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You have asked me that before and I explained it but seems like it might not be a question you really care to understand. With the measure we use it will be measured back to us.
If anyone wants the truth, they have to do what Jesus says to do, and then he will reveal himself to the person and give them understanding.
Many who call themselves a Christian are going by what the pastor of their choice says.
Pastors go to college and think that is the way to get understanding and knowledge about God.
These pastors are actually teaching against the way to get saved when they say by faith alone.
Please re-explain it.
There are people who are not pastors. They are....like you. They proclaim Jesus "told" them the truth. They say stay away from denominations and they tell people their version and say "this is the truth". So....why should we trust you?
There are people who are not pastors. They are....like you. They proclaim Jesus "told" them the truth. They say stay away from denominations and they tell people their version and say "this is the truth". So....why should we trust you?
I don't say trust me. I say trust Jesus. Jesus tells you how to have him reveal himself to you.
John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
John 14:21 The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him."
John 8:30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
2 Timothy 2:25 correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth.
Proverbs 1:23 Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.
Daniel 9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
Daniel 12:10 Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.
Psalm 119:100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.
History told me the truth, Comp. I would have thought I'd made that clear from the beginning. Look at point no 4 about Jesus having more historical citations than Caesar. Are you actually hiding behind having to study the matter? I've already done the work for you for Christ's sake.
"We have actual coins and inscriptions dating from Caesar’s time and the time of his contemporaries. None for Jesus. We also have several eyewitness accounts. There are no eyewitness sources for Jesus. There are at least nine for Caesar."
Read the article and then answer me in your next post.
So if history says there are no eyewitness accounts for Jesus and there are at least NINE for Caesar, are you actually going to argue the point? Or say, "I have to study the matter??????" That's just a copout, we both know that.
Again, this is what galls me about you Christians, comp. The truth slaps you right in the face and yet you say, "I can't believe what I read when I read that history is denying Jesus rose from the dead." Christians deny reality at all costs. They simply don't want to acknowledge it. If the truth supports their position then they will accept it. If the truth hurts their position they will deny it. It's a game of "Cherry-pick what we like to hear and throw the rest away."
But truth is truth, isn't it? Or is there one truth for people who live in reality and another entirely different truth for Christians?
If God and Jesus were perfect as you Christians claim they how could Perfect Beings create an imperfect religion?
You don't have to be a Biblical scholar, that's just another cop-out. Just read what the Biblical scholars say. There is no Biblical scholar out there outside Christianity who actually says they believe Jesus rose from the dead. That's a faith statement because there is no evidence to support it.
I love telling the truth. And I hate it when Christians lie to try to get dumb naive people to join their religion. An honest Christian would say,
"You should become Christian because Jesus taught many good things. We have no historical references for him and we cannot prove he rose from the dead but we believe he taught some really good stuff. And no, you will not go to hell if if you refuse to believe in him."
Now that would be an honest declaration from a Christian. But when was the last time you ever heard a Christian be that honest? Get back to me when you're ready to be that honest.
It's not a cop out, Thrillo. I am honestly admitting I do not know the answer and need to do more research on the topic. I skimmed through the article you sent. It's a well-written article. It makes me think "this is a good argument against Jesus". But does it make me declare myself an atheist? Not really.
That was a 2015 article written by a guy with a PhD in ancient history from a good university. Impressive. My next step would be to see if there are more recent articles that were written that support AND go against him. Guess what? There are. There seems to be a debate between Bart Ehrman and Carrier on this topic. There are a few other articles written by people who write their own reviews on Carrier as well. But I'm not just going to read an article that goes against Jesus and automatically believe it and dedicate my life to the belief of the author who wrote that article.
What you are doing is promoting suicide and murder.
Jesus is the last sacrifice once and for all.
We have to crucify ourselves with Christ to sin.
We have to die to the sins of the world.
Homosexuality is a sin as are many other things.
1. You are trying to dishonestly shift the focus to me. I'm not promoting blood sacrafice all. I think it is and was always dumb, childish, foolish, ignorant, and inhuman (even if it was animals being sacraficed). And anyone who sticks up for blood sacrafice in biblical history is equally dumb, childish, foolish, ignorant, and inhuman.
2. That you have apparently figured out that I am gay...I don't give a flying fig.
3. But here you are once again saying that humans should be crucified. Those words I bolded...those are your words that you wrote.
It's not a cop out, Thrillo. I am honestly admitting I do not know the answer and need to do more research on the topic. I skimmed through the article you sent. It's a well-written article. It makes me think "this is a good argument against Jesus". But does it make me declare myself an atheist? Not really.
