The Bible—A Book From God

[JosephM]

i love the prophecies

Hello Mee,

Exactly what is it that you love about prophecies?

Love,
JM

 

[mee]

Hello Mee,

Exactly what is it that you love about prophecies?

Love,
JM

they always come true .
The Hebrew prophecies frequently begin, "Hear the word of Jehovah" (Isa 1:10; Jer 2:4), and by the expression "the word" is often meant an inspired message, or prophecy.—Isa 44:26; Jer 21:1; Eze 33:30-33; compare Isa 24:3.

 

[mee]

Hello Mee,

Exactly what is it that you love about prophecies?

Love,
JM

The fact that many prophecies were fulfilled in their own times convinced sincere ones of God’s power to carry out his purpose despite all opposition. It was proof of his unique Godship that he, and he alone, could foretell such events and bring them to pass. (Isa 41:21-26; 46:9-11
"For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope." (Ro 15:4)

 

[wil]

As this is the christianity thread i would have thought the bible would be held in high regard , and you are right ,i do see the bible as the word of God because i am a person who believes the bible is inspired of God

hmmm....I think it is held in high regard, it is my number one source and I do also believe it inspired by G!d, doesn't mean I put my head in the sand or hands over my ears to discussion.

 

[Pico]

but of all the Roman records available Jesus's life and death is missing, the tax time is a little off.

I dunno about the tax time you're talking about, but that statement is simply not true. The roman historian Tacitus said this:

Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.

Again while I and others may agree with you, I don't think you'll most Atheist or Non Christian historians will.

Such ideas are not my own. What I said I read from scholar Michael Licona, M.A., PH.D.

Habermas has compiled a list of more than 2,200 sources in French, German, and English in which experts have written on the resurrection from 1975 to the present. He has identified minimal facts that are strongly evidenced and which are regarded as historical by the large majority of scholars, including skeptics. We try to come up with the best historical explanation to account for these facts.

Again, 5 of these facts are:
1) Jesus was killed by crucifixion
2) Jesus' disciples believed that he rose from the dead and appeared to them
3) The conversion of the church persecutor Paul
4) The conversion of the skeptic James, Jesus' half-brother
5) Jesus' tomb was empty

 

[17th Angel]

Mee... lol, I know it is a christian thread... The title is a book from god? lol... I have to probe and question it right? I have to push it? I have not not believe a thing until/IF I choose to do so... To just take your word some god inspired this book would be foolish wouldn't it? I'd be kind of brainwashed.... Wouldn't I? I know quite a few brainwashed people.... :| Questions are a must.

I saw your mighty list but thought it might be better to stick with just one book/writer and not complicate the matter with too much data. You know brain overload..
Besides, I really like... no ... I really love Mee. And I thought, preadventure he might actually read what I posted and respond. Hope was never lost on me and neither will it be lost on Mee.
JM

That was not even HALF the errors I can account for in the bible.... I was putting quite a few just hoping to hit home that his book isn't as perfect as he has been -made- to believe.....

 

[Tao_Equus]

Pico,

lol, citing a rampant evangelist like Michael Lacona as an authorative source to answer this question is like asking a fox if chickens taste good. You will get the answer You want to hear. But can he convince me? Well the bit of his persona I see most clearly is this:

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In July of 1997, Mike formed TruthQuest Ministries through the National Heritage Foundation in order to give an official name to his growing ministry and to allow future donors to make tax-deductible gifts.

And this is the base truth behind all American Evangelism.

God is good business.

Tao
[/FONT]

 

[Dondi]

Pico,

lol, citing a rampant evangelist like Michael Lacona as an authorative source to answer this question is like asking a fox if chickens taste good. You will get the answer You want to hear. But can he convince me? Well the bit of his persona I see most clearly is this:

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In July of 1997, Mike formed TruthQuest Ministries through the National Heritage Foundation in order to give an official name to his growing ministry and to allow future donors to make tax-deductible gifts.[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]And this is the base truth behind all American Evangelism.[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]God is good business.[/FONT]

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Tao[/FONT]
[/FONT]

I'd rather take offense to the idea that American Evangelism is all about money. Certainly you are looking at many of the TV and radio evangelists and for the most part, I agree. There is a lot of greed. But to lump everyone associated in that catagory is a gross misrepresentation.

I sympathize how you feel, Tao, and respect your opinion. But please be careful when making blanket statements like this, or else recatagorize to group that offends you.

 

[Tao_Equus]

Hi Dondi,

I'd rather take offense to the idea that American Evangelism is all about money. Certainly you are looking at many of the TV and radio evangelists and for the most part, I agree. There is a lot of greed. But to lump everyone associated in that catagory is a gross misrepresentation.

I sympathize how you feel, Tao, and respect your opinion. But please be careful when making blanket statements like this, or else recatagorize to group that offends you.

You are right it is a possibly unwarranted blanket statement and no doubt there are a few small groups that are Evangelical but are not about making a comfy living for a few amongst them. Unfortunately I have not come across one as yet. My appologies to any who might belong to such a rarity.

Tao

 

[Dondi]

Hi Dondi,


You are right it is a possibly unwarranted blanket statement and no doubt there are a few small groups that are Evangelical but are not about making a comfy living for a few amongst them. Unfortunately I have not come across one as yet. My appologies to any who might belong to such a rarity.

Tao

You are evidently not looking hard enough. What kind of groups are you referring to? My church, for example, is not out to make money, we are out to spread the Gospel and win people to the Lord. Any contributions we make are accounted for in the ministries they are designated by several trustees in the church. In addition to annual statement, monthly statements are published to reflect how the money is being used. Believe me, the church is not making any windfall profits whatsoever. We are an independent church, free of any board or higher organization. You can multiple this example for many independent churches scatter throughout our nation. You probably don't hear about this because we're not out to project our ministry on TV like these other "evangelists" are doing in racking funds from the gullible people who think that prayer cloths are the way to go.

