Repost;
That the Bible has parts that are based in reality does not mean that the Bible is a reliable document about history. Like many documents in ancient times, the Bible did not focus on facts but did promote a set of ideas and/or ideologies. To find out what actually happened takes more effort. Even with the nonsense in it (dragons and elephants fighting) I would put The Natural History by Pliny the Elder against the Bible any day.
Comparison;
Comparison;
The Bible talks about various places/people/events/..., some of those places/people/events/... existed/occurred, thus the Bible is correct on the other parts.
The Spider-man comics talk about New York City, New York City exists, thus Spider-man exists.
Related;
Who was Jesus? Hmmm... Think of it this way;
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris and helped with the French Underground.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris and ran the French resistance.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris to run the French resistance after traveling back in time through an inter-dimensional gateway from the year 3,000.
Nobody cares about #1 being true or not. Jesus as a guy that stories were written about is in that category.
Claims 2 and 3 can be investigated. This is the category for the historic arguments.
Claim 4 is absurd till it is supported. This is the category that most Christians care about; a supernatural deity working miracles that came to save humanity. Many non-Christians are willingThat the Bible has parts that are based in reality does not mean that the Bible is a reliable document about history. Like many documents in ancient times, the Bible did not focus on facts but did promote a set of ideas and/or ideologies. To find out what actually happened takes more effort. Even with the nonsense in it (dragons and elephants fighting) I would put The Natural History by Pliny the Elder against the Bible any day.
Comparison;
The Bible talks about various places/people/events/..., some of those places/people/events/... existed/occurred, thus the Bible is correct on the other parts.
The Spider-man comics talk about New York City, New York City exists, thus Spider-man exists.
Related;
Who was Jesus? Hmmm... Think of it this way;
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris and helped with the French Underground.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris and ran the French resistance.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris to run the French resistance after traveling back in time through an inter-dimensional gateway from the year 3,000.
Nobody cares about #1 being true or not. Jesus as a guy that stories were written about is in that category.
Claims 2 and 3 can be investigated. This is the category for the historic arguments.
Claim 4 is absurd till it is supported. This is the category that most Christians care about; a supernatural deity working miracles that came to save humanity. Many non-Christians are willing to accept 1, 2, and even 3. To accept 4, though, is the issue. The lack of contemporaneous support is damning; why would large groups of people not write about large scale miracles? to accept 1, 2, and even 3. To accept 4, though, is the issue. The lack of contemporaneous support is damning; why would large groups of people not write about large scale miracles?talks about various places/people/events/..., some of those places/people/events/... existed/occurred, thus the Bible is correct on the other parts.
Related;
Who was Jesus? Hmmm... Think of it this way;
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris and helped with the French Underground.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris and ran the French resistance.
During World War II, a guy named Jake lived in Paris to run the French resistance after traveling back in time through an inter-dimensional gateway from the year 3,000.
Nobody cares about #1 being true or not. Jesus as a guy that stories were written about is in that category.
Claims 2 and 3 can be investigated. This is the category for the historic arguments.
Claim 4 is absurd till it is supported. This is the category that most Christians care about; a supernatural deity working miracles that came to save humanity. Many non-Christians are willing to accept 1, 2, and even 3. To accept 4, though, is the issue. The lack of contemporaneous support is damning; why would large groups of people not write about large scale miracles?