Thoughts on Atheism and Apologetics

[Tonus]

Why do atheists honestly believe that their examination of the resurrection is an objective endeavor on their part, as if they will come to any other conclusion than the foregone one that they have already decided long since, upon the adoption of their atheism?

It's a pretty extraordinary claim to make. A series of extraordinary claims, actually:

- That the one true god, Yahweh, came to Earth in human form.
- That he taught by both speeches which left people amazed, and miracles which left them awestruck.
- That in spite of this, most rejected him and collaborated in an effort to have him killed.
- That their success in this was short-lived, as god was reborn in spirit three days later and returned to heaven.
- That his followers continued to perform miracles as he promised, for at least a short time afterwards.

The closest we can get from the available material is that a man named Jesus is believed to have existed, to possibly have caused some commotion with his preaching, and was put to death via crucifixion. That leaves a heck of a lot of stuff out. There are many "holy" books --with many claims about what god did or did not do, or who he inspired, or who he sent, and who saw or experienced these things-- written by many men for whom the above amount of evidence is insufficient for a Christian. Most Christians dismiss other faiths (and many times, other denominations) without any research into them. Those that make the effort to learn, often do so with the same attitude you are ascribing to atheists-- determined to find sufficient fault to dismiss the claims to divinity and thus keep their own beliefs intact.

I did not come to my beliefs by trying to prove the Bible false. I came to them by trying to prove it true. Continued discussion and reading has confirmed that my current beliefs about the Bible are more reasonable than those I held when I claimed it to be true. Yes, I am subject to biases now, as everyone is. But I overcame the exact opposite biases without even wanting to.