Why the Bible?

[HoldemDB9]

The evidence that the Bible is inspired by God is overwhelming. Fulfilled prophecy is one line of evidence. While the Bible is not a science book, it is scientifically sound. For example:
Job 26:7 says that God is “hanging the earth upon nothing.” This is true, for astronomers know that the earth has no visible means of support.

Your going to have to come up with something better than that to convince any reasonable person that the Bible is the word of God. I have never seen any evidence that the Bible is the word of God. None at all. But of course I'm probably "refusing to see it".

 

[jbundren]

Well first off I was born into a Christian home. Both my parents are Christians and my Grandparents are Christians on both sides. Because of this, I obviously grew up believing in the Bible. From Sunday school to my parents at home, I was constantly taught Biblical stories and verses and just accepted them as truth. However, as I got older I believed in the Bible not only based on faith but because it is supported by evidence.
The Bible was written by about 40 different authors over a span of more than 1000 years. All of the books of the Bible are connected and have one universal theme and that is of God. Other religions such as Islam have “holy” books written by only one author (Muhammad). Obviously it is a whole lot easier to just make something up if you are the only one writing it as opposed to 40 different people from different time periods and different languages. There are also over 10,000 known manuscripts of the Old or New Testament. Some of this is a corner of a page, some an entire Bible. The Bible also makes prophecies that come true. The Old Testament (remember this was written up to 1000 years earlier) makes prophecies such as the virgin birth of the Messiah. This of course came true with Jesus in about 4 BC. Other prophecies such as a Messiah from the descendants of King David came true (Jesus was a descendant of David). There are also a number of prophecies about the end times. Lastly, there are secular historical documents from the time period of Jesus that talk about Jesus and him doing miraculous works.
This is not all of the evidence but it certainly points to the Bible being true. The Bible says that “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Obviously people will have different view points on all of this but this is why I believe the Bible is truthful and the word of God.

 

[Beaudreaux]

The evidence that the Bible is inspired by God is overwhelming.

Really????? If this were the case, you would think that more people would be fundamentalists. Why, do you suppose, is this overwhelming evidence so hidden?

Fulfilled prophecy is one line of evidence. While the Bible is not a science book, it is scientifically sound. For example:
Job 26:7 says that God is “hanging the earth upon nothing.” This is true, for astronomers know that the earth has no visible means of support.
The practicality of Bible counsel and the good that comes from following that counsel. Archeological and Historical accuracy.
The list goes on and on.

Presenting the Bible's view of cosmology does not make a convincing argument. The Bible takes a heliocentric view of the universe, which Copernicus and Gallileo showed many years ago is not the case. The bible also says that rain happens when God opens heaven's windows.

 

[BaronVonKaiser]

There are also over 10,000 known manuscripts of the Old or New Testament. Some of this is a corner of a page, some an entire Bible. The Bible also makes prophecies that come true. The Old Testament (remember this was written up to 1000 years earlier) makes prophecies such as the virgin birth of the Messiah. This of course came true with Jesus in about 4 BC. Other prophecies such as a Messiah from the descendants of King David came true (Jesus was a descendant of David). There are also a number of prophecies about the end times. Lastly, there are secular historical documents from the time period of Jesus that talk about Jesus and him doing miraculous works.

I'm glad you took an interest in looking beyond 'blind faith' in your religion, but it seems you have a little work yet to do. For instance you offer the virgin birth of Jesus, a decendant of King David as proof that bible is fact. Taking a look at just this one claim, there are first of all some serious doubts as to wether or not Jesus even existed, especially considering he never wrote anything himself, and no one else wrote anything about him for a long time after he had been gone. And what is written is contradictory. Pretty good records are usually kept of census' and yet no census was ever recorded as happening around that time. And even if there was a census, women were little more than slaves at that time, Mary would not have been required to partake in it, and a 9 month pregnant woman making a long trip on the back of a donkey is insane, there would have been no reason for her to go and every reason for her to not. Regarding a virgin birth, we're starting out with a ludicrous idea to begin with, you would think there would have to be stong evidence to even entertain such an idea. And yet even the bible, Luke Chapter 2
[49] "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" [50] But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Don't you have to wonder how Joseph and Mary had somehow forgotten about the whole virgin birth, son of god thing? You would think that would stick out in your mind a little, but apparently it didn't even make a big enough impression on them to put 2 and 2 together.