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It's a difficult question. One that would be hard to answer without starting a fight. This is not really enough of an answer, but...
In its first three centuries Christianity survived in what you could deem a "competitive religious marketplace", one that was indifferent or hostile to it. It's survived in India for as much as nineteen centuries without official approval. In Iraq or Egypt it's survived thirteen centuries of Islamic rule, which was sometimes friendly but sometimes not friendly at all. And those areas produced some interesting Christians too, such as Hunayn ibn Ishaq.
Since then Christianity has been applicable in more cultures than maybe any religion.
In addition to be canonized a saint has to have confirmed miracles. Catholicism process might be ridiculed by atheists, but it's more rigorous in scrutiny than most religions do. There's also Marian apparitions, not simply one but any or all of them. As well as Joan of Arc and certain other events in recorded history.
Lastly some point to it being Christendom, particularly Western Christendom I grant, that lead to the modern world. Not the more philosophical Chinese or the pagan Lithuanians. (They stayed pagan for a long time)
So from the faith of laborers in a Roman province we have a religion that's applicable in diverse settings, has been able to survive over a dozen centuries without official support, has a mass of reported miracles, is reputedly growing in societies that have become thoroughly secular (China, Vietnam, etc) and maybe some of what Ishaq said. And some other things, but I have a cold coming on.
What verifiable, historical evidence is there in support of Christianity being the true religion while others are not???
If you read through threads started by Islamic proselytizers (or people who hide behind a computer screen and pretend to be), you'll find precisely the same attitude. It's their way or the highway.
Because I was raised in Oklahoma, and that's what my Pa told me on the farm...
Ok, just kidding, but it is simply how they were raised. Many christians admit one of the reasons why they believe is because they were raised to believe it, just like any religion and other multiple belief systems.
Because I was raised in Oklahoma, and that's what my Pa told me on the farm...
Ok, just kidding, but it is simply how they were raised. Many christians admit one of the reasons why they believe is because they were raised to believe it, just like any religion and other multiple belief systems.
That's probably it like 80% of the time, but if that was all of it we wouldn't see people raised without religion becoming religious however we clearly do see that.
Harry Potter and the Christian Magicians | John C. Wright's Journal - "This was an admission grudging to me because I was then a lifelong atheist and a hardened skeptic, and to make any admission that Christianity was not the most false and most pernicious of all false systems is nigh impossible for atheists." (His words, I wouldn't go as far as him. Still I first started reading his fiction when he was, quite clearly, an atheist. I think the following interview is from his atheist days as he describes himself as "A Stoic", his conversion is listed elsewhere as happening a year after this interview, and he does not get into religion here.)
(There's also something by him on Youtube, but Youtube videos tend to have a huge amount of juvenile comments regardless of what's posted. If you can ignore those it might be interesting to you, or not)
Last edited by Thomas R.; 08-19-2011 at 08:03 AM..
That's probably it like 80% of the time, but if that was all of it we wouldn't see people raised without religion becoming religious however we clearly do see that.
Harry Potter and the Christian Magicians | John C. Wright's Journal - "This was an admission grudging to me because I was then a lifelong atheist and a hardened skeptic, and to make any admission that Christianity was not the most false and most pernicious of all false systems is nigh impossible for atheists." (His words, I wouldn't go as far as him. Still I first started reading his fiction when he was, quite clearly, an atheist. I think the following interview is from his atheist days as he describes himself as "A Stoic", his conversion is listed elsewhere as happening a year after this interview, and he does not get into religion here.)
(There's also something by him on Youtube, but Youtube videos tend to have a huge amount of juvenile comments regardless of what's posted. If you can ignore those it might be interesting to you, or not)
I'm more baffled at an atheist becoming religious than I'm baffled at religious people themselves. So this will always be a mystery to me ><
The question in the OP is much too difficult (or too complicated) for christians to understand.
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