If it's old, it's true?

Question

If there was a guy today who claimed to be the Prophet/Messiah/Son of God/etc., there's no way in hell anyone would believe him or her. What makes now different? Do you believe in the biblical stories/Muslim prophecies just because they happened a long time ago, therefore they must be true? What is so much more believable about something that took place 2000 years ago? If Jesus came back, you'd all say he was a lunatic and you'd lock him up like that. Can we discuss this, or can someone explain please?

Damn. I meant to put this in R&S.

Answer 1

I agree that today if some hippy claimed to be Jesus, he would be dismissed as a nut case. David Koresh claimed to be a prophet and that god spoke to him. He was criticized as a religious fanatic, but who knows, maybe in a few hundred years there'll be large religion called Koreshians. Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon religion, claimed that god spoke to him. Today, the Mormon Church is huge and Joseph Smith is a "Latter Day Saint", but many religions consider the Mormon faith a mere cult.

Ever notice when the history of Greece is discussed, terms like "mythical Greek Gods" or "Greek mythology" are used. In times of ancient Greece, their Gods were as real as Jesus and Mohammad are today. However, since we humans are "wiser", the ancient Greek religion is now a myth. Maybe in a couple of thousand years Christianity and Islam will be referred to as ancient, mythical beliefs (but I doubt it).

If Christianity hadn't been adopted as the official religion of the Roman Empire, which controlled all of Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, and the Middle East, who knows what religion would be practiced today. During the height of the Roman Empire, you were a Christian, or you were fed to the lions, so people really didn't have a choice. Paganism and other religions went underground, and most simply fell into obscurity.

You seem to be questioning the authenticity of the Bible and the Koran, which I think is good. We shouldn't just blindly accept it all as fact. Both books are filled with valuable life lessons, but there are other vengeful writings that shouldn't be taken seriously. They were written at a time when it was believed that fear was the best motivator.

Christians practiced vengeful acts of evil upon non-believers during the Crusades. The Christian faith has since evolved to a peaceful, passive religion. Unfortunately, today, some Muslims are interpreting the Koran literally and conducting their own version of the Crusades.

Personally, I think organized religion has done more harm than good. However, I think religion on an individual level has helped many people to live a better life and give them solace in times of adversity.

Answer 2

Jesus, if He is God, as I believe, wouldn't let anyone lock him up. He would establish His kingdom by brute force, just like He said He would do in the end (Revelation). If I believed every old story, than that would mean I believed every Greek, Egyptian, and Roman myth as well. I don't believe in them. According to the book of Revelation there is a man coming who will claim to be God, and the world will believe him because God will grant him supernatural power to do signs and wonders. He is called the Antichrist. He hasn't come yet, but according to Revelation, he's on his way. Many Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Some of them were just fulfilled. Jesus didn't have anything to do with those. There are many good reasons to think that the Bible came from a Source that wasn't human. It is far more advanced than what they had back then morally, psychologically, scientifically, etc. It really is an amazing book. There's no way it was made up by man.

Answer 3

If most people are confronted by something that is "out of the norm" so to speak, their minds are slammed closed to what it could be past what they believe it to be. In other words way too many people are just not open minded to that which they cannot explain scientifically, however, most of these close minded persons have no problem believing in or quoting from the Bible, a text written by men whose word you are taking as fact when they tell you this is Gods Book. I find irony in that.

Answer 4

what yare you talking about , thats how people treated jesus too...many people do claim to be prophets and messiahs and whatnot, and most get followers. the only reason jesus has so many is because hes been around long enough to gain more. in thousands of years from now that one dude who killed himself and all those other people in the 80s could have a huge religion too, it just takes a long time.

Answer 5

Try replacing "If it's old, it's true" with "If it's valid, it endures." Jesus did not proclaim himself the Son of God, His contemporaries did. The teachings in any of the ancient religious texts were guides on how to live life and love God. That's what Jesus did. Why would we lock him up?

Answer 6

I think people were more religous/spirtual in the past and believed in super-natural things! Although they had their limits. They locked up Jesus back then and if Jesus was on earth in 2007 he would be locked up quick smart

Answer 7

The birth and life of Jesus changed the world. That's a pretty good indication that there was something different about him. Nobody in history has changed history as much.

Answer 8

the bible also tells us that as all the nations turn on Israel and are about to POUNCE with there armies, our GOD will intervene and his name shall be on EVERYONE's lips and everyone will know it is the TRUE living GOD.

We may or may not see in our lifetime because the same sourse says the end will come as a thief in the night.

Answer 9

What is old is true and what true is new. Now here is the kicker.... What is new ,true and old has always been. :):):)