The people that try to tear down your faith have none of their own. They are lonely, empty vessels of hate and bitterness with no where to go for strength. They hate and resent our inner strength from our faith. They hate it because they want it, but they can't handle it because it comes with rules, very definite rules, and they don't like rules. Why, I don't know. If they would accept it, they would be better for it, but they have a different way to go about life.
These people go through life hating everything that is good, and decent. They want to pervert everything that is decent. If I have no one, I have my God, and Jesus, a man that gave His life for me. They have nothing. In a way I can feel sorry for them, but they brought that upon themselves.
They deny God, and they disdain Jesus, they spit on the Holy Bible. They blaspheme the name of God. They live for themselves and justify it in the name of some false concept of, whatever. Rules to them are archaic, and nonsensical.
Live your life that way and you will find the end of that life will be unfulfilled and empty. It will be nobody's fault but your own. Find Christ, find God and you will be forgiven.
A quote from the Son of God: He who beliefit in Me shall not parish, but shall live forever in the Kingdom of God.
I'd say that that's pretty good deal, better that all the rest.
I actually get embarrassed for extreme skeptics who posit outlandish theories to explain away the known facts associated with Jesus and His death and resurrection. Five important facts are listed earlier in this thread. I've heard things like "Jesus was a space alien" or "He was a totally mythical character" or "Anyone who says he saw Jesus resurrected was hallucinating."
These are "drive-by" type explanations used by someone who wishes to avoid the facts. But when you methodically unpack these opposing theories you find they are rife with errors and implausibilities and they cannot account for the known facts. I hold onto the possibility that the skeptic, or perhaps someone listening to the conversation, will be stirred to question their anti-Jesus bias and presuppositions. A newly opened mind could lead them to be more receptive to the call of the Holy Spirit. It's a mission field of sorts.
In Christ,
dukeman