79% Believe Jesus Christ Rose from the Dead (According to Rasmussen Survey)

Rasmussen Reports ^ | April 11, 2009

[Zakeet]

As Christians gather to celebrate Easter this Sunday, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 88% of adults nationwide think the person known to history as Jesus Christ actually walked the earth 2,000 years ago. That’s up five points from a year ago. Today, 5% disagree and 7% are not sure.

Eighty-two percent (82%) also believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God who came to Earth and died for our sins. Another 10% think otherwise and 8% aren’t sure.

Nearly as many, 79% believe the central claim of the Christian faith--that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Only 10% say they do not believe the first Easter resurrection really happened, while 11% are not sure.

Overall, women tend to be stronger believers in Jesus Christ than men. Eighty-seven (87%) of women and 70% of men believe Jesus rose from the dead; 89% of women and 74% of men think he was the son of God; 91% of women and 85% of men believe he actually walked the earth.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Catholics believe Jesus rose from the dead along with 86% of Protestants and 97% of Evangelical Christians. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Catholics also think Jesus was the son of God. That view is shared by 90% of Protestants and 97% of Evangelical Christians. Finally, 87% of Catholics, 95% of Protestants and all Evangelical Christians surveyed believe that Jesus Christ walked the earth.

Among those who rarely or never attend church, 50% believe Jesus rose from the dead, 58% think he was the son of God and 72% say he walked the Earth.

While most adults are believers in Jesus Christ, just over half (56%) of adults say they will attend a church service to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Thirty-five percent (35%) have no intention of going to a service, while 9% are not sure if they will attend a service or not.

[mc5cents]

I Did Not Die

Do not stand on my grave and weep
I am not there I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in the snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am a gentle Autumns rain
When you awaken in the morning hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
I am the birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night
So do not stand on my grave and cry
I am not there.... I did not die

[Charles Henrickson]

79% Believe Jesus Christ Rose from the Dead

At the final survey, it's going to be 100%.

[Winstons Julia]

Even the Heavens are announcing:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512767,00.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,513038,00.html

[Tahoe3002]

This is a very good book, for someone like yourself, as it was for me, when I read it.

Lee Strobel’s “The Case for Christ”. Buy it at a Christian Bookstore, or on-line. Worth every dollar.

[Zakeet]

If anyone has more scholarly evidence of a real resurrection, I would love to hear it. Now, more than ever, I want to believe.

I recommend you start with THIS BOOK. It is well written by a smart person (a Yale lawyer turned journalist), and addresses many issues about Jesus including His resurrection.

The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus isn't quite as well written IMHO, but it specifically developed to answer your question.

Josh McDowell has written several books on the topic which have sold more than 75 million copies. to date. His two best sellers are More Than a Carpenter, and Evidence That Demands A Verdict. The former addresses questions about Jesus and the latter is aimed at questions about the Bible and Christianity.

Josh has also developed a series on Evidence for the Resurrection. I haven't yet checked them out, but knowing the quality of his other work, it should be excellent.

I wish you the best in your search for the truth.

/Zak

[time4good]

Giotto,
Just as was stated, specifically when Thomas doubted (as in he too thought Peter and the women were seeing an apparition, is WHY Jesus told Thomas to come and touch the nail piercings in his hands and the wound in His side. Also, Jesus, after he arose, walked with the two men on the road to Emaus, break bread with them (ate) and likewise when he was on the shore preparing fish to eat. Mary Magdalene did hug his feet, not like a ghost or spirit.

The biggest thing, as Jesus Himself said, is "Blessed are those who have NOT seen (miracles, Him, etc) and yet believe." speaking of us today as well. We KNOW He lives because of the power and evidence beyond any 'positive thinking' mumbo jumbo but how he touches us when we're at our lowest, guides us when we call on His Name.
When Jesus said "I am THE Way, THE Truth, THE Life, NO man comes to the Father but by me." it was the singular truth of WHERE to turn. When the Bible (Paul in Ephesians) said "For by GRACE are you saved through faith, NOT of works, lest ANY man should boast" - THAT is what separates knowing Christ as Savior more than any religion. Because Friday, and tomorrow, His freely given death AND power of His resurrection are free to ALL people, doesn't matter color, class, societal standing, sinfulness, where you've been, where you are at - YOU CAN'T EARN IT!!
Finally, in Hebrews it says "Those that come to God must believe that HE IS, and, that HE is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him." That's why Jesus said in Revelation "Behold, I stand at the door (of a man's heart) and knock, if any man opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me."

[NoCmpromiz]

Josh McDowell’s 'big' book is titled 'Evidence That Demands A Verdict' and was originally published in two volumes. I believe that it is now consolidated into one volume. He also authored a smaller book (which basically excerpted from the larger volume) titled 'More Than A Carpenter' which covers the pertinent material and is an easier read. Lee Strobel’s 'The Case for Christ' is also a good source.

