Anne wrote -
> Do you
> really honestly believe the story of Jesus Christ
being
> God?
Yes I do believe that Jesus Christ is God. Not only
does the Bible mention Him (believe it or not as you
will) but so do ancient scholars of the day, Josephus
- a JEWISH scholar -
--snip--
Perhaps the most remarkable reference to Jesus outside
the Bible can be found in the writings of Josephus, a
first century Jewish historian. On two occasions, in
his Jewish Antiquities, he mentions Jesus
Called the "Testimonium Flavianum," one relevant
portion declares:
About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if
indeed one ought to call him a man. For he . . .
wrought surprising feats. . . . He was the Christ.
When Pilate . . .condemned him to be crucified, those
who had . . . come to love him did not give up their
affection for him. On the third day he appeared . . .
restored to life. . . . And the tribe of Christians .
. . has . . . not disappeared.{17}
And Edwin Yamauchi informs us that "few scholars have
questioned" that Josephus actually penned this passage
Other early writers also mention Jesus, including
Roman historial Tacitus (64 A.D), Pliny the Younger
(Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor, AD 112),
and Jesus is mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud, a
collection of Jewish rabbinical writings compiled
between approximately A.D. 70-500.
--snip--
There is no question the Jesus existed and performed
miracles and (to a lot of people) died and rose again.
Also, the earliest existing documents concerning Roman
history were found 900 years (almost 1 whole
millennium!!) after the events happened, and only 20
original copies exist. Yet, how is it that we all
believe without question that Roman Historical
literature (Julius Caesar etc) IS the factual Truth?
Consider then that the Bible manuscripts date from
only 30 -150 years after they happened, and that more
than 30 000 original manuscripts exist!! By comparison
then, Roman History becomes a mere 'fairy tale' when
compared to the Bible for authenticity, accuracy and
integrity.
The late Professor FF Bruce was one of the worlds
foremost Textual History critics (and a non-Christian)
at the time that he said:
The interval then between the dates of original
composition and the earliest extant evidence becomes
so small as to be in fact negligible, especially when
compared to the dates of academically accepted
Historical documents such as those detailing Roman
History. The last foundation for any doubt that the
scripts of the Old and New Testaments have come down
to us substantially as they were written has now been
removed. Both the authenticity and the general
integrity of these works may now be finally
established and proved, probably to be the most
authentic historical documents known to man. !!
Anyway, I believe not just because of history, but
because of things I have seen also - prayers answered
etc.
colin wrote -
>I ahve no problem with people believing whatever gets
>them thru but to
>use such a belief to bamboozle people, indeed to kill
>people, and claim
>it is the Truth is far from Godly.
I do not believe that everything Christians have done
has been good - Crusades etc, but then, men aren't
perfect. God is. Men make mistakes, they do things "in
the name of Christ" which he would never approve of.
But if I wasn't a Christian, where else would I go?
And what do you mean by "bamboozle people"? Christians
are taught to love God and their neighbour as it is
written in the Bible. I do not see any bamboozling in
that.
Let's just say for a moment that I am an unbeliever,
and I die but find out that The Bible and everything
in it is true. I would have lost SO MUCH by not
following it on earth. Having the creator of the
universe there to help me, someone who loves me that I
can talk to, and who talks back to me (and he does
talk to us in many ways - you'd be surprised).
Now, what if I die, and I find out there is no heaven?
That the Bible isn't true? What have I lost? Nothing,
I think. Following the teachings of the Bible and
doing good to people would only have enriched my life,
anyway. I believe it is true, however. You only have
to look around at creation.
Everyone likes to point out the bad things that
Christians and the Church do, but no one points out
the good things.
The post by the Bishop about Israel reminded me of
something. A LOT of people complain that the Pope did
nothing to help the Jews in WWII.
The fact is that the Vatican saved between 740,000 and
860,000 Jews from extermination. The Pope used the
assetts of the Vatican to ransom Jews from the Nazis
and ran an extensive network of hideouts. After the
war, the World Jewish Congress made a large cash gift
to the Vatican in thanks. Moshe Sharrett, former
Foreign Affairs Minister and Prime Minister of Israel
went to see Pius XII "to thank the Catholic CHurch for
what it did to save the Jews in all parts of the
world". Rabbi Herzog, of Jerusalem, sent a special
blessing to the Pope "for his lifesaving efforts of
behalf of the Jews during the Nazi occupation of
Italy".
When Pius XII died, Golda Meir wrote: "During the Nazi
terror, when our people were subjected to a terrible
matyrdom, the Pope's voice was raised to condemn the
persecutors and to offer mercy to their victims. We
mourn over the death of a great server of peace."
Regarding Laurents reprinted article "Stiff Right Jab:
Time and Terror", that sounds like propaganda to me.
FOr some reason, the media is all against Israel.
They'll take any shot at them they can get. We hear
all about the wrongs Israel has done, but hardly
anything bad that Palestine does. I have noticed it on
the evening news. You see atrocities committed by
Palestine only in short snippets in the newspaper, and
they aren't mentioned at all on TV. The media likes to
spin it.
I'm sure things would be a LOT better is the arabs
stopped sending suicide bombers in every couple of
days. Maybe I am just naive. Israel HAD to do
something though. Storming Yasser Arafat's compound,
maybe they thought they could end all the horror. I
dunno....
All I know is, it takes TWO to tango. But, to me, I
can't see how Israel defending themselves is wrong -
they are the defender. Palestine is the attacker - and
a vicoius one at that. Maybe just my naive view again.
Sorry for the long post,
Joseph.
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