 

[Pico]

Pico,

lol, citing a rampant evangelist like Michael Lacona as an authorative source to answer this question is like asking a fox if chickens taste good. You will get the answer You want to hear. [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]

Well why would he lie?

 

[wil]

Again, 5 of these facts are:
1) Jesus was killed by crucifixion
2) Jesus' disciples believed that he rose from the dead and appeared to them
3) The conversion of the church persecutor Paul
4) The conversion of the skeptic James, Jesus' half-brother
5) Jesus' tomb was empty

Your quote said nothing to substantiate your five facts above. Again as far as I am aware no historian has uncovered contemporary records...either at the time of Jesus crucifixion or in the following years....today we have tons of discussion and books, but they all utilize the Bible as the source. The only contemporary writings were Josephus, and that has been deemed inserted.

I'm not saying I have issues with what the bible says in this regard, just your claim of external corroboration of same.

 

[JosephM]

Well why would he lie?

Pico,
Its not a question of lying. It a question of forming and expressing an opinion not based on a fair representation of data or on hearsay passed down. Happens all the time.

Heared a well known TV evangelist say Jesus spoke about hell twice as much as he spoke about heaven. Then I hear people repeating it as if it is so.

Fact is if your using the NT you will find Jesus mentioning or teaching about the word heaven at least 6 times more than the word hell. 16 appearances in red for the word hell. Over 100 appeasrances in red letters for the word heaven. I look at it as believing and passing on erroneous information rather than lying.

Love and Peace,
JM

 

[Tao_Equus]

Well why would he lie?

As above posted by Joe.

Additionally he may not believe himself, he may be selling a product.

Tao

 

[Pico]

Pico,
Its not a question of lying. It a question of forming and expressing an opinion not based on a fair representation of data or on hearsay passed down. Happens all the time.

Heared a well known TV evangelist say Jesus spoke about hell twice as much as he spoke about heaven. Then I hear people repeating it as if it is so.

Fact is if your using the NT you will find Jesus mentioning or teaching about the word heaven at least 6 times more than the word hell. 16 appearances in red for the word hell. Over 100 appeasrances in red letters for the word heaven. I look at it as believing and passing on erroneous information rather than lying.

Love and Peace,
JM

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. However this guy, apart from being a highly qualified scholar, he himself was a skeptic who's "own faith was sharpened by a period of doubt that he went through at the end of his graduate studies in 1985... however, his renewed investigation of the evidence for Christianity and a number of other major world religions, as well as his in-depth study of atheism, ended up solidifying his conviction that Christianity rests on a firm historical foundation."

And as he said himself: "I still have periods when I experience some doubt... Some times I still wonder, 'Am I looking at these arguments as objectively as I can?' I'm always trying to neutralize my biases. When someone raises an objection, most of the time I'm not trying to think of a refutation. I'm trying ot understand and internalize the argument--to grant its full weight. I try to feel it as the person who holds it feels it. And that will cause some doubts, because I'm sort of experiencing what they're experiencing... I look at the data. I try to apply responsible historical methodology, and I always come back to the resurrection."

I have to admire someone like that.

It's not that the facts support his claims because he's an evangelical. He's an evangelical because the facts support the claims.

 

[Tao_Equus]

It's not that the facts support his claims because he's an evangelical. He's an evangelical because the facts support the claims.

Then he has a very different interpretation of what constitutes a fact than I.

Tao

 

[mee]

hmmm....I think it is held in high regard, it is my number one source and I do also believe it inspired by G!d, doesn't mean I put my head in the sand or hands over my ears to discussion.

yes thats more like it , but 17th puts over a different way of looking at the bible ,so it seems to me that he does not think it is the word of God . he seems to have a different attitude towards it , thats why i mentioned that this was the christianity thread, and i would have thought that christians regard it as the inspired word of God . but less about what i or anyone else think, lets see what the bible says .
No other holy book has had so universal a distribution, and most others are not nearly as old. The Koran of Islam is about 1,400 years old. Buddha and Confucius lived about 2,500 years ago, and their writings date from that time. The Scriptures of Shinto were composed in their present form no more than about 1,200 years ago. The Book of Mormon is only 180 years old. None of these holy books can accurately trace human history back through 6,000 years, as does the Bible. To understand original religion, we must therefore go to the Bible. It is the only book with a universal message for all mankind.

 

[17th Angel]

yes thats more like it , but 17th puts over a different way of looking at the bible ,so it seems to me that he does not think it is the word of God . he seems to have a different attitude towards it.

Think about this one...

-Should- I believe it?

but less about what i or anyone else think, lets see what the bible says .

Oh for sure! Who need's people's opinions or individuality? Let's all be drones! *claps hands in a rapid excited manner* Oh do let's!

 

[mee]

Pico,
Its not a question of lying. It a question of forming and expressing an opinion not based on a fair representation of data or on hearsay passed down. Happens all the time.

Heared a well known TV evangelist say Jesus spoke about hell twice as much as he spoke about heaven. Then I hear people repeating it as if it is so.

Fact is if your using the NT you will find Jesus mentioning or teaching about the word heaven at least 6 times more than the word hell. 16 appearances in red for the word hell. Over 100 appeasrances in red letters for the word heaven. I look at it as believing and passing on erroneous information rather than lying.

Love and Peace,
JM

i would agree with you on this one ,the main focus for Jesus was the kingdom of God

 

[mee]

Think about this one...

-Should- I believe it?



Oh for sure! Who need's people's opinions or individuality? Let's all be drones! *claps hands in a rapid excited manner* Oh do let's!

what do you think about the prophecies in the bible ?