Someone needs to answer this guy

epchois_nai_nan

I was browsing the internet when I found this on Yahoo! Answers.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AluzVoH98jhJB9EFf0B4_cwjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080806041144AA3yQoo

"Is the bible a good historical source?
Think about the writers motive. Did they have a hidden agenda or were they biased? Did the writers of the new testament have anything to gain from stating that people saw Jesus die and then raise from the dead?"

Some of the answers this guy got were absolutely...well lets just say that they don't speak well for the intelligence of those who gave them:

"The bible isn't a historical source, it is more like moral guidelines (even though it was written by men filled up with opium, the drug of that day)! I wouldn't trust the bible especially when they refer to Xerxes's under a completely different name! " Need I say more?

Anyways it was only put up 2 hrs before I posted this so I want to put up a proper answer but I'm still not sure exactly what to say.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance and God Bless!!!

mikeforjesus

Faith starts in the heart not the mind and it comes from Gods grace. I think there are many stumblings of faith. And its best to avoid reading some stuff. However some people will not be affected as others and I don't know whats best for you.

2 Timothy 2 (New King James Version)
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19

binC

Hello Brother,

First of all I am not sure if I understood ur Q. As a Christian we don't need the world to proof the bible. The whole world can say anything but we believe our God. The wisest in the world is nothing but so stupid infront of God. Our wisdom is the foolishness of the Gospel. We have seen God through faith. This world is full of crap if u let ur ears to listen to it. Always guard urself with the real truth that springs from The Bible.
Remember what the Lord has said about the devil...He is a liar and the father of it.
what u hear most from the mouth of this world is what the devil has created.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (King James Version)
5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

 Never be amazed of a comment from anyone who knows not...May God help us all to see that The Bible is the gateway to Heaven. Not only a history but the future is already written in it. It is the Spirit of God who wrote it not men. The word of God will endure forever.

THE HOLY BIBLE
April 13, 2008 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Psalm 119:99
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven is opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand object, our good its design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guides the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the Day of Judgment, and will be remembered forever.
It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.
Source: Coptic net

binC

Correction   The date April... is unnecessary.

Psalm 119:99 (King James Version)

  I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

epchois_nai_nan

Thanks for your replies!

But I think I might have been misunderstood...
The question is not about faith, the person who wrote the question is looking for answers regarding the historical accuracy of the Bible. We as Christians believe the Bible is historically accurate because we are Christian and we have faith, based on a whole lot of other evidence as well as what we know in our hearts. The person who asked the question though is looking for evidence that the events, names, dates, places etc. detailed in the Bible are true. If you read the question, I think this dude is also particularly interested in the Resurrection i.e. if the the rest of the Gospels are accurate, that probably means the Resurrection is also a historically accurate event.

[quote author=binC link=topic=7011.msg93594#msg93594 date=1218031767]
As a Christian we don't need the world to proof the bible.


No we don't. But I didn't post this for my sake, or for the sake of Christians, I posted it for the dude who asked this question.

I already have an example: In Luke 2:2 Luke mentions that the governor Syria was named Cyrenius (or Quirinius). For a long time this was taken as an indication that the Gospel writer was wrong, because Quirinius was a governor who lived much too late to have been alive at that time. However they have now found an inscription referencing another Quirinius living at exactly the right time and place to be the one mentioned in the Gospel. So Luke knew first!

I'm asking for an answer to the question I quoted in my first post, points like the one above or anything else pertaining to that question would be greatly aprreciated.

[quote author=binC link=topic=7011.msg93594#msg93594 date=1218031767]
This world is full of crap if u let ur ears to listen to it.
what u hear most from the mouth of this world is what the devil has created.

It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness - Chinese proverb

Thanks again for your replies and God Bless You all!!!

Christforlife7

I just replied to this thread, and if he is open to what I told him, It will answer all his questions in a way you can't really doubt.

BTW I think the book and documentary is a great source for all of us. It can strengthen our faith very much and its amazing to see the transformation in the author through out the research he did!

epchois_nai_nan

Thanks a lot Tishori!

The Case for Christ is very good source! If he follows that up he should find a lot of answers.

binC

Hebrews 5 (King James Version)

12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The Bible is not a reference for worldly kings but The Eternal King. Why do we even care about such details?

1 Timothy 6 (King James Version)

3If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

4He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

2 Timothy 2 (King James Version)

11It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

12If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

13If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

About ur saying that goes with " A candle for the darkness..."

U have to be sure if u r not trying to light for the devil. I mean for the sake of trying to convince people to believe in The Bible you don't have to saw doubts on the clean hearts.
There is a saying " To save 10 you don't have to kill 100 ".
We believe not by records and Historians. We actually make history through our faith in God. The Bible is life eternal written by The Spirit. Doubting The Bible is the same as trying to doubt God. I learned that even to talk about The Bible with someone that someone should have Faith. I rather pray for such people than open the Bible and go to my history teacher to comment on it.

