 1900 or so years later

That the all inspired god who takes credit for the bible (through huuman secraties of course) forgot to mention any daughters - Adam Eve - Cain Able later Seth

No daughters (god forgot ) and yet children continued anyway

That god confused peoples launguage because of a tower being built at the time - He disaproved of this tower and leapt into action -scattering people all over the earth and making sure they couldn't talk to each other again -

Or that god later sent Jonah into the belly of a whale - That teach em -

then later has a talk with Moses in a desert and on a mountain etc - where he and a million other Israelites wondered for 40 yrs This desert was half the size of a small US State at the time but no questions about how this million man Israelite team did it - Ever

But then god got fed up with that bunch and came up with the following plan for mankind everywhere -

Have a son and then get him tacked to a tree in order to save the entire planet


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Why on earth do you have a hard time believeing gods simple truth young lady ? What is wrong with you ?

You know jesus loves you and thats why if you continue to ask questions like this he is going to have to send you to the place of eternal fire and punishment ?

You don't want that after god the father had his son tacked to a tree just for you ?

Now go thank jesus for getting tacked to a tree and then getting untacked from said tree and not to burn you alive for all eternity

Answer 6

Why am I so confident in the Bible? I'll tell you why.

It is a Book of absolute truth in a world of relativism.

It is a Book that Roman Emperor Diocletian thought he had succeeded in destroying, but we still have it today.

It is a Book that Joseph Stollard (Russian communist) could not get rid of.

It is a Book that has mended broken families.

It is a Book that has changed prostitutes into Holy women of God, and drunks into loving husbands and fathers.

It is the Book that has changed my life, and though all may try and assault this Book and prove it wrong, after all the smoke has settled (and that’s all your skepticism and criticism of the Bible is, mere smoke), it will still be standing.

Answer 7

wow i have a pretty good answer for you actually..my answer is from a similar question that was proposed, so some of it might not make sense:


OMG..don't you all see that having so many different versions of the Bible indicates a corrupt religion? Many authors, editors, revisers, etc. of the Bible only changed/deleted/added verses to appeal to Christians so they would remain faithful (in other words through lies) and to appeal to people who are interested in converting (the same way). Converting through lies and putting in what people WANT to hear is corrupt. For all we know, the all-loving peaceful Bible could have had some ugly verses that were deleted or replaced with more peaceful ones so that Christianity could not look like a culprit or evil religion in the future. CORRUPTION! For all sixty-six or so versions of the bible, money is an inevitable thing to be easily made--and with so many different bibles, it is hard to know which one to go by and which different “interpretation” to follow.

An imperfect, flawed religion indicates that it is disqualified as being the true religion.


When you said, "I think people are seeing the question they want to asnwer, not asnwering what has been asked..."

Well, that’s kind of like the Christians changing the Bible into what they want their religion to be like (aka allowing more freedoms, making bad deeds seem less impactful, etc.), not seeking the truth or caring about what is really meant for them.

The Bible was once beautiful, but it was changed and adulterated, and therefore lost all its beauty to the greedy “converters” who wanted to win converts or strengthen weak followers by releasing new editions and versions of the Bible that sounded appealing or adhered to the potential convert’s or weak follower’s likes, and get as many converts by any means--even if it means lying or taking advantage of the situation and circumstances.

Answer 8

I am confident in the Bible because I read it and know what it is talking about. I look into the events that happen and see why there are apparent inaccuracies that are actually able to be lined up if you look at the research. I try to find what the original language meant to the original people and actively study the Bible and how it applies. I also know that it is the most complete ancient text from as far back as we have with the fewest inaccuracies.

Answer 9

well, it's faith. i'm not christian. i have read the bible 5 times in my life, and attended catholic school for 10 years. to me, it's just a bookt o help guide our lives. but it's faith. sometimes i feel like i'd like to have blind faith and trust, but i dont.

what it comes down to is about 1500 years ago or so when the new testiment was being created, people feared a lot in the world, so they clung to the book. it's been a handed down tradition, and for people raised with the belief, it's hard to think something different.

there's nothin wrong with believing in it, and there's nothing wrong with being skeptical. the only thing that's wrong is using it to condemn people, and using it as a weapon. if people can get past that, it can teach us a lot about how to live.

Answer 10

If one TRULY wants an answer to this, one need only read it to discover its wisdom, practical for any group of any era, including today. When the council is applied, ones life and situation improves. A solid basis for hope is truly realized when one gets acquainted with the personality of God. The only way to do so is to explore its pages. He reveals the many facets of His personality, shown in many ways. His grand plan to "get us back on track" is explained in the Bible's theme: The kingdom of God; His instrument being used today, to teach all mankind, warn of its impending peril, and provide refuge under the tutelage of His now-reigning king, Jesus Christ, known as the "Great Teacher".