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Recent archeological discoveries from the House of David, to Walls of Jericho, to Seals of Biblical Personalities, and evidence of the New Testament have show us that the Biblical accounts are true and can be believed. The link below will show us some of these discoveries.
Recent archeological discoveries from the House of David, to Walls of Jericho, to Seals of Biblical Personalities, and evidence of the New Testament have show us that the Biblical accounts are true and can be believed. The link below will show us some of these discoveries.
How can you resolve them? By taking a bible and translating it to suit your own beliefs?!".
I'm not able to translate.. but I do come up with interpretations.
For example.. consider this - apparrent - contradiction.. not only did Jesus make blind people see.. he also made seeing people blind.
How is that possible.. ?
Many christians would call this a miracle.
But I don't believe in miracles.. so I search for some other interpretations.. which make more sense.
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"Hence they said to the blind man again: "What do you say about him, seeing that he opened your eyes?"
The man said: "He is a prophet."
And Jesus said: "For this judgment I came into this world: that those not seeing might see and those seeing might become blind." - John 9:13
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The apparent contradiction above is resovled by reading though the bible and noting the context in which the word blind is being used. (I also check though other scriptures.. which are not included in the bible.. to make cross-references.. for good measure).
Then ask questions.. like..
Is "blind" being really being used to mean physical blindness.. ?
Or is it being used to mean.. those who lack understanding (blind in the hearts and minds).
The overwhelming evidence would suggest "blind" is consistently being used as a metaphor.. amd therefore has a spiritual interpretation.... meaning those who are lacking in their understanding.. and not those who have poor eyesight.
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"And in that day the deaf ones will certainly hear the words of the book, and out of the gloom and out of the darkness even the eyes of the blind ones will see.
Bring forth a people blind though eyes themselves exist, and the ones deaf though they have ears." - Isaiah 29:18 & 43:8
Or.. again..
Jesus said, "I took my stand in the midst of the world, and in flesh I appeared to them. I found them all drunk, and I did not find any of them thirsty. My soul ached for the children of humanity, because they are blind in their hearts and do not see, for they came into the world empty.. " - Gospel of Thomas.
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This leads me to understand the "miracle" stories as allegory.. and thereby.. the contradiction is resolved.
I'll get back to your other points later.
I visited Ireland for my last holiday.. and spent some time in Droogheda (everyone laughed because I couldn't pronounce it).
The sauages were great..
I don't suppose you could send me a sausage sandwich.. ?.......;-)
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"Everyone inexperienced puts faith in every word , but the shrewd one considers his steps."
Proverbs 14:15
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Last edited by accelerator; 08-10-2008 at 08:08 AM..
Cleopatra was a major political figure than lived only a half a century before Jesus was born (not 2,000 years). Jesus was, for all secular historical purposes, a carpenter-turned-rabbi that attracted a small group of followers and was executed as ingloriously by the Romans as many people today would step on an ant. Roman historians would have payed no attention to him, neither would Jewish historians. Even in the Bible, many people were not persuaded by his miracles.
Have you heard of Sai Baba or Ramana Maharshi ? Probably not, right. That doesn't mean Sai Baba or Ramana Maharshi didn't exist. Because they don't show up on your "radar", yet they were (and are) important people to many. You just weren't aware of it.
Having said that, you are free to disbelieve the Bible, it's just one book, and the evidence for Jesus outside the Bible is admittedly weak. I think one reason Christianity actually spread so fast, from a secular viewpoint, was due to the Roman world embracing it and making it a state religion. If that had not happened, who knows what would have happened to Christianity. It might have survived alongside the mystery religions and the Roman pantheon. The Roman empire turned Christianity from an interesting, and even diverse community, into a simple child faith, though, essentially blending Jesus with the myths of Isis-Horus (Madonna and Child) and Mithras (human sacrifice). Vestal virgins became nuns, the Virgin Mary, etc. (Romans loved the idea of virgin women, but in Judaism it would be considered akin to being a "spinster", damaged goods- definitely a non-Jewish influence). The various ecumenical councils made early Church fathers such as Origen, with his belief in pre-existence of the soul and universal salvation, nearly a heretic. Christianity was actually alot more "diverse" and "mystical" before the Romans got hold of it.
Having said all that, I think Jesus, to some extent, was likely a real historical figure of some kind. I doubt it was all made up out of nothing. There are many world religions which have far longer oral traditions of transmission, such as Buddhism, which took hundreds of years to be written down, long after schisms and the rise of different sects (Buddha, unlike Jesus, lived a long time, and got slightly involved with some political intrigue- an assassination plot against him, so the evidence Siddartha Gautama existed is still strong, however).
It is the nature of man to include genius with insanity..
Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnulus
Cleopatra was a major political figure than lived only a half a century before Jesus was born (not 2,000 years). Jesus was, for all secular historical purposes, a carpenter-turned-rabbi that attracted a small group of followers and was executed as ingloriously by the Romans as many people today would step on an ant. Roman historians would have payed no attention to him, neither would Jewish historians. Even in the Bible, many people were not persuaded by his miracles.
Have you heard of Sai Baba or Ramana Maharshi ? Probably not, right. That doesn't mean Sai Baba or Ramana Maharshi didn't exist. Because they don't show up on your "radar", yet they were (and are) important people to many. You just weren't aware of it.
I share the same point of view.. I don't know much about history.. or geography.. but I imagine the area were Jesus may have been known for his teachings.. was a relatively small part of the country. and they didn't have newspapers.. or tv. One could easily exist.. and be completely unknown.
At this time there were probably many prophets preaching.. each according to their own understanding (Just like in.. The Life of Brian).
For the Romans.. he would have been just another seditionist.. and would have been executed with out any special treatment.. along with the rest.
In his own time he probably didn't stand out at all.. apart from a small number of people that listened to what he was teaching.
There have been scientists.. and artists.. etc.. who weren't recoginized in their own time for their genius.. and only became famous after their death.
Today names like Van Gough.. and William Blake.. are household names.. but during their life-times their work was ignored.. even ridiculed.. and they were considered to be madmen.
If it wasn't for their writings and art.. would we have known of their existence.. ?
Some how I doubt it.
Madmen are quickly forgotten.. even when they aren't really as crazy as they might seem.
Many people's response to genius.. is to ignore it.
That's the way world is.
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“It is the nature of man to include genius with insanity.”
Recent archeological discoveries from the House of David, to Walls of Jericho, to Seals of Biblical Personalities, and evidence of the New Testament have show us that the Biblical accounts are true and can be believed. The link below will show us some of these discoveries.
There's already been stronger 'evidence' put forward in this thread than that Christian site puts forward.
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This may help
They are blind in their hearts and do not see..
