Question:
Why place so much belief in a book thousands of years old?
Pistachio
2009-04-21 00:54:22 UTC
Why do Christians believe the bible is the story of God and Jesus? What makes them think it isn't just a very old fictitious storybook? If the Harry Potter books were to be discoved in thousands of years, do you think everybody would be worshipping 'The Chosen One' (aka Harry Potter)?
33 answers:
Dave
2009-04-21 01:05:40 UTC
Trying to be unbiased here. The Bible is old, very old and its accuracy is certainly to be questioned, but it is *something*. As a former atheist, I know how much evidence atheists have, "none." This is the fuzzy area where we have to ask ourselves, "are any of us right?" In my humble opinion, one book or one belief isn't enough. We have to continually educate ourselves and search for answers on our own. I am not a Christian, but I will never say that Abrahamic religions aren't based on SOME kind of truth. Religions are knitted closer together than most of us think. We may not have the original Bible, but as I said before, we shouldn't necessarily doubt the inspiration of the Bible. New discoveries are being made every day, we're learning so much more than we knew in the past, and we should make an opportunity to question our current beliefs and learn from others.
2009-04-21 01:02:56 UTC
1) Why place so much belief in a book thousands of years old?



It seems to me that belief is kind of an "all or nothing" thing. It doesn't come in amounts. Either you believe 2+2 = 4, or you don't, or you're undecided and noncommittal. The same is true of the bible.





2) Why do Christians believe the bible is the story of God and Jesus?



Well, I've yet to read any other book that seems to be a more accurate story of God and Jesus.





3) What makes them think it isn't just a very old fictitious storybook?



Primarily the fact that so much of it has been proven factual. Secondly, because so many of the authors, after having written, were tortured and killed for their beliefs. Personally, I can't imagine J K Rowling choosing to suffer tortuous death rather than admit that Harry Potter is fiction.





Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com
2009-04-21 01:22:01 UTC
Many religions simply exclude the element of prophecy, knowing it would only discredit them. However the Bible not only doesn't avoid prophecy, but it also repeats the matter over and over again with absolute accuracy.



One mark of divine revelation is fulfilled prophecy. In the Scriptures God has prewritten the events of history with absolute precision. Such accuracy demands a divine authorship because only God could have foreseen and recorded events before they occurred. So this is essentially an argument based on the omniscience of God. The Bible is the product of One who knows everything. Try as they may, men cannot predict the future; only God can. The Bible alone gives us history in detail--before it happens.

Since the fulfillment of prophecy is always in the future from the standpoint of the prophet, many of the prophets did not fully understand their own predictions. That is because many of the prophecies seemed unlikely at the time to occur, such as the destruction of mighty Babylon. As in the majority of cases, that prophecy went beyond human comprehension because it was so foreign to current circumstances.



You never met a Hittite, an Amorite, a Hivite, a Jebusite, or any other "ite", right? They were all around at the times the bible was written, but no...they have long since morphed into the melee and the mix of the races. But we do still have pure Israelites! That in itself is an indication of God’s preservation for their future. Seventy percent, by the way, of Scripture is the story of Israel, start to finish.

Just the fact that they’re still a people, recently back in thier land (as B says), and duly constituted as a nation (as B says) proves the bible has to be of a supernatural being - or of a time traveler. Surely men could not guess SO PRECICELY all the future details that have actually hapend as the bible has predicted for the Jewish people.



Luke 21:23-24, Jesus says "How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." What an amazing thing to say when, during the first century of this era, the Jews had considerable control over the city of Jerusalem, even though they were forcibly incorporated into the Roman Empire. They had a Temple in Jerusalem and were able to carry out various Temple functions associated with Judaism. But, about 40 years after Jesus prophesied about Gentiles trampling upon Jerusalem, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple and forced Jews into exile. Even today, nearly 2,000 years later, the Jews still do not have enough control over Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple on the Temple Mount.



During the first destruction, Josephus, an historian who lived during the first century, claimed that 1.1 million Jews died and that hundreds of thousands were forced out of the country and into exile and slavery.



During the second destruction, Cassius Dio, an historian who lived during the second century, claimed that 580,000 Jews were killed, and that 50 fortified towns and 985 villages were destroyed.



