I was discussing with Christians the silence of Paul and other evidence that pre-Gospel Christians didn't know about Jesus of Nazareth. They knew him as a spirit who appeared and revealed himself. Many said that, if there was no Jesus of Nazareth, they would no longer believe in Christianity.
That surprised me. I told them they already disregard the historicity of much of the Bible. Their beliefs draw on faith, not fact. As smart dead guy Twain said, Faith is believing what you know ain't so. Besides, for many Christians, religion is a club, a social event, a lifestyle, not something they view analytically. Why let anything stop that? Do what makes you happy.
That surprised me. I told them they already disregard the historicity of much of the Bible. Their beliefs draw on faith, not fact. As smart dead guy Twain said, Faith is believing what you know ain't so. Besides, for many Christians, religion is a club, a social event, a lifestyle, not something they view analytically. Why let anything stop that? Do what makes you happy.
