ATHEISTS: If Jesus appeared before you today, what would it take for you to believe that He is the son of God?

Question

Jack - That would be nice, as it would probably eliminate a lot of the animosity between atheists and Christians, but then we'd just be a bunch of robots without the ability to make our own decisions. God doesn't want followers who don't want Him; that's the whole reason He chose to give us free will in the first place. He gave us as much capacity for love as he did for hate; it's up to us to decide which side we lean toward.

Answer 1

Ever wonder why he doesn't appear?

If there were a god and evidence that he existed, I'd believe in him. I'm pretty consistent that way - I believe in trees and cars and mountains and the wind and love and the United States government and the Leaning Tower of Pisa and all that kind of thing. "God" doesn't fit in that category, as there's no evidence that he exists. If there were such evidence, obviously I'd believe in him, just like I do for all of the other things for which there is evidence.

This really isn't that complicated - I don't know why believers have so much trouble understanding it.

Answer 2

Well, objectively, he would have to have some singular characteristic that is exclusive to a being who actually is the son of God.

Your "If" predicates that the basic condition of actually existing needn't be fulfulled. So, what is left? Well, he'd have to explain to me all the contradictions in the Bible, how God can be good and torture those he loves, why all the other gods aren't real, why there's dinosaur bones older than creation is supposed to be, why dogs DON'T go to Heaven, why he's responsible for freeing humanity from the stain of original sin, which, isn't even just or fair to begin with (and as an added bonus...why is child birth still painful!?!?!). Then he'd have to heal my dog's gimpy leg.

Answer 3

He wouldn't have to appear to me. This is what he should do. Give everyone a message mentally, but say their name, before the message. Example. "Calvin, this is Jesus talking. Believe in me, and you shall be saved".

Now, if I talk to my neighbor, and my friends and relatives, and they all heard the same message in their heads, I would believe.

A year ago, I was sleeping, and there was an earthquake. I woke up, wondering if that was really an earthquake I just felt. Everyone else woke up, and went outside of our building. Everyone felt it, confirming to me, that there really was an earthquake.

It would be so simple for Jesus to prove he is real. But I guess Christians would like to believe in a God who expects blind faith. A God who want's us to believe in a book written by men.

Catholic, Protestant, Born Again, Mormon. Even those who believe in the Bible, can't agree with each other.

Answer 4

It shouldn't be too difficult. If the God of Christianity exists, and the entire story about Jesus--including the promise that He will appear again--is truth... a man who is reputed to heal the cripples and raise the dead is not going to have any problem coming up with something convincing.

Answer 5

actual everyone has their very own motives and to nicely known the respond you will could ask each and every non christian interior the international, so i'm going to talk for myself; as a Muslim I do have self assurance in Jesus in simple terms such as you different than the area the place you call him God, or Son of God, or make him equivalent to God in any way, it is not through fact i replaced into born Muslim (in simple terms 4 years in the past i replaced into almost an atheist and had no pastime in faith) yet after i began out looking into it i found out that the belief of an Almighty God who created the universe and existence with each and every thing in suited proportions completely made experience, yet to assert this way of super being like him degrades himself by using coming down between us and getting himself tortured to save us from a punishment that replaced into initially made by using HIM, permit's in simple terms say that made me one hundred% specific that Christianity isn't the wonderful way, on the different hand, in Islam we've self assurance that God forgives our sins basically by using asserting "that's forgiven"-- he's the guy who makes a decision what counts as a sin and what does not, and he's merciful adequate to forgive us in replace for not something yet our devotion, He neither desires sacrifices nor does he require blood to forgive us, God is greater than all that and he owns each and every thing interior the universe. I honestly produce different motives however the biggest factor is that I became a Muslim through fact it felt maximum sensible to me, i did not see a sizable Kabaa interior the sky or have visions approximately Allah My suggestion is which you TOO could additionally detect a extra acceptable reason to have self assurance in Jesus instead of a few Imaginations you observed (i don't intend to ridicule you yet you reported you have been six years old and it is strongly a risk which you in simple terms imagined what you think of you observed) the two that or discover something else to have self assurance in. peace

Answer 6

Queston One: How would HE prove HE's descended from GOD? Does HE have a photo of GOD in HIS wallet? And even if HE did, maybe HE just bought the wallet with the photo already in it...?

Since Jesus didn't speak English...I wouldn't understand a word he said, anyway, so how would I know it's HIM...does HE have a monogram on his robe or halo? A heavenly I.D. card...? A magical language translator box, perhaps?

How do I know his I.D. card's not fake...? Maybe it's The Devil (who also doesn't have an I.D. card or monogram on his pitchfork) that's appearing before me...or extraterrestrials...or other-dimensional impressionists who love fooling us poor mortals with their Jesus tricks (kinda like the church)...

Or my wiley ole' Grandma, who had the kind of sense of humor where it might just be her coming back to play a practical joke on me...?

How do I know it's not a high-tech holographic trick being pulled on me by WHOEVER...?
I hate to tell this pal, but just because a dude appears out of nowhere who died thousands of years ago and speaks to me in a fuzzy cloud of light, doesn't mean I instantly trust the damn thing...

It could be anything!

(these questions might seem silly to you, but...

The question I'm answering right now sounded just as silly, if not more so...

See my point...?!?

Answer 7

Hmm... for one I already believed he'd come to me w/o the fanfare but I'll bite regardless...

I'll ask if he's the second Buddha (the Maitreya figure) of east Asia or the Saoshyant (the savior in Zoroastrianism).

I'll also ask if either Paul (who BTW, had never met him) or the Councils of Constantine had misrepresented him in the canon.

You see, there are other perspectives on this matter. Yet, due to mainstream Christianity's imperialistic streaks, they assume that they have some sort of monopoly on it all.

Answer 8

I am not an Atheist. Even if Jesus did appear to anyone and could prove he was who he was, it would still take them having a personal revelation that he is the savior of the world, thru the Holy spirit, seeing isn't believing.

Answer 9

I am not exactly an athiest. But this is easy, just SHOW me. All I need is some tangible proof. Faith alone is not enough. And please, do NOT point at the Bible as proof. It was written down from word of mouth history many years after alleged events which hardly constitutes factual accounts. Show me proof worthy of a court of law.

Answer 10

Whether these atheists acknowledge it or not, it is written, "Every knee shall bow and asknowledge that He is the son of God" They will admit they were wrong, but by that time itt will be too late for them.