Why believe unverified stories?

[Zzyzx]

Everything ‘known’ about ‘the son of god’ is from stories told many decades after he is said to have died (and supposedly had returned to life and flown away into the sky).

None of those storytellers can be shown to have personally witnessed anything Jesus may have said or done. No contemporary historian, chronicler, recorder, or anyone else noticed and reported anything about the wandering Jewish preacher or his ‘miraculous’ deeds.

[Difflugia]

Everything ‘known’ about ‘the son of god’ is from stories told many decades after he is said to have died (and supposedly had returned to life and flown away into the sky).

That actually explains why the question about prophecies and probability only makes sense in TD&D, where the Bible is already assumed to be authoritative. Unless the stories are declared to be true independently of any sort of historical reasoning, then the probability of Jesus fulfilling so many prophecies turns into the probability of a story being written about someone fulfilling prophecy.

[1213]

Why believe unverified stories?

I think that is a good question. I would like to know why people do so and believe for example the evolution theory.

To me the Bible is not unverified, because I see things going as told in the Bible.

None of those storytellers can be shown to have personally witnessed anything Jesus may have said or done. No contemporary historian, chronicler, recorder, or anyone else noticed and reported anything about the wandering Jewish preacher or his ‘miraculous’ deeds.

Yes, impossible to show you what happened 2,000 years ago. But, would it even matter, would it make any meaningful difference, if it would be shown to you? You can always say you don't believe, if you don't like the truth.

If it would be necessary to be convinced that things went as told in the Bible, it would be done. I don't think it is necessary. The idea is that people become righteous, because eternal life is promised only for righteous. If being convinced doesn't make you righteous, there is not much reason to convince you.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Matt. 25:46
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

[Zzyzx]

Why believe unverified stories?

I think that is a good question. I would like to know why people do so and believe for example the evolution theory.

To me the Bible is not unverified, because I see things going as told in the Bible.

Do you see animals conversing in human language, a woman turning into salt, a man living inside a fish for days, the sun stopping overhead for a day, bears mauling boys for calling someone Baldy, dead people coming out of graves and going to town, or a dead Jewish preacher coming back to life and levitating into the sky?

None of those storytellers can be shown to have personally witnessed anything Jesus may have said or done. No contemporary historian, chronicler, recorder, or anyone else noticed and reported anything about the wandering Jewish preacher or his ‘miraculous’ deeds.

Yes, impossible to show you what happened 2,000 years ago. But, would it even matter, would it make any meaningful difference, if it would be shown to you? You can always say you don't believe, if you don't like the truth.

I like truth that can be VERIFIED -- I do not believe everthing said or written; including animals conversing in human language, a woman turning into salt, a man living inside a fish for days, the sun stopping overhead for a day, bears mauling boys for calling someone Baldy, dead people coming out of graves and going to town, or a dead Jewish preacher coming back to life and levitating into the sky.

[Difflugia]

Why believe unverified stories?

I think that is a good question. I would like to know why people do so and believe for example the evolution theory.

You not understanding the verification isn't the same as lacking verification.

To me the Bible is not unverified, because I see things going as told in the Bible.

Confirmation bias is a heck of a drug.

[1213]

Do you see animals conversing in human language...

Does the Bible tell the animals spoke in human language? Could it be that the humans understood animal language?

I like truth that can be VERIFIED ...

Can anything that happened 2000 years ago be verified?

[Zzyzx]

Do you see animals conversing in human language...

Does the Bible tell the animals spoke in human language? Could it be that the humans understood animal language?

Great example of religious 'thinking' and extremes used in attempting to 'explain' irrational bible tales.

It might be more rational to think that tales of animals speaking human language are just fictional stories made up in attempt to convey some moralistic point.

Can anything that happened 2000 years ago be verified?

Yes. The pyramids are ample evidence that their building happened.

[SiNcE_1985]

.

If you don't believe it, then you shouldn't care.

Since the story of Jesus and his alleged resurrection doesn't jive with whatever you have going on in your godless life, then why waste years of your life on message forums concerning yourself with it?

Makes no sense.

Everything ‘known’ about ‘the son of god’ is from stories told many decades after he is said to have died (and supposedly had returned to life and flown away into the sky). None of those storytellers can be shown to have personally witnessed anything Jesus may have said or done.

Um, no. This is false.

Paul is said to have had his conversion 3-5 years after the resurrection, which would mean that the "stories known about the son of God" were not told many decades after Jesus died, as you allege.

Plus, Luke's preface states that these "stories" were first told by "eyewitnesses", and that his (Luke's) book is an orderly account, in like fashion.

Now sure, certain books may have been written a few decades after the fact, but let's not pretend as if the books are not written accounts of preexisting oral stories that were in circulation decades prior.

See, this is exactly why Christian apologetics is important..to put these same tired old skepticistic (new word) talking points in check.

No contemporary historian, chronicler, recorder, or anyone else noticed and reported anything about the wandering Jewish preacher or his ‘miraculous’ deeds.

This is an argument from silence, thus fallacious.

To those that it mattered, they wrote about it before their dying day...and Christianity became (and still is) the #1 biggest religion in the world..despite not having what you claim it doesn't have.

So, if the goal was achieved despite it, then it simply wasn't needed.

[Realworldjack]

[Replying to SiNcE_1985 in post #8]

Since the story of Jesus and his alleged resurrection doesn't jive with whatever you have going on in your godless life

I am just wondering why you felt the need to make such a comment? This sort of comment demonstrates to me that there are many non-Christians who are more Christ-like than we Christians.

[SiNcE_1985]

[Replying to SiNcE_1985 in post #8]

Since the story of Jesus and his alleged resurrection doesn't jive with whatever you have going on in your godless life

I am just wondering why you felt the need to make such a comment?

Have you ever wondered why non-believers exert years of time and energy on subjects (such as Christianity), that have literally no effect or value in their godless lives?

Ponder that for a minute or two.

This sort of comment demonstrates to me that there are many non-Christians who are more Christ-like than we Christians.

Nothing I said was unChrist-like, so try again.