That was a 2015 article written by a guy with a PhD in ancient history from a good university. Impressive. My next step would be to see if there are more recent articles that were written that support AND go against him. Guess what? There are. There seems to be a debate between Bart Ehrman and Carrier on this topic. There are a few other articles written by people who write their own reviews on Carrier as well. But I'm not just going to read an article that goes against Jesus and automatically believe it and dedicate my life to the belief of the author who wrote that article.
I'm not asking you to declare yourself an atheist, comp. Where did you ever get that idea? I couldn't care less if you believe in Jesus or Buddha or Confucius or the Flying Spaghetti Monster as long as you get reliable evidence that supports your beliefs. I'm just asking you to recognize that Christians are less than honest when they try to convert dumb gullible newbies to their faith without telling them that secular history does not support the existence of the divine Jesus they are trying to get those dumb gullible newbie to believe in. THAT is what rankles me about Christianity: that history and the evidence does not support what they promulgate and yet they go on promulgating the deceit knowing that it's deceit.
Christians wonder why churches are closing by the thousands every year in this country and why people are dropping out of Christianity in droves in 1st world countries where education and the Internet are exposing the lies and deceit that Christianity has thrived on for 2000 years. If Christianity ever cleans up its act and starts telling the truth instead of falsehoods it may stand a chance of surviving. But it's just not in Christians' DNA to tell the truth because the truth is against Christian beliefs and because they have been fed untruths by their pastors and church leaders all their lives. That has to change.
I'm not asking you to declare yourself an atheist, comp. Where did you ever get that idea? I couldn't care less if you believe in Jesus or Buddha or Confucius or the Flying Spaghetti Monster as long as you get reliable evidence that supports your beliefs. I'm just asking you to recognize that Christians are less than honest when they try to convert dumb gullible newbies to their faith without telling them that secular history does not support the existence of the divine Jesus they are trying to get those dumb gullible newbie to believe in. THAT is what rankles me about Christianity: that history and the evidence does not support what they promulgate and yet they go on promulgating the deceit knowing that it's deceit.
Christians wonder why churches are closing by the thousands every year in this country and why people are dropping out of Christianity in droves in 1st world countries where education and the Internet are exposing the lies and deceit that Christianity has thrived on for 2000 years. If Christianity ever cleans up its act and starts telling the truth instead of falsehoods it may stand a chance of surviving. But it's just not in Christians' DNA to tell the truth because the truth is against Christian beliefs and because they have been fed untruths by their pastors and church leaders all their lives. That has to change.
Ok, here is me saying that yes, I do recognize that Christians take their beliefs, whether their beliefs have solid evidence or not, and confidently share it with others to try and get people to join Christianity or to reinforce their own beliefs.
"without telling them that secular history does not support the existence of the divine Jesus they are trying to get those dumb gullible newbie to believe in"
be very careful when you say this. This is your opinion. A solid statement is "as far as I know, there is currently no solid evidence of secular history supporting the existence of a divine Jesus". Your statement implies that there is 100% no secular history that supports a divine Jesus.
The problem with your argument, Thrillo, is you believe all Christians are stupid. There are a lot of logical Christians out there who would actually put up a good argument. From what I am seeing, it is your truth vs another person's truth. Your belief vs another person's belief. Your logic vs another person's logic. Your perspective vs their perspective. You, without any hesitation, assume the other person did not do the same research you have already done.
I've actually seen posts on this forum where people have posted some valid arguments against you and you just flat out laughed and mocked them. You did not even take into consideration anything they said.
1. You are trying to dishonestly shift the focus to me. I'm not promoting blood sacrafice all. I think it is and was always dumb, childish, foolish, ignorant, and inhuman (even if it was animals being sacraficed). And anyone who sticks up for blood sacrafice in biblical history is equally dumb, childish, foolish, ignorant, and inhuman.
2. That you have apparently figured out that I am gay...I don't give a flying fig.
3. But here you are once again saying that humans should be crucified. Those words I bolded...those are your words that you wrote.
You know what you are doing and I'm not interested in your game.
You know what you are doing and I'm not interested in your game.
You still don't respond directly to the posts of mine or many others here. Cause ya got nothing. Ya got no qualifications other than your self-proclamation.
You still don't respond directly to the posts of mine or many others here. Cause ya got nothing. Ya got no qualifications other than your self-proclamation.
You are not telling the truth about me and are personally attacking.
You are not telling the truth about me and are personally attacking.
All you have to do is answer questions that people ask of you.
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