2007-09-12 00:55:57 · 27 answers · asked by Imagine No Religion 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
B. F. Skinner found that varying the level of positive reinforcement (i.e.; the reward) is a powerful way to condition people toward a certain behavior. It's why slot machines are so popular -- you never know if the next pull of the lever is going to give you the jackpot!
In a like vein, Christianity teases you with hints of the "big reward" that's just around the corner to keep people coming back for more...
2007-09-12 01:04:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question!
One-hundred percent of the so-called "evidence" for Christian miracles is hearsay and only comes from one very dubious source; a single work of fiction from many centuries ago.
There is absolutely no empirical evidence of any such miracles nor is there any evidence that the biblical Jesus ever existed. This is remarkable in a number of ways: First, archaeologists are very good at researching and finding artifacts of every culture. They are trained to examine and correlate these findings and then interpret the evidence for causes. Second: Not a single archaeologist has ever found any evidence of the personage of Jesus, any of his contemporaries or any artifacts that would even remotely verify his Earthly existence.
There are numerous religions with similar myths about a holy Savior who performed miracles, was anointed at the age of twelve, began a ministry, was crucified and resurrected three days later, etc. etc.
When you understand the fact that many religions share the same stories but with different characters, you can easily see that these are all just mythological interpretations of astrological events.
For more information on this phenomenon, download the movie, Zeitgeist." You can get it for free from any popular search engine. Watch it and you will see how these myths got started. Once you understand that they are all nothing more than mythology, then the answer to your question becomes clear. Jesus did not exist and he never performed any miracles.
One more thing...
Even if there was any evidence to support the existence of Jesus, one has to ask. "Why doesn't he cure amputees?"
If a loving creator existed and had such power, he should leave at least one example of his ability. Yet, not a single case of such a miracle has ever occurred in the history of human endeavor. By itself, this is enough proof that god (when defined as omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent) either does not care, is cruel, or does not exist in any form.
Creationists argue that our existence and the existence of the universe itself is "a priori" proof of a creator. That is an ad hoc argument based on a false premise. It is far more likely, and there is at least some evidence that, the entire universe is a gigantic quantum computer. Despite such evidence, logical as it is, even the most imaginative scientist will not "believe" in such an idea until there is an overwhelming body of empirical evidence to support it.
This is the fundamental difference between believers and free-thinkers; Believers accept bogus anecdotal hearsay and ridiculous fallacious arguments as proof. Thinking people require evidence... LOTS of evidence.
I sincerely wish that we could cure "the blindness" of religious belief. However, even medical science cannot cure all psychological delusional disorders.
2007-09-12 01:36:41 · answer #2 · answered by Aleph Null 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The cures effected by Jesus were theological in nature; not medical. Jesus was showing what he would do on a grand scale as King of God's kingdom. In the first century, however, it was not time for God's kingdom to go into full effect. But it was time to show that (1) Jesus had been vested with authority from God to heal miraculously and (2) Jesus was truly the Messiah with the power to perform miracles as part of his signs (much like Moses).
Hannah J Paul
2007-09-12 01:02:55 · answer #3 · answered by Hannah J Paul 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If Jesus / God went around curing people of everything and granting every wish and making this world a form of Heaven, mankind would become God's puppets and that is not the kind of love God wishes from us. He wants us to love him as He loves us. That is the reason God does not physically show up on your door step and that is why you are given the right to choose weather you want God/Jesus in your life. All the bliss and pure joy is waiting in Heaven all you have to do is believe and love.
2007-09-12 01:15:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Read the bible. In every instance where Jesus allowed miraculous healing, it was because of the people's faith. They believed Jesus was the Messiah and that He had the power to cure them. If physical blindness still exists today it is only because spiritual blindness still exists.
2007-09-12 01:22:33 · answer #5 · answered by High Flyer 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We are created to be imperfect in an imperfect world, we are destined to live with difficulties for showing our achievements. Jesus was there to help us, to ease our pains when we live. Jesus was not there to make things perfect, so he helped little and have us to achieve greatness easier.
I cant answer why he didnt help from a personal point of view. Becasue historically Jesus was a criminal, his everyday life and those individual he helped with miracles were not accurately recorded in details before he die. Now you ask why he didnt help after 2000 something years? lol
What? Do you wnat to say Jesus is a fake or didnt do good enough? What make you think a man that walked the earth can and should fix the everyone problem through whatever means? Did you choose to live in hell like a devil because the church or myth failed to fullfile your whatver luxuray dreams? lol
2007-09-12 01:18:34 · answer #6 · answered by 24 years o natural Philosophier 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The common answer is, "The blind man's faith made the difference." We all have free will, we all can choose what to believe, and when. The world works in general according to God's pre-Eden design, but since the fall of man, there has been a grain of sand thrown into the delicate works, like a pebble in a puddle. It has a ripple effect. The oil that can smooth the ripples is Faith.
2007-09-12 01:11:00 · answer #7 · answered by jelesais2000 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I believe Jesus came to prove to the skeptics that he was the Christ and came as a regular but poor human being. I think he made a point that all redemption is ONLY because of him. By his act of curing the blind man he reminds us that he knows our suffering and he will help us through the pain of Earth and humanity but in the everlasting life these things will not exist. We like Jesus have to suffer and die to this world but we have to depend on him for salvation (being saved). The evil of the world says; why would a loving God let us go through blindness? I believe that Jesus says; believe in me and you will get through this life with it's evils and be better for it and you by your belief will help others believe that I am the Christ and redemption is through me.
2007-09-12 01:14:53 · answer #8 · answered by hot wheels 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
because blindness help us all. we learn a lot from it. God gives us the ability to cure it.. he wont heal us directly. God cures a blind man by giving him an opportunity to cure it...
2007-09-12 01:08:48 · answer #9 · answered by Pauline 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Do you have to ability to cure the blind and if you did have the ability would you cure everyone or have an affect on everyone else?
2007-09-12 01:14:52 · answer #10 · answered by htpanther 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