It might be helpful for me to explain my own reasons for thinking that the gospels mostly contain lessons that were taught by a real person who taught in and between Galilee and Judea near the end of the Second Temple period. It's partly from many years of study and practice trying to learn to...
i would argue that in fact most historians have no problem with the historicity of Christ. I think that we are more than adequately able to attest to the fact that Christ 100% really existed at exactly the time the bible says He did and that he was crucified on the cross.
The point of...
SOS, when it was first agreed upon by the International Radio Telegraphic Convention in 1906, was merely a distinctive and easy to remember Morse code sequence ( three dots/three dashes/three dots) and was initially not an abbreviation. Later in popular usage it became associated with mnemonic...
Did I say only once? And the resurrected saints, I have understood they were risen to paradise, not to the same form as people on earth.
I don't believe there are more than 45,000 denominations, but, do you think they all don't think that God created life?
Lazarus supposedly died twice. Also the gospel according to Matthew27:52-53 states that many saints were resurrected, who obviously died again. :laughing:
The concept of what gives life can be interpreted in various ways depending on cultural, philosophical, and religious beliefs. From a...
Hi @chongjasmine
I also agree with @Saint Frankenstein that assuming all sins are the same is illogical and the adoption of the later theory that a Loving God that tortures a morally imperfect but steadily improving child forever in a fire-filled hell is counterproductive to faith in a "Loving"...
1)REGARDING THE EARLY JUDEO-CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE THAT THE DEAD WOULD RESURRECT : THEIR SPIRITS ALONG WITH THEIR BODIES.
nPeace asked : “Why do persons believe dead bodies are raised up? Or rather, why do you believe that?” (post #927)
Clear responded : “1) THE RESURRECTION DOESN'T SEEM TO...
There are different theories about what HaOlam will look like. On one end of the spectrum Jewish thought is that it will be a truly miraculous world of perfection. On the other end of the spectrum, Jewish thought is that it will be no different except that the Jewish people will be free to...
Yes, 100%, that passage was meant to be 100% literal. The author is recounting the facts that occurred during Jesus' passion. He is impartial, as far as his journalistic integrity is concerned, intending only to persuade people to believe in the Gospel of Christ.
Although both the mountain...
1) Is the future state, life after death, or the world to come all equivalent in the general Jewish perspective?
2) Can the righteous who are rewarded with closeness to God be reincarnated souls, some of whom passed through purgatory and evolved into a human like Adam before the fall?
3) It's...
Just because it seems impossible it doesn't mean it isn't meant to be literal....
e.g
Matthew27:52-53
and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many...
Hey Clear, how have you been?
That was some enlightening information you posted, I’ve never read anything from that text.
I was wondering, do you believe the Apocryphal books are inspired?
As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we don’t. We feel that if they were from Jehovah God, He would have included...
Hi @nPeace :
1) REGARDING THE POINT THAT EARLY CHRISTIAN INTERPRETATIONS AND BELIEFS SEEM SUPERIOR TO THOSE OF LATER CHRISTIAN MOVEMENTS
nPeace said : “I see your well organize information below, thanks, but I would not be able to address it, right away.” (post 98)
Thank you, there is...
POST TWO OF TWO
4) SPIRITS ARE COGNIZANT AND CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE MORAL CHOICES AND EXPRESS FREE WILL
In this early doctrine, Hades was not simply a place where souls “sleep”, but they are cognizant and communicate and still have free will. Those spirits who had no idea nor concept of...
These are some of the problems with the resurrection as an historical event ─
The story is truly, madly, deeply not believable, just on the face of it. There is no way that a person whose body's life support functions have irreversibly ceased ─ which is what death is ─ can come back to life. If...
People die for their beliefs all the time, and not only in war. Dying for a cause or principle neither validates nor vitiates the cause or principle.
Paul was, well, odd, but he seems to have been a capable salesman of his product.
The status of Jesus in Christianity was, for the most part...
Chapter 18 is not the best example for your argument. Verse 30 says:
"Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"
All that's needed is to cast away your transgressions. Salvation...
Well, Ezekiel takes this prophecy and broadens the horizon. In Ezekiel 18, and again in 36 and 37, we get a repetition of the call.
Ezekiel 37:25, 'Then will l sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will l cleanse you.
A new...