The exiled Jews were taken to countries throughout the Roman Empire and eventually scattered and re-scattered throughout the world, just as Jesus said.
chris
2009-04-21 01:17:49 UTC
It is a shame you have incorrectly judged the bible. You judge based on it appearance and not for its content. You do not know the writers and the context from where they are coming.





Why believe a book of thousands of years old? It must be of great value to be passed down for thousands of years. Many haters of the bible tried destroying it by fire but it still found in abundance. Some nations will not permit the Bible from entering in. It must be of some importance.



Why do you think people who read it and believe the words written in it receive a change in personality? How come reading the bible changes them?



Good thinking...there must be something about the bible that is different from other books!



If you want to read, read it with a desire to learn not with a critical attitude. A natural man cannot understand the bible but when your eyes are open, golden nuggets of truth can change your attitude and personality
letfreedomring
2009-04-21 01:16:24 UTC
I also have never understood how people can put so much faith in something that they know so little about.



We already know that some things in the bible are different from when originally written. For instance the much important 666 that many sermons revolve around is not even 666. They found out the number is really 616.



This might not seem important but if they messed that up what else could have happened.



If you were supposed to meet your wife in room 666 and you accidentally went into room 616.... you see where this is going. One small change can make big differences.
Ray G
2009-04-21 01:28:33 UTC
Doesn't it make you wonder why the people of this ancient book have hospitals and colleges named after them 2000 years later? Do you think there will be the Harry Potter Memorial Hospital in the year 4009? Will there be the Luke Skywalker College Fund? I don't think so. Some books have substance, something to actually back them up, and others are just stories.
luzville
2009-04-21 01:12:32 UTC
Yes how can a book thousand of years old is still the topic of today if it is not from God and will have a purpose for our lives. It is only the Bible that withstand the test of time and destruction. It had been destroyed in the past yet it is still here as the center of debates.
the_ambusher
2009-04-21 01:12:53 UTC
wow how dare you call the bible a book and to say it is only a story book. don't you realize it is the true word of god Where have you been to have thoughts come into your mind like that? Not at church i am certain. Do your parents know you have those evil thoughts?

It is because every scripture has been coming true and factual just as predicted by those men of god the prophets. For all your short comings and tremendous evil sins I want you to say 10 our fathers and 10 hail mary's now make a good act of contrition Bless you my child and tell Harry Potter i said hi
2009-04-21 01:09:33 UTC
Religion is the oldest business on earth. Just like in the automobile boom in the u.s there were more car company startup attempts than you could shake a stick at. But what were we left with? The big '3' automakers because they had the best business tactics. The same with religion in the religion boom. Its not so much the books, but the tricks used to justify thier outragous claims (like circular reasoning faith as a virtue and pure fear). Belief is in our brains, it will be here for awhile the currnt religions are just the best at surviving and taking advantage of that need.
jus me ♥
2009-04-21 01:08:54 UTC
even scientists turn to the kuraan for future events



The Qur'an anticipated many of the modern scientific discoveries which were beyond human imagination 14 centuries ago. This separates the Qur'an from other religious texts which were limited to the knowledge of the people at the time the text was completed. The Qur'an is the only book of revelations that exists today in its original language and form. Therefore it is the only text available today that is restricted to the word of God .



u will be shocked at how many things and revelations came true in the qur'an.the best source, think about it, if u were to look at the 1st qu'ran ever written,and one printed 2day,not 1 word would change,have a look at this site, it cant be a coincidence.



http://home.att.net/~a.f.aly/creation.ht...

http://home.att.net/~a.f.aly/quran.htm
Chris W
2009-04-21 01:07:05 UTC
you have to read it to understand it. But it states a very good purpose of the world gods greatest creation if u could do anything the most amazing thing to do is create a world and life. But ive yet to not find a problem ive had that i can read the bible and it will tell me solution of. You should read the revelation which the bible seems to say that we are in. But my question to u is why cant it be god or jesus? because its not something natural or proven to u. just cuz he dosent show himself to every1 dosent mean its not real just because you cant comprehend it dosent mean its not real. if there was a murder and you saw and you had the gun and the bullet and the body. But not the person would no1 belive you because u cant show them the person.
Fuzzy
2009-04-21 01:18:49 UTC
I have a book in which the periodic table may be seen. A copy may be found here:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table



Do you think this information ever will become old and outdated?



