Well, you have a fair point, to an extent. This is something I've actually been thinking about recently. I'm a Christian (of a little less than a year), and I spent my whole life as a skeptic. My reasons for being a skeptic are many, but mainly, it was because I didn't believe there was any evidence to support the Bible.
Yes, I WAS raised with Christianity. However, when I became an atheist at the age of thirteen, and I told my mom, she understood. She told me then that I was the type of person that couldn't just believe something in my heart; I had to believe it in my head, too. She was right.
I spent twelve years researching other religions, and wrestling with various philosophical issues I had with ALL religion. I didn't believe in God, but that didn't stop me from looking for Him.
You're wrong about a couple things though. Not only is there evidence to support places and people mentioned in the Bible, but there is also archaeological evidence to support that events happened as they were described (even though the intervention of any deity can't be proven). For example (I'm only naming one, even though there are others), the story of Joshua and the city of Jericho. Go back and read the Biblical account of it, then read what archaeologists have discovered. Just a couple things: Jars of grain were left, which is HIGHLY unusual. The entire wall fell OUT instead of in, yet there was one section of the wall which was still intact. This one section was large enough for a small house to have been attached to it. Could that have been Rahab's house?
Does the evidence prove the entire Bible? No. Some of it can never be proven. Some of it may not have ever happened, and it really may be just stories. Who knows? I sure don't, I wasn't there.
As for the prophecies, no, they're not vague. Here is a website with 100 fulfilled Bible prophecies. Read them yourself. They're not vague at ALL. They name WHEN something is going to happen, WHERE (and it's a specific place), and sometimes they even name WHO is going to be involved.
http://www.100prophecies.org/page8.htm
Here are a couple other websites that might help you along:
http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/prophecy.shtml?main
http://boards.historychannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=300027698&start=30&tstart=0
And just so we're clear, I'm not trying to convert you. I'm just wondering if you've completely examined every side. There's no such thing as a nonbiased source, so what one has to do if they're going to be a "free thinker" is read as much as they can of EVERY side, and make up their mind from there.
I know I haven't examined the evidence as thoroughly as I should. However, I've been shown JUST enough to convince me 99% that Christianity is right. Does that mean I'll never change my mind? No. I'm only twenty-six (almost 27), and like I said, I've been a Christian less than a year. I've still got a LOT of learning to do. As do we all.
I know this doesn't answer the question directly (if at all), but I hope you read between my lines to figure out what I'm trying to say.
And by the way, I have no right to judge anyone, so I try VERY hard not to.
2007-10-04 09:11:46
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answer #1
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answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7
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Religion:- Religion is a approach of ideals and worships which involves a code of ethics and a philosophy of existence. There are many faiths on the planet at present. Some of those religions are of latest starting place however such a lot of them are very ancient. In truth we all know from historical past that guy has regularly had a faith. Even the primitive guys residing in caves or jungles had a few form of faith. The principles and rituals in guy's faith have CONTINUALLY advanced and end up extra rational and complicated as time went on. The primitive religions of the Cave Man and the Bush Man gave upward thrust to the ultra-modern religions of the beyond 3 thousand years. Today, the most important religions of the sector incorporate: World Religion ----- Originated in Zoroastrianism ----- Iran Confucianism ----- China Hinduism ------ India Taoism ------ China Jainism ------ India Judaism ------ Neat East Christianity ------ Near East Islam ------ Near East Buddhism ------- India Shinto ------- Japan These are the nice religions of the sector which aren't handiest liable for all our gathered wealth of knowledge, philosophy, ethics, and social and ethical codes, however have stimulated the tradition, the language and the ethical attitudes of just about each and every PERSON residing at present. Difference among Religious and Non Religious Peoples. one million. The devout men and women consider in some thing at the same time the others don't. two. The devout men and women participate in distinct acts of worship at the same time the others don't. three. The devout men and women look to comply with a distinct code for his or her social and ethical behaviour at the same time the others don't. four. The devout men and women discover a rationale of existence and feature a certain philosophy toward it, at the same time the others don't.
2016-09-05 17:42:57
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answer #2
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answered by ? 4
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I was not born into my religion. I'm Pagan born to Christian parents. I could very well be wrong, but I believe I have rationally looked at everything, including my personal experiences - instead of just running with it - and feel that I am on the right Path. My religion is right for me - but that doesn't mean it's right for anyone else. =)
2007-10-04 08:58:03
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answer #3
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answered by River 5
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I'm a Pagan and I don't care if anyone agrees with it or not, and I'm not about to tell anyone they have to believe what I do. I wish everyone would analzye all religions and choose what fits them best, rather than shoving themselves into a religion just because they are afraid.
2007-10-04 08:50:56
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answer #4
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answered by Cheryl E 7
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Jesus promised, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). This means that his Church will never be destroyed and will never fall away from him. His Church will survive until his return. Among the Christian churches, only the Catholic Church has existed since the time of Jesus. Every other Christian church is an offshoot of the Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054. The Protestant churches were established during the Reformation, which began in 1517. (Most of today’s Protestant churches are actually offshoots of the original Protestant offshoots.) Only the Catholic Church existed in the tenth century, in the fifth century, and in the first century, faithfully teaching the doctrines given by Christ to the apostles, omitting nothing. The line of popes can be traced back, in unbroken succession, to Peter himself. This is unequaled by any institution in history: Even the oldest government is new compared to the papacy. The Catholic Church has existed for nearly 2,000 years, despite constant opposition from the world. This is testimony to the Church’s divine origin: Any merely human organization would have collapsed long ago. The Catholic Church is today the most vigorous church in the world (and the largest, with a billion members: one sixth of the human race), and that is testimony not to the cleverness of the Church’s leaders, but to the protection of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ Church is called catholic ("universal" in Greek) because it is his gift to all people. He told his apostles to go throughout the world and make disciples of "all nations" (Matt. 28:19–20). For 2,000 years the Catholic Church has carried out this mission, preaching the good news that Christ died for all men and that he wants all of us to be members of his universal family (Gal. 3:28). Nowadays the Catholic Church is found in every country of the world and is still sending out missionaries to "make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19). The Church Jesus established was known by its most common title, "the Catholic Church," at least as early as the year 107, when Ignatius of Antioch used that title to describe the one Church Jesus founded. The title apparently was old in Ignatius’s time, which means it went all the way back to the time of the apostles.
2007-10-04 08:50:29
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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Do believers not believing honestly include those who believe in evolution?
How many young children are being taught the theory of evolution as fact, when it takes looking the other way to believe in it?
2007-10-04 08:58:53
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answer #6
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answered by hisgloryisgreat 6
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I don't know if mine is right, and I'm also not afraid to admit I could be wrong. I was not born into my religion.
2007-10-04 08:49:42
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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I've never claimed my religion was THE right one. It is the one that felt right to me. Many paths, one destination.
2007-10-04 10:33:03
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answer #8
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answered by Keltasia 6
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Everybody thinks their opinion is right. If we didn't think our opinion was right, we wouldn't have it (for the most part)
God tells us not to judge because HE will do the judging.
2007-10-04 08:52:00
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answer #9
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answered by <3 3
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i don't think that we should care so much about religion but we should care much about who we serve and in who we put our trust
2007-10-04 08:51:00
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answer #10
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answered by God Is Love 5
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