Randolph

On 4/6/2019 at 4:00 PM, Strange said:

How is Christianity "testable"?

And how is it "founded historically"? There are no contemporary records of Jesus and his actions. There have been many threads on the historical existence of Jesus and the conclusion has always been that there is not, or very little, contemporary evidence.

And there is just as much, or more, historical evidence for the founders of Buddhism, Sikhism, etc.

1. Just because some said that he said it doesn't make it true. (It doesn't even mean he said it.)

2. Other religions do claim that.

There is no evidence that the resurrection happens. You can't use your belief in something as evidence it is rue.

But, of course, those other denominations will think that your understanding is wrong and they are the ones who have it right.

The fact you are blind to this is staggering. (But, given this is a discussion about baseless beliefs, maybe not.)

Yeah, studiot's comments made no sense to me either!

First, Christianity is testable in the sense that it can be studied historically. Some verses also of the bible challenges you to study Christianity like 1 Corinthians 15:14-19 " ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in Christ we have hope^[b] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. "

Second, you will be amazed that the majority of historians today agreed of the 3 facts concerning the resurrection of Christ. The only disagreement among them is how these 3 historical facts better explained. And base on explaining capability the "Resurrection hypothesis" is the best explanation.

Thirdly, yes I agree of some historical evidence of other religions although I also suspect that some have inaccurate history. But the overriding point is Christ is unique in the sense that He is the only religious figure that claimed to be the Son of God, perform miracles, said blasphemous claims and claim to be " The only way, truth and the life". These things set apart Jesus Christ from other religious figures. And His claims were vindicated when God raised Him from the dead and His resurrection is historical as supported by the 3 facts.

Fourthly, yes those other religions can say that I am wrong but that doesn't affect the truth of my worldview because it is based on the bible. Example JW's will say to me that Jesus is only a saviour and not God so I will get the bible and point out the verse that Jesus is both God and saviour.

Fifthly, I am not blind, the truth is I am hurt to see those people.

And I will add. Aside from being historically accurate of the Gospels, there are also sources outside of the bible like the writings of Tacitus, Josephus, Lucian of Samosata and others.

On 4/4/2019 at 5:48 PM, Eise said:

That seems to be the well-known 'design-argument' for the existence of God. However, this argument (even if it were valid, which it of course isn't), does not point to the Christian God. Any 'Creator-God' will do.

Yes it can be called the design argument seeing the creation and it's majesty as evidence of the power and wisdom of it's Cosmic Designer. And this argument is strongly valid as validated by the evidence of the fine-tuning argument of the universe for intelligent life and the teleological arguments like of Paley and others. 

At first this Creator God can be directly pointed to the God of Monotheistic religions of the world - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. And we have to weigh which religion is more valid historically and scientifically. And I would argue that Christianity is more valid provided that for example it is historically accurate. One dispute of Islam and