If so how? and why?



If it forever will remain true, and was true in the past also, then you are actually yourself in violation of your own question.



If God caused a book to be written so that man may know how to walk and how God walks with man, will this ever be outdated? He is also the one that wrote the periodic table in palpable units that we can verify anytime we feel like.
minou
2009-04-21 01:14:43 UTC
My poor Lady Weasley, the Bible hasn't been discovered lately. It was there for a long time. Harry Potter and the Bible... You're hilarious. I'm a Catholic, Love
Kimberly
2009-04-21 01:23:41 UTC
There's no comparison.



the more you learn in detail (especially in the area of fulfilled prophecy which is dead on accurate) you will see the Bible is not like any other book. It has superior wisdom because its the inspired word of God written for our instruction. Go ahead...put it to the test.



start with 5 basic reasons why its unlike any other book:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200711/article_03.htm



and why its practical today:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20070401/article_02.htm
Thayne G
2009-04-21 01:06:56 UTC
Because it is not some very old fictitious storybook. It's his words to give hope to his followers today, through their trials:) Oh and don't relate Harry Potter to the bible 'cause it's two different things, one is dead and lifeless the other is alive and spiritual (don't tell me you don't know which is which 'cause in your heart you know:) God Bless:)
2009-04-21 01:18:51 UTC
It's only about 1600/1700 years old actually. (The New Testament part)
ForgivenOfMuch
2009-04-24 23:32:05 UTC
I know the Author. I like His book.

I like Him better, but the book is awesome too.
Athєist's Nightmarє
2009-04-21 01:02:31 UTC
Why place so much belief in a book that is 150 years?
i aint know
2009-04-21 01:04:57 UTC
have you spent thousands of yeras studying the most popular most beloved best seller most revered texts ever on the planet?? are you saying you disrespect something you know so little about ?? Your argument seems very thin who will applaud your casually statements .. be more careful what you are saying ..
2009-04-21 00:58:48 UTC
Hey, if a book written more than a thousand years ago, warns me that I won't be able to buy or sell without a mark.... I'm gonna go Hmmmmm. That's quite a coinkidink?????



No more Money? One world language? Hmmmm....... I guess they were good guessers.?
2009-04-21 01:40:58 UTC
religious scriptures are for poor/beggars



others work hard & become rich
2009-04-21 01:00:34 UTC
The first few generations, after the Bible was compiled, were persuaded either by shame or fear. Since then it's become a kind of family tradition passed down to children, as well as the shame and fear part.



Peace
2009-04-21 00:59:52 UTC
The ground you walk on is billions of years old. Do you trust it??
Die Kolonie (GI Styles)
2009-04-21 00:58:14 UTC
Well, the newer religions tend to be a bit insane. They are pretty much cults.
2009-04-21 01:02:01 UTC
You forgot to mention it was probably written by a 12 yr old.
Christy G
2009-04-21 00:59:38 UTC
Habit. People tend to get their religion as a hand-me-down without comparison shopping.
seasnake
2009-04-21 00:58:19 UTC
because it came out of the Middle East and if you can't trust people from the Middle East who can you trust :)
[Insert Name Here]
2009-04-21 01:02:29 UTC
most definitly!!!!!!! woah i seriously wish there was a HP religion...and J.K Rowling would be god...and voldemort would be satan...and harry can be jesus!!!!!!!...utter brilliance ^_^
2009-04-21 01:02:23 UTC
cuz God is the living perfection supreme being and He loves us...dont mock others....HE NEVER LIES....if you cant respect others, please see polls...
2009-04-21 00:58:00 UTC
Brainwashing, mostly. Sunday school is literally indoctrination. They get them at a young age, before they can even differentiate truth from fiction.



It's hard to see the truth after so many years of that stuff at such a young age.



Personally, I never bought it. After I found out that Santa was actually my parents, I realized that God was simply Santa for adults.
JAWBONE!!!!
2009-04-21 00:57:47 UTC
1 word = FAITH
Tommy
2009-04-21 00:57:44 UTC
I do not...I find the Bible to be ridiculous, much like the God of it.
2009-04-21 01:01:47 UTC
more at http://delhiwalah.com/prabhu_charcha


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