(November 12, 2013 at 2:03 pm)Avodaiah Wrote: Oh man, you leave the thread for 1 night to go to sleep and you come back to all this!How do you know it is a he? Or that it even has a gender as why would understand it?Well, let's do it...
4) What is the evidence for Christianity?
(November 12, 2013 at 12:54 am)FallentoReason Wrote: I take it you live out what you preach, so if you don't mind, please show me the evidence that compels you to believe in Christianity.Certainly. There are basically 2 types of evidence as far as I can tell.
-Evidence for the existence of God
Here's my argument for God's existence:
Pretty much everyone knows how to add, at least small numbers like 2+2=4 or 5+1=6. We also know how to carry numbers, as in 9+2=11 or even 14+6=20. With these two skills, we should be able to solve any addition problem, no matter how large. But when we are faced with a larger problem, like 204+597 for example, we have to take a minute to figure it out.
Let's think about that for a second. Since we know how to add and carry numbers, we should know the answer to this problem, but we have to take a minute to solve it, as if we stop knowing how to add when we come across large numbers.
To be fair there is kind of an answer to this. Many people say that we only know how to add at all because of signals and processes in our brain, and since they happen in the physical world, where almost nothing is instantaneous, it takes time to solve larger problems. While the brain undoubtedly plays a role in this, if that was all that happened, we would basically be computers. But while a computer can change and process signals, taking 2+2 and spitting out 4 for example, it doesn't understand what it's doing. It's not dealing with knowledge or numbers; just electrical current. But humans don't just output the fact that 2+2=4 or even know it; we understand why it's true. We understand the meanings of numbers, what it means to add numbers together to get a higher one, and we put that understanding into practice to solve the problem.
Now if we have to take a minute for that understanding to come to us, as is the case with large numbers, then our understanding cannot come from us, otherwise we would have had it to begin with. It must come from someone who not only shares that understanding but has control of our minds and our understanding. Call that person what you will. I call Him God.
Also which god? Is it allah? or Zororaoster? Or maybe mithra?
Quote:[/quote]
-Evidence for the Bible's veracity
There are a few reasons to believe that the Bible is true, but the best argument is probably fulfilled prophecy. Some of these can be explained away as hoaxes, e.g. prophecies that came true in the same book lend little credibility to the Bible. Also, some OT prophecies could have been read by NT authors and they could have said they were fulfilled when they really weren't. Except that the Gospels were likely all written within 100 years of Jesus's birth (70 years of His death), which is very little time for stories like that to be corrupted by people who wanted to give the OT false credibility.
Here are some prophecies that were fulfilled, feel free to browse: http://100prophecies.org/
And here is the NT evidence I was talking about: http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2012/the-ear...-of-jesus/
I haven't forgotten you guys, Esquilax, Cinjin, and Kichigai, but this post is already long, I'll try and be back on later.
Yeah was there something in isaih saying his name was to be immaneul?
Also you argument is terribly out of character for the god of bible. Surely such a god as defined by you argument would value question and learning by his creation, and would even try to teach them things like a good father would.
However in the bible he teaches us nothing moral that philosopher's had not realized already (see Hammurabi's law) and impart 0 knowledge otherwise. Imagine how much less suffering there would have been if he taught us something basic like the true cause of diesease in biblical times, instead he allowed people to think it was done by demons.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
