A practical definition for "God"

[Lek]

I haven't conversed with you for a while, Rob.  I hope last weekend went well.  It sounds like a cause we can both agree upon.  This we can't agree upon.

If I knew Jesus when he walked the earth and I saw him heal the sick, raise the dead, and rise from the dead himself, then declare he was God, I would believe him.  In the same way I believe the written and oral testimony of those who did.  I also believe the testimonies of trusted people who profess to have had personal experiences with God.  This is not just based on wishful thinking or whatever.  Because these reasons are not good enough for you, doesn't mean they are not good reasons.

I think you've fallen into special pleading, here.  You say that if you saw Jesus, you would believe him.  You also say that you believe the testimony of people who make claims about Jesus.  Those aren't two equivalent cases.  If I were to see a water buffalo in my kitchen, standing and thoughtfully chewing, making water buffalo noises and emitting water buffalo smells, I would be justified in believing that I have a water buffalo in my kitchen.  If I make the claim to you that I have a water buffalo in my kitchen, it would be reasonable for you to doubt me, as a kitchen in a small town in New Zealand is an unlikely habitat for a water buffalo.

I've never seen anyone - anyone at all - walk on water, wither a fig tree with a word, heal lepers with a touch, turn water into wine, bring a dead person back to life, calm a storm, or feed thousands with a handful of bread and fish.  All of these are such extraordinarily unlikely events that it's perfectly fair of me to not accept the testimony of alleged witnesses whom I cannot interview (because they're all, like, dead and stuff).

Jesus is your water-buffalo-in-the-kitchen.  You believe the stories to be true because you want the stories to be true.  This is the very essence of '...wishful thinking or whatever'.  God is your unnecessary assumption.

Boru

So you're from New Zealand. For some reason, I always thought you were from England. I guess I can't distinguish a New Zealand accent from a British one. Sorry. Not only do I believe the testimony, but I've been into a deeper study of the old testament, and I'm amazed at how things link up with the new testament story. It's eye-opening to read the prophesies that were fulfilled at a later time and documented by different writers. What do you think about, well-known and respected people today who testify to having supernatural experiences? Do you think that because you have never had these types of experiences that nobody can? If ten people have all experienced the supernatural, they can back each other up. Are you assuming that a supernatural experience can be proved by natural means?