Posted on 12/23/2010 7:23:44 PM PST by lancer256
I'd like to challenge you to consider that the "good news" we celebrate during the Christmas season really is true.
You may choose to believe the Bible is merely a book of fables with nice moral lessons, but there is more abundant and accurate manuscript evidence for the New Testament than any other book from antiquity. Moreover, the number of witnesses to Christ's life, death and resurrection, as well as the nature of their testimony, is strong evidence of the reliability of the scriptural accounts, as are the corroborating secular testimony and archeological evidence.
In fact, the New Testament writers had every temporal motive to deny the resurrection occurred. Why would they fabricate and stand by a story that would lead to their being beaten, tortured and murdered?
So next time you read your Bible, consider that you're reading the inspired word of God and that Jesus really did say and do what the Bible reports, beginning with His claims about His own divinity:
(Excerpt) Read more at davidlimbaugh.com ...
The science confirmed OT mentions GOD using a talking ass; so I suppose He could even use something that I might say from time to time.
Excellant analysis!
Don’t devour the entire thing in one big bite, but by small, easily chewable and swallowed pieces!
(Now: convert to a flow chart!)
HE is Risen!
Choose ye this day...
“Perhaps your suicides were praying for forgiveness-rather than...strength?
I believe this is the more likely reason. In fact, I’m sure of it.
(Hope you don’t mind me adding my two cents) Merry Christmas.
This season should be a reminder to all that our only hope for salvation is the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He paid the price in full, nothing we can do is needed but is only an appreciation and praise for His grace and mercy.
Merry Christmas CynicalBear.....It’s all about Jesus!
***Too bad David Limbaugh is unfamiliar with folks like David Koresh, who had people willing to watch things done to their children and even die, yet still held to their beliefs into violent death.***
Apples:Oranges
Koresh conducted daily manipulation sessions. Many of his followers died with him, because he posted armed guards to keep his followers from escaping.
Christ’s followers became martyrs long after Christ died.
“”The most contriversal words every said and seldom repeated in churches is. “I am the way the truth and the life noone comes to the father except through me”””
____
You are correct in pointing out this phrase is a problem for the multiculturalists who like to believe there are all sorts of ways to God.
In a similar fashion “Pascal’s Wager” drives the atheists crazy.
Actually, no.
One can believe something without being "absolutely certain." Every person walking on this earth does it every day, from believing one politician is more honest than another to believing the weather will be good tomorrow because the sky is red tonight (and you don't even need Matthew 16:2 for that, nor would a bad forecast disprove it).
He himself didn’t leave the possibility open that He was simply a good teacher or even a prophet. He either was (is) what He claimed to be, or He was a madman.
Or what He actually said was misreported...whether intentionally, through misunderstanding, poor recollection, etc. There's always that possibility, too. Probably others.
Myself? I choose to believe.
I've never found belief to be a choice.
I could never manage to convince myself to believe the sky is green, or whatever. I find it odd to hear people talk about choosing their religions.
Please don’t pray for me to be blinded or have any other somatic symptoms. I am far more positively disposed toward Christians than Saul of Tarsus, so Christ doesn’t need to slam me the same way.
Of course I am aware of those things you ask about, and of course I have not ignored the Scripture. But if you believe we cannot discuss things reasonably, so be it.
There are things the Holy Spirit hid in the Bible which does prove its accuracy.
For instance, I recently learned that the geneology in Matthew 1, in the Greek, has the following properties:
The number of words are divisible by 7.
Number of letters divisible by 7.
The same holds true for vowels, consonants, the number of words beginning with a consonant, the number of words that occur more than once, number of words that occur in more than one form, number of words that occur in only one form, nouns, names, male names, generations.
This phenomenon is repeated in other places in the NT.
That's pretty funny but as a fact, I've learned from you.
There are people here who would ridicule the story of Baalam and his ass, most of those who would, probably have never heard of it though.
I take the story as the literal truth, never doubting in the least. The Old and New Testaments are filled with God's miracles.
My personal favorite is that God would send His only Son to suffer and die and be resurrected for a wretch like me.
I praise Him for it.
Suicides praying with a rosary before committing the act are much more likely praying for forgiveness. You are spot on. But the passage referring to those perishing perceiving the Gospel as foolishness comes to mind with the poster, so I no longer reply/post to that one.
Merry Christmas to all!
This season should be a reminder to all that our only hope for salvation is the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He paid the price in full, nothing we can do is needed but is only an appreciation and praise for His grace and mercy.
Gondring: “I’ve never found belief to be a choice.”
You have my sympathy. Perhaps someday you’ll make what I believe is the right choice. Perhaps you feel the same about me, that I deserve sympathy for believing in what you think is a fantasy.
Yet another opportunity arose however as he gradually became the Messiah, which eventually led to the United States which could not have been founded without his influence. Yes, it´s possible that Jesus was/is divine. But the Gospels, written by gentiles disguised as Jews to essentially discredit the Jews, succeeded in doing that more than convincing me that Jesus had transcended Judaism.
...Another pretty good work to this effect: Barrie Wilson, How Jesus Became Christian.
Though may everyone everywhere have a Merry Christmas, by even transcendent means.
Not at all! If it works for you--if you're intellectually and spiritually comfortable with your beliefs, if they provide comfort, etc.--then I'm very glad! And heck, whatever your view is might be right. Only if you tried to force your viewpoint or associated requirements onto others would I have a problem with it.
Christianity has a great moral system, regardless, and is probably the best and perhaps only hope for the West's future.
“This season should be a reminder to all that our only hope for salvation is the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He paid the price in full”
Bears repeating!
Merry Christmas to all!
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