QUESTIONS

[MISCBEAR]

I have an apologetics assignment for a Bible college class and I need to know some questions that you have about Christianity that are preventing you from believing in the Christian faith.

If you could leave some of these questions in the comments bellow that would be fantastic!

 

[Polymath257]

How about actually engaging with people instead of expecting them to answer your questions with no exchange?

I am not prevented from believing in Christianity by any 'questions'. Instead, I don't believe in Christianity because of a lack of *evidence* to support it.

 

[MISCBEAR]

I apologize for making it appear that I did not want to have any 'exchange'. The truth is, I would love to have an active conversation about this. Please forgive me for any misunderstanding caused by my previous message.

I would love explore what evidence I have found that is supportive of Christianity. Is it possible for you to further elaborate on this 'lack of evidence'? What aspects of Christianity are you struggling to find evidential proof for?

 

[Polymath257]

Well, for one, that the Bible is a reliable source at all. In fact, from archeological evidence, it appears to be a very poor source.

Then, there is the overall lack of evidence for a supernatural. I'm not even sure the term 'supernatural' is meaningful.

Then there is the question of what it even means to be a deity. People seem to disagree quite a lot about this point and I don't see any resolution.

Next, why should I take a worldview that was based on an earth-centered universe with a sky only a few million miles away (at most) and think it applies *at all* to the modern world?

In particular, the necessity of a mediator between a deity (who lives above the sky and is pure thought) and humans (who live in the Earthly realm, sublunar and therefore corrupt) seems to be based on a very outmoded view of the universe which was common 2000 years ago.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

I have an apologetics assignment for a Bible college class and I need to know some questions that you have about Christianity that are preventing you from believing in the Christian faith.

If you could leave some of these questions in the comments bellow that would be fantastic!

My only approach would be more questions as to what is preventing the Christain Faith being more accepting of other Faiths.

1) Why is the doctrine of the Trinity now part of Scripture, given tye warning of adding to scripture.

2)Why is there a doctrine about original sin that also adds to the Bible?

3) Why was personal exploration of scriptural meaning suppressed?

Along that line. As many can accept God and Jesus the Christ, but not in the frame of man made Christain doctrine.

Regards Tony

 

[MISCBEAR]

Well, for one, that the Bible is a reliable source at all. In fact, from archeological evidence, it appears to be a very poor source.

Then, there is the overall lack of evidence for a supernatural. I'm not even sure the term 'supernatural' is meaningful.

Then there is the question of what it even means to be a deity. People seem to disagree quite a lot about this point and I don't see any resolution.

Next, why should I take a worldview that was based on an earth-centered universe with a sky only a few million miles away (at most) and think it applies *at all* to the modern world?

In particular, the necessity of a mediator between a deity (who lives above the sky and is pure thought) and humans (who live in the Earthly realm, sublunar and therefore corrupt) seems to be based on a very outmoded view of the universe which was common 2000 years ago.

It is interesting that you say there is little archeological evidence that supports the Bible because there have been many archeological discoveries that support the Biblical text. One such instance is the discovery of Jericho, the city whose walls fell away from the center of the city. Based on the Biblical text, one can read that the Lord caused the walls to fall outward (Joshua 6:20). When archeologists began excavating the site of Jericho, they found that the walls had in fact fell outward. There is no explanation for why this occurred outside of the Scriptures. Another interesting fact is that they found one of the walls had remained standing, the wall in which Rahab lived (Joshua 2:14-21)

As for your other four points, I will consider them and bring an answer soon. I appreciate the depth they have and fully plan on returning to them.

 

[Polymath257]

It is interesting that you say there is little archeological evidence that supports the Bible because there have been many archeological discoveries that support the Biblical text.

Only those parts after about 800BC. The preceeding material is mostly legend.

One such instance is the discovery of Jericho, the city whose walls fell away from the center of the city. Based on the Biblical text, one can read that the Lord caused the walls to fall outward (Joshua 6:20).

You should investigate Jericho a bit more. There have been updates to the archeology that have shown this interpretation not to be valid. In particular, the work by Kenyon brings the earlier work by Christian archeologists (who were attempting to verify the Bible as opposed to simply seeing what was true) into question.

When archeologists began excavating the site of Jericho, they found that the walls had in fact fell outward. There is no explanation for why this occurred outside of the Scriptures. Another interesting fact is that they found one of the walls had remained standing, the wall in which Rahab lived (Joshua 2:14-21)

What is found is that the stories in the Bible tend to agree with the archeology as long as it is later than what corresponds to roughly the period of later judges. Prior to that, there is a huge difference between the Biblial stories and the evidence on the ground. In particular, there is zero evidence for the Exodus.