Several points to consider whether you read any of these books or not.... Remember that every one of the original Disciples - with the exception of John, who still suffered - went to their death by violent means still proclaiming that they had seen the resurrected Jesus. Men tend not to be willing to die for a lie...

Giotto, you mentioned that 'He also warned them not to touch Him ' but the sense of the Greek text is 'Don't detain me' or 'don't hold me back' as opposed to a prohibition of physical touch. See John 20:17 in a more modern translation, like e.g. the NIV where it reads "Don't hold on to me". If Jesus meant that He could not be touched physically, He would not have told Thomas to touch the wounds in His hands or side, nor would He have told the disciples (as recorded in Luke 24:39) 'Touch Me and see! A ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." An apparition cannot be detained, touched, or held, and does not have flesh and bone...

If the disciples merely went to the wrong tomb, any of the affected authorities would have quickly pointed out that fact as soon as the early Church started preaching the resurrection... If the religious authorities or the Romans had stolen the body, same scenario... the body would have been paraded through the streets to quiet the early Church.. If the disciples stole the body, then they died horrible deaths proclaiming what they knew to be a lie... see above. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul recounts the post resurrection appearances of Jesus citing that He appeared to 500 people at one time, and Paul says that 'most of them are still alive' - of course meaning when he wrote that - with the implication to go check out the story...

So... the tomb was empty, and Jesus rose bodily from the grave. But then, He said He would...

[Elsie]

If close to 80% identify themselves as Christians, how can the democrat party win any elections?

"My people perish for lack of knowledge."

[Elsie]

Great grapic in post #1 ping....

Yup; I snatched that from somewhere on the web a few months back to use at church for video display background.

[Elsie]

Rust are you posting under two different names?

Deja vu all over again!

[Elsie]

Well, I guess you win this round because I have know idea what that graphic is you posted.

RUST!

[Elsie]

His body was gone from the tomb, but someone could have moved it.

There is a small problem of the SQUAD that was assigned guard duty.

---

NIV Matthew 27:62-66
62. The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.
63. "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, `After three days I will rise again.'
64. So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."
65. "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how."
66. So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

NIV Matthew 28:11-16
11. While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.
12. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,
13. telling them, "You are to say, `His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.'
14. If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."
15. So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

[Elsie]

Blessed are those who believe withOUT seeing!

[Elsie]

And when He did appear, it was out of thin air. Poof--there He was. To me all of this indicates that he was not really material. He was an apparition, much like the apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Fatima and Lourdes.

It's hard to GRAB an apparition...
NIV Matthew 28:9
 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

 

 

It's hard for an apparition to BREAK something...

NIV Luke 24:30-31
 30.  When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
 31.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

 

 

It's hard to TOUCH an apparition:

NIV Luke 24:39
 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

 

 

It's hard for an apparition to EAT something...

NIV Luke 24:41-43
 41.  And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
 42.  They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
 43.  and he took it and ate it in their presence.

 

 

It's hard to HOLD ON to an apparition...

NIV John 20:17-18
  Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, `I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

 

 

NIV John 20:30-31
 30.  Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
 31.  But these are written that you may  believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

[Elsie]

AMEN!

EVERY knee shall bow and EVERY tongue confess...

[MHGinTN]

If the poster will read back in Chapter Five of Daniel, soemone in another realm no more than an arm’s length waya reached into Belshazzar’s world and wrote on the wall. That might have looked like reaching ‘out of thin air’ but the arm was attached to someone in another realm very close by. Jesus also left the bural wrappings and the stone tomb without unwrapping the cloth or rolling back the stone.

[SkyPilot]

If close to 80% identify themselves as Christians, how can the democrat party win any elections?

Great question. I think this is the answer:

13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 7: 13-23

In short, there are a lot of people who say they are Christians. I know some people who say they are Methodist, Baptist, or Catholic, and could care a wit about Christ.

Christ has to be in someone's heart. One He is there, He starts making changes in that person. If He is only on our lips; then the person will be just like that one at judgement calling Christ "Lord! Lord!" then, and only then.

I have had people ask me "Well, how do you know they are not a Christian. One time this was concerning Pelosi, Obama, and Clinton. I said 'If they were Christians, teh Holy Spirit would be with them, and would give them the fruits of the Holy Spirit - love, self-control, gentleness, kindness, long-suffering, goodness, peace, joy, and faithfulness.

By their fruits shall we know them.

[Elsie]

(Do MORMONs even celebrate Easter? It seems like THEIR salvation was taken care of in the Garden - not by raising from the Dead.)

[rhinohunter]

B..Bu..But I just saw last week where newsweak declared Christianity to be dead in America.

What gives?

[Birmingham Rain]

Placemarker #22