For Theists so Atheists can try and understand....?

Question

For thoes who think that the Bible is an actual account for human history, I have two things to ask of you:
1.) I would like to see some true facts (and no not the actual historic references of the Bible...but some actual concrete facts, has nothing to do with the Bible either. Also, this has nothing to do with Evolution or anything Atheist, so don't say "Where's the proof for etc. etc." OR say, "God SAID" and blah blah blah...)
2.) If your only reason is for the Bible, isn't it then possible for me to write a book, throw in a God, add a martyr and have him be followed by a bunch of ragtag followers, and add some various historic references of the Ancient World, then pass it on to my kids as fact? Or even to the wider world maybe? I'm asking you this in simple curiousity, would it happen? Doubt you will but please, think about it.

Thank you and please, logical and kind answers from BOTH sides of the picket fence.

The true facts that I want is this....Why do people have literal interpretations of the Bible (as in....Young Earth Creationists, Creationists in general...etc.) Why do they believe it other than what the Bible says...maybe I should have made that clearer...

History is written by the winners, so naturally history is quite biased on nearly everything...they shed some good light on some aspects of a time, not so much on the others...but WHY do people believe it's a history text?

Answer 1

I'm not a young earther, so I can't defend that set of beliefs. And there are lots of ways to justify not being a young earther, and be faithful to an understanding of the Bible, such as nobody really having a good handle on whether time as we understand it is subjective or objective, or whether its an artificial construct of man... so the time issue really isn't that important to me.

So to answer your questions:

1) I can't prove to you in a scientific way, forget historical, history is a totally subjective study that there is God. Absence of proof is not the same thing as there being no proof, as science proves over time and time again.

2) As I've told my evangelical friends, if your whole frame of belief rests in the Bible, you are in sad shape. It is like Blues music, to be true to it, to be good at it, you've gotta feel it, baby. And sure it's possible, Joe Smith did it, L Ron Hubbard did it, it has been done over and over throughout history, as a rule, those type of things don't stand the test of time.

The best thing I can tell you, Chris, is open your heart to the possibility, you don't have to buy all the dogma that the sects have tossed in to be a good Christian, in fact, organized religion has done more harm to true belief and faith than any of the Atheist bombthrowers ever could. If you open your mind and heart to God, you'll find that he fills you with all the proof you need. But, it is your path buddy, so as always, I'll tell you to be faithful to your own self, and ultimately, what happens will be what is meant to happen.

Answer 2

You are asking me to validate and prove the Bible to you. I can't. At least no more than any other historical piece of work. If you think about it, your argument could apply to any history text book in a school, to any historical document for that matter. You choose to believe some things without proof already, you just accept. I actually sought whether things in the Bible were true, I had an open mind and used faith. I found, truth. Seek and you will find.

Answer 3

well i personally believe, what makes someone christian, or jewish, or islam, or whatever is that there isn't proof, theres no facts we just believe, we have the faith. and the whole writing a new religion, l. ron hubbard already did that buddy. but scientology is just weird, its a science, not a religion. its more a cult, so i don't know what would happen if you just made up a god.
i just don't see why people need facts for everything. its a belief, like i said, faith, because there aren't concrete facts. but i do admire you for asking politely :]

ooh and about the history thing, you are right it is extremely biased. none of my history books have EVER said anything about how we, the us, locked up japanese people in camps during world war II for fear of them betraying us. funny, huh?

Answer 4

See, there's the thing. I'd never stop theists of any nature - and note to folks, it's not just Christians that do this - from bashing me with words. Clubs, fists, feet, yes. Words, no. I believe that only through true freedom of speech and expression can we all have an honest, growing debate, whether it be a religious one, a social one, a political one. If my non-belief system is so shaky that I need to start asking people not to say what they feel, I reckon I'm in trouble. "you're gonna burn in hell!" - Yeah, says you, NEXT! I'd rather not engage with those who express themselves in terms of hate, just because it's time-consuming and you feed them by giving them the credence of attention. Otherwise, come one, come all, bash what you like. Or indeed what you don't.

Answer 5

What is it that you want true facts about?

The places named in the Bible. the people? the events?

Yes, you could make up your own Bible, the tricky bit would be getting people to "die for the lie."

Check out what happend to most of the desciples, messy.