John 9 (King James Version)

  39And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.


2 Corinthians 10 (King James Version)

3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of    strong holds;)

5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;


May God help us to believe all that is His.

Unknown

Tell your friend the following:

Our relationship with Christ is like a marriage. Imagine being married to a woman, where I don't talk to her, I don't listen to her, but all she has to know is that I'm not sleeping or thinking of other women. That's all she has to know. That's what will make her happy, and that's what I'm giving her: No adultary. More than that, there's nothing I want to say to her, there's nothing else I want to hear from her.

So long as I don't commit adultary, we are living in peace.

-------------------------

What kind of marriage is that?  That's not right.

--------------------------

Jesus Christ likened Himself to the Bridegroom, and the Church is His Bride.  Out of all the analogies to give, this one of marriage is remarkable and shows us that the relationship between God and Man is not one of just merely obeying God's commandments, but a loving relationship. The spirituality of the person, or the marriage will be dry if the marriage simply develops into a meer contract. When 2 people get married, I do believe both make vows more than "I promise not to commit adultary".

Doing God's Commandments is good and righteous, but by not sinning and being content that one hasn't sinned - it is the same as a married man being content that he hasn't committed adultary. That's just plain normal and given that once u are married, u are expected to be faithful to your spouse.

Secondly, the Word of God (the Bible) is likened to the Manna that came from heaven to the Israelites. God's word is the Manna that feeds the soul. There's something very important in this example: The israelites were told that they had to have daily Manna. There wwere people that collected the Manna in the hope of eating it the next day. Those that collected it to store it the next day, it got ruined (i.e. the food became stale). The same with reading the Bible: You need a daily quantity - fresh and new each day to nourish your soul.

By just depending on my good intentions NOT to sin, and not God's grace, there is obviously a sense of pride in here, and hautiness. Your friend will end up hating sin - not because he loves God, but because he's too proud not to sin. This is a danger its the same as giving a present to your wife, not because you love her, but its your duty. Its the same. You just cannot treat your wife that way. We do things to our wife BECAUSE we love them. At the end of the day, unless he engages in a relationship with Christ whereby he actually bothers to read the Bible and pray (listening and talking to God), he will only end up in a relationship with himself: between himself and his own ego. This is awful. Because, its true that the devil wants us to sin; but one day, when he really is tempted, and if he does go through any serious tribulation that may shake his faith, he will sin - simply because his love for Christ hasn't grown or been nurtured. It will be too easy to commit a sin.

The worst thing in life is to depend on oneself or one's good intentions not to sin. The ENTIRE purpose of God giving us His Holy Spirit is to be our strength against sinning, and we nurture this Spirit through reading the Bible and engaging in the sacraments. If we find we are not sinning yet we have no relationship with Christ, at the end of the day, its our ego's that are preventing us from sinning, not the Holy Spirit. Remember, there are many many non Christians that may not sin either, and its because of their cultural restraints also. Secondly, unless the Holy Spirit protects you and fills your heart, you may not sin physically - by act, but definately by thought. This still amounts to the same thing. THe idea of having a relationship with Christ is that your heart is purified. The reasons for which one refrains from sin go beyond a matter of duty or obligation, but become more related to one of love for Christ and not hurting the one who loves you. So, the root of sin which is in your heart may never be dealt with unless one allows the Holy Spirit to dwell in his/her heart to purify it, and cleanse it.

As God said "You are clean BECAUSE of my Word" - i.e. what he spoke to His Apostles made them clean. It means that Christ's word PURIFIES our heart. That's what the Bible does. THerefore, unless one reads the Bible, his heart will not be purified. If he doesn't sin, it will most definately be a question of habit or obligation, or pride that stops him from sinning - but his/her heart may still contain unrighteous or unholy desires that could give rise to sin if he/she is very led into temptation or tribulation.

And actually - such a condition is most likely to result in tribulation as God tests His saints to purify them. I mean, abouna said that being self-righteous is not good, and as such, one could be led into tribulation so to remove this from the person's heart. Its so important to try and read the Bible, and I think if your friend needs help, well.. he/she is not alone, but its important with all humility that they seek some spiritual fellowship.

I just wish to say that the devil doesn't necessarily want you to do a bonified sin. What he wants is that you do not have a relationship with Christ. If you approach your spiritual life this way (making sure you do not sin, but never engaging in prayer, bible reading, or any of the sacraments), I do believe you would have allowed the devil to achieve his objectives. Its so simple to see it this way: what would be the difference between a couple who never see each other, who never talk, who never listen to one another, who do not show any signs of love to each other, and a couple who are divorced?? What's the difference?? You are just married, and you have'nt committed adultary?