Luiseach

The link you provide directs us to an article which in no way demonstrates the Bible to be a reliable source of evidence for the existence of God.

BRO3886

Agreed , it answers the irrelevant question of copying errors , not the one about the written record matching the physical.

Magus55

The wasn't the point of the post. You asked for proof of the historical accuracy of the Bible over other historical documents.

Luiseach

Further, the article's main concern is to demonstrate this:

'Therefore, the translations are very accurate and trustworthy in regards to what the Bible originally said.' (from linked article provided by Magus)

The article is looking at the issue of translation accuracy, not scouring the text of the Bible for evidence that it demonstrates the existence of any deity...

The topic of this thread is 'knowing god doesn't exist', which is why we're interested in how believers know that God exists. Are there any documents available which demonstrate that what the Bible says (viz. that God exists) is reliable?

Luiseach

Precisely....I agree.

Magus55

Well as iv'e pointed out before - here are a few of the evidences that make the Bible prove its divine origin.

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t003.html

And this..


Since absolutely no Bible prophecy has ever failed (and there are hundreds), how can one realistically remain unconvinced that the Bible is of Divine origin?
>> Read about fulfilled biblical prophecies...

Explain David's graphic portrayal of Jesus' death by crucifixion (Psalm 22) 1000 years previous to crucifixion being established as a form of capital punishment?

How could any mere human pinpoint the birth town of the Messiah seven full centuries before the fact, as did the prophet Micah?
>> Read the "God's Story" account of Micah describing the Messiah...

Account for the odds (1 in 10 to the 157th power) that even just 48 (of 300) Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in one person, i.e Jesus.
>> Prophecies

How was it possible for the Old Testament prophet Isaiah to have predicted the virgin birth of Jesus (Isaiah 7:14) 700 years before it occurred?
>> Read the "God's Story" account of the prophets describing the Savior / Is the virgin birth a myth?

And why Jesus' ressurection most likely couldn't be a myth...

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t009.html

Sorry but considering the odds stated above of Jesus fulfilling 48 prophecies, let alone 300 are greater than the predicted number of stars in the Universe - id say he was God.

diana

Interesting that you'd select this particular "historical" reference, as I think it demonstrates the pitfalls of taking anybody's word that something happened in a certain way, so you become convinced and stop looking for answers.

Most Americans have done this with the Columbus myth.

To begin with, the people Columbus discovered when he got here discovered America, so perhaps you intended to say, "How do we know Columbus was the first white person to discover America?"

Which he wasn't that, either. You're using this historical example as a foregone conclusion because somebody (everybody) told you that this is a fact. Have you ever looked into the possibility that some other people from the Continent may have discovered this New World and its millions of inhabitants before Columbus? How would you know?

There turn out to be indications of many peoples "discovering" America before Columbus. This information is based upon documents and sagas that have been passed down combined with the observation of similarities in skills and crafts, similarities in languages and customs, and artifacts found in the Americas. These possible/probable "discoveries" of the land date back to 1500 BC or earlier.

We aren't taking the Columbus story on faith. We're looking at the evidence that is presented, and making an educated guess.

There's another matter you might consider when pressing us for details as to how much we know about history and insisting that we're taking it on "faith," and that this "faith" is just like the "faith" you have in God.

It's fairly easy for me to accept Columbus' actual existence as fact, as it was attested to by many people who both loved and loathed him, and I can see no ulterior motive to their making up stories about him. So it's reasonable to take their word that he at least existed.

In the case of God, we have only the accounts of people who claim to believe in him. I've not yet heard accounts of God by people who don't believe in him. The "evidence" is clearly biased.

Also, any time a person tells me about someone who lived in the past, I don't automatically accept their tale as proof that person existed. But if I read accounts from different people who knew him that attest to that person's existence, I tend to lend the claim credence.

Also, I meet people every day. I already know people exist. I can't make the same claim for God.

Do you see how far removed claims of God and claims of historical "fact" are?

Consider also that the person who convinces me that Columbus existed most likely does not have an ulterior motive in doing so. He isn't trying to make me join a group; he isn't trying to convince me that he knows what's best for me. He isn't, in any way, trying to directly or indirectly control me. Again, I can't make the same claim for God.

d

diana

Magus55,

So we don't get too sidetracked here, I've taken this post and started a thread (Magus55 is convinced the bible is divine) in the Biblical Criticism and Archaeology forum. Please pursue this tangent there.

Heads up: I expect them to feed you your teeth on your sweeping "every biblical prophesy has been fulfilled" assertions. So brace yourself.

d

Luiseach

First of all, Magus, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to find this link...it is greatly appreciated.

However, I have a question which relates to all of the information included in the book review you provide, and I hope you won't mind addressing this query when you have the time:

Let us grant, for the sake of discussion, that everything in the document you provide is true (viz. that Jesus existed, that he made prophecies which came true, etc.), how does this demonstrate the existence of a deity, in your opinion?

Luiseach

Sorry Diana, I hadn't realised we were side-tracking.