Why Christianity is true

by gumby 15 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  gumby

  Here is an article by Hank Hanagraff, a bible apologist from " Equip.org."

  Here is why he feels chrisianity is different from other religions. ( your comments? )

  THE UNIQUENESS OF CHRISTIANITY

  There sure are a lot of religions out there today. Youve got Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, etc. So obviously Christianity is just another ism, right? The truth is Christianity happens to be unique among the worlds religions for several important reasons. Not the least of which happens to be that Christianity, unlike other religions, is historic and evidential. The fact is, Jesus Himself is a figure of history. He was, of course, born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of Caesar Augustus, and was put to death by Pontius Pilate, a first century Roman Governor. And, more importantly, the testimony of his life, death, and resurrection happened to come to us by way of eyewitness accounts (2 Pet. 1:16; 1 John 1:1-4). Christianity therefore is a historical faith, and its truth claims can be evaluated by examining the facts and testimony of history. None of the other religions of the world can claim this kind of historical support. Another unique feature of Christianity is that its founder claimed to be God. Of the great religious leaders of the world (Buddha, Moses, Zoroaster, Lao Tzu, Mohammed) only Jesus claimed to be God in human flesh (John 8:58). And this is not an empty claim because it is supported by Christs historically verifiable resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-8). Other religions like Buddhism and Islam claim miracles in support of their faith, but unlike Christianity, these miracles lack historical verification. An additional feature which sets Christianity apart from the other religions is that its beliefs system happens to be coherent. Some Christian doctrines may transcend logical categories and even appear paradoxical but unlike the religions of the east, they are not irrational or absurd. Oh, and before I forget, the Christian faith is unique in that it can account for the vast array of phenomena which we encounter in life things like the laws of science, the universal laws of logic, ethical norms, love, meaning in life, and, of course, the problem of evil. So to state it philosophically, the Christian faith corresponds to the present state of affairs. Yes my friend, Christianitys unique distinctions are very good reasons to embrace it.
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  DannyBear

  Hello Gumby,

  Historical? Because the 'bible' says so..........good one!

  Danny
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  teenyuck

  HaHaHaH!!

  Thank you for the early giggle....my MIL is coming to town, so I needed something to lift my spirits!
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  gumby

  DB,

  Historical? Because the 'bible' says so..........good one!

  Let's not forget about all the ...."other" evidence old pal. You know.......all the evidence they have.
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  BluesBrother

  "The fact is, Jesus Himself is a figure of history"

  True - see Josephus , and other 1st & 2nd cent. non biblical writers

  The places and times are real. You may see Bethlehem on TV today.

  Eyewitness? - yes. We place reliance on pieces of clay with inscriptions by anonymous writers, surely the gospel writers deserve the same respect.

  The ethics are sound . Jesus taught love, respect, tolerance and the insight to see a principle rather than follow rules.

  What is disputed is the application of the Holy Spirit and the performing of miracles, but that was not the title of the piece.

  Jesus is historic, and very different from other religion's founders.As such he deserves our study and investigation.

  IMHO, of course.
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  Satanus

  Right, and the bible says the earth is flat, too.

  Historical? There is no secular historical evidence concurrent w jesus' purported existence, never mind his supposed miracles. When hanagraff says historical, he has the bible in mind. Circular reasoning at it's best.

  So to state it philosophically, the Christian faith corresponds to the present state of affairs.

  Taoism was a study of the world and how it worked. Hanagraff's claim that the bible is unique in this field is ridiculous. He forgets that the largest part of the bible, the jewish laws, their methodical genocides that their god commanded; these things are overlooked by hanagraff, when he makes his claim of christianity's superiority. The paradox of christianity is that it's god who is claimed to be love is supposed to be the same god who was hate, intolerance, jealousy, who loves the site of human/animal blood, and the smell of burnt flesh.

  SS
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  expatbrit

  The fact is, Jesus Himself is a figure of history.

  So was Mohammed. So was Joseph Smith. So was Siddartha Gautama. So was Akhenaten. A persons existence says nothing about the accuracy of their religious beliefs.

  only Jesus claimed to be God in human flesh

  Underlying assumption: claiming to be God in human flesh is a valid determinator for the "true" religion. First the underlying assumption must be demonstrated to be valid. Only then can particular cases be gauged using the assumption.

  Jesus is not the only religious leader to have claimed to be God (or a God) in human flesh.

  this is not an empty claim because it is supported by Christs historically verifiable resurrection from the dead

  Good grief. Exactly what verification is he talking about? The propaganda of the disciples of Christ? What independent evidence is there?

  the Christian faith is unique in that it can account for the vast array of phenomena which we encounter in life things like the laws of science, the universal laws of logic, ethical norms, love, meaning in life, and, of course, the problem of evil.

  No it can't. It attempts to explain phenomena using the logical fallacy of ignotum per ignotius: explaining the unknown by means of the more unknown. It is frequently demonstrated to be lacking and illogical in its explanations of things like "the problem of evil" and "ethical norms". It provides comforting but entirely unprovable delusions in its approach to questions such as the "meaning of life". The good qualities claimed to be Christian such as love and kindness are neither inventions of Christianity nor are they exclusive to Christianity. They are human qualities, not Christian ones. In all of its history, Christianity (or any other religion you care to name) has failed to solve any of the problems of mankind.

  Expatbrit
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  Double Edge

  SS:

  Right, and the bible says the earth is flat, too.

  uhhh, what bible would that be... the bible talks about the earth being an orb (round). Show me what scripture and verse you're talking about.
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  Satanus

  Double

  bible talks about the earth being an orb (round).

  You must be referring to isa40:22. The translations at biblegateway show it as 'circle', not sphere, and certainly not 'orb', as you suggested. Even the wt, which agrees w you, translates it circle, not sphere. If it was allowable, in any sense, the wt would have translated it sphere.

  Isaiah 40
  22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
  and its people are like grasshoppers.
  He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
  and spreads them out like a tent to live in.NIV

  Isaiah 40
  22It is He who [1] sits above the [2] (1) circle of the earth,
  And its inhabitants are like (2) grasshoppers,
  Who (3) stretches out the heavens like a (4) curtain
  And spreads them out like a (5) tent to dwell in.NASB

  Isaiah 40
  22It is God Who sits above the circle (the horizon) of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; it is He Who stretches out the heavens like [gauze] curtains and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in,AMP

  Isaiah 40
  22It is God who sits above the circle of the earth. The people below must seem to him like grasshoppers! He is the one who spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.NLT

  Isaiah 40
  22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:KJV

  Isaiah 40
  22It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
  and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
  who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
  and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;ESV

  Isaiah 40
  22God is the one who rules
  the whole earth,
  and we that live here
  are merely insects.
  He spread out the heavens
  like a curtain or an open tent.CEV

  Isaiah 40
  22It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
  And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
  Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
  And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.NKJV

  Isaiah 40
  22 It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, who stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in,KJ21

  Isaiah 40
  22 It is he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;ASV

  Isaiah 40
  22 He who is sitting on the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants [are] as grasshoppers, He who is stretching out as a thin thing the heavens, And spreadeth them as a tent to dwell in.YLT

  Isaiah 40
  22 [It is] he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a gauze curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;DARBY

  Isaiah 40
  22He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
  NIV-UK

  Following are passages where the bible teaches earth flatness.

  Jeremiah 16
  19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.KJV

  Acts 13
  47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.KJV

  Daniel 4
  10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
  11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:KJV

  Matthew 4
  8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;KJV

  Below should appear a drawing of the hebrew cosmology, complete w the vaulted ceiling, earth's pillars, and the lower waters, mentioned in other parts of the bible.

  SS

  Edited by - saintsatan on 26 December 2002 4:8:2
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  UnDisfellowshipped

  Good grief. Exactly what verification is he talking about? The propaganda of the disciples of Christ? What independent evidence is there?

  If the Apostles and Disciples made up Jesus' Resurrection -- why in the world would they have been martyred for something they knew was false?