 

[rocala]

1/ Unreliability of the Bible.
2/ The idea that God requires a son.
3/ The virgin birth.
4/ The resurrection.
5/ The idea of Jesus dying for us.
6/ Original sin.

 

[Skwim]

It is interesting that you say there is little archeological evidence that supports the Bible because there have been many archeological discoveries that support the Biblical text. One such instance is the discovery of Jericho, the city whose walls fell away from the center of the city. Based on the Biblical text, one can read that the Lord caused the walls to fall outward (Joshua 6:20). When archeologists began excavating the site of Jericho, they found that the walls had in fact fell outward. There is no explanation for why this occurred outside of the Scriptures. Another interesting fact is that they found one of the walls had remained standing, the wall in which Rahab lived (Joshua 2:14-21)

Are you aware that even though Ben Hur is a fictional story, it's a fact that chariots existed during the time the story took place? OR, that Misenum, which is mentioned as the place Ben Hur and his family lived, was an actual place? OR, that the Antonia Fortress where Judah's entire family is secretly imprisoned in the story, actually existed? The point being: SO WHAT?

Just because a book references a fact doesn't mean it can't be fiction, or at least filled with fiction. That there have been archeological discoveries that match the descriptions of some place, object or event in the Bible means bupkis. In fact, it would be expected that any rendering of a historical event would almost necessarily reference actual facts from that time.

If you're going to claim that there's archeological evidence that supports the Bible, it better be worthwhile evidence. Evidence that supports extraordinary events. As a well known standard of historical proof: Extraordinary events demand extraordinary evidence. Want to prove that Jesus was the Messiah who rose from the dead? Then you darn well better have better evidence than the walls of Jericho fell outward.

.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

there is zero evidence for the Exodus.

Saying “zero evidence” is not accurate:

http://www.2001translation.com/Authenticity.htm#_5

 

[Hockeycowboy]

there is zero evidence for the Exodus.

More evidence (for Israelites in Egypt), Polymath:

http://www.2001translation.com/Authenticity.htm#_4

Take care.

 

[Polymath257]

Most of the claims like those in the last two posts fall flat once we realize that the Egyptians controlled the Levant (including the area that would be Israel) in the 13th century BC. Yet somehow the writers of the Bible completely miss the Egyptian presence there.

 

[Vinayaka]

I have an apologetics assignment for a Bible college class and I need to know some questions that you have about Christianity that are preventing you from believing in the Christian faith.

If you could leave some of these questions in the comments bellow that would be fantastic!

My main question is "Why the exclusivity?" What gives you the right to believe that all non-Christians are wrong? If this planet is to ever have harmony amongst it's peoples, that attitude has to cease.

Secondly, I saw hypocrisy .. a lot. I went to a service at about age 17, heard many suggestions as to behaviour. But the problem was I knew those people. The pastor's daughter had just spread gonorrhea to what seemed like half our high school at the time, my MIL was a bill collector for a small natural gas supplier, and half those Christians had to be hassled every month to pay up. So the question is: Why do the ethics espoused not get transferred to reality? I could never be a member of a faith where so many adherents can't practice what they preach.

 

[Polymath257]

Saying “zero evidence” is not accurate:

http://www.2001translation.com/Authenticity.htm#_5

Um, the Hyksos didn't just live in Egypt. They *ruled* Egypt. That doesn't quite jibe with the Biblical account of the time in Egypt, does it?

And again, Egypt controlled the land that would be Israel until quite late. But the Bible seems to completely miss this rather transparent fact. It is only later that the Biblical stories and archeology start to agree with each other.

Now, after about 800BC, the Bible does give a fairly reliable treatment (from one perspective, a rather biased one) of the history. Of course, it attributes to God any event that happened to their special people (all cultures do this, though), it makes 'prophecies' that are either too vague to be anything other than later people reading into them or too trivial to be anything but obvious (again, most cultures do this also).

It would help many Christians and those who believe in the Bible, I think, to read some more general history of the regions involved. Instead of trying to justify the stories in the Bible, read some history to actually learn what happened and only *then* look at whether the Biblical stories correspond to reality.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I have an apologetics assignment for a Bible college class and I need to know some questions that you have about Christianity that are preventing you from believing in the Christian faith.

If you could leave some of these questions in the comments bellow that would be fantastic!

What makes Christianity any more different or unique than other religions out there?

If nobody has the original Bible or knows where it is, how do you know for sure the one you have today is in every respect identical the original article?

How come Christianity has no artifacts to show at least some of those things mentioned in the Testaments had survived?

If the Bible is the inspired word of God , allegedly Guided by the Holy Spirit hearing the 'voice', then why are Christians so confused and segmented into thousands of denominations with countless variations and interpretations of scriptures?

 

[Trailblazer]

I have an apologetics assignment for a Bible college class and I need to know some questions that you have about Christianity that are preventing you from believing in the Christian faith.

If you could leave some of these questions in the comments bellow that would be fantastic!

These are not questions, but this is the short list of what would prevent me from believing in the Christian faith.

1. The belief that Jesus is “the Only Way”
2. The belief that everyone who is not Christian will burn in hell
3. The belief that Jesus is God incarnate
4. The belief that Jesus rose from the dead “bodily”
5. The belief that Jesus ascended into the sky “bodily”
6. The belief that Jesus is going to return from heaven and “fix everything” that is wrong in the world
7. The belief that physical bodies will rise from the grave when Jesus returns
8. The belief that the earth will be restored to a Garden of Eden when Jesus returns

 

[We Never Know]

I have an apologetics assignment for a Bible college class and I need to know some questions that you have about Christianity that are preventing you from believing in the Christian faith.

If you could leave some of these questions in the comments bellow that would be fantastic!

Where is any evidence for god?
Where is any evidence for the great flood?
Where is any evidence for talking snakes and donkeys?
Where is any evidence a fish and a loaf of bread can feed thousands of people?
Where is any evidence the confirmed dead and buried can come back to life?
Where is any evidence every species is only around 6000 years old?

Will those do?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I would love explore what evidence I have found that is supportive of Christianity. Is it possible for you to further elaborate on this 'lack of evidence'? What aspects of Christianity are you struggling to find evidential proof for?

Every single claim that includes magic and physical impossibility.
That is to say, every single "miracle".
In case of a literal reading of the bible, every single creation event.

And even completely ignoring the christian lore, the idea of an all-powerfull and all-knowing entity that supposedly "exists" atemporally yet is subject to a temporal sequence of events that results in decision making etc.


The whole thing makes no sense and hasn't a shred of evidence.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

It is interesting that you say there is little archeological evidence that supports the Bible because there have been many archeological discoveries that support the Biblical text. One such instance is the discovery of Jericho, the city whose walls fell away from the center of the city. Based on the Biblical text, one can read that the Lord caused the walls to fall outward (Joshua 6:20)

The text also says that the sun stood still in the sky of several days.
If that were true, the whole of jericho would have been obliterated. Along with the rest of the planet.

This falls under the "New York exists. Marvel mentions New York. But that doesn't mean Spiderman exists".

When archeologists began excavating the site of Jericho, they found that the walls had in fact fell outward. There is no explanation for why this occurred outside of the Scriptures.

The scriptures don't provide explanations. They provide claims. Claims that are in need of evidence.
Merely asserting the cause is not enough. You need to actually show the causal chain of events.

If I find a pen on the floor and then write down that leprechauns dropped it there.... Does that mean that leprechauns actually dropped it there? I mean, after all... the pen IS there, is it not? And the leprechauns are the only "available" explanation, right?

When you understand why a book blaming the leprechauns did it isn't valid to accept the leprechauns did it, you will also understand why the bible claims about the wall aren't valid to accept either.

 

[sooda]

It is interesting that you say there is little archeological evidence that supports the Bible because there have been many archeological discoveries that support the Biblical text. One such instance is the discovery of Jericho, the city whose walls fell away from the center of the city. Based on the Biblical text, one can read that the Lord caused the walls to fall outward (Joshua 6:20). When archeologists began excavating the site of Jericho, they found that the walls had in fact fell outward. There is no explanation for why this occurred outside of the Scriptures. Another interesting fact is that they found one of the walls had remained standing, the wall in which Rahab lived (Joshua 2:14-21)

As for your other four points, I will consider them and bring an answer soon. I appreciate the depth they have and fully plan on returning to them.

There is NO archaeological evidence that supports the Bible.. Which of the 9 Jerichos are you referring to? Several have been felled by earthquakes. During the time of the Joshua fiction Jericho was abandoned because the spring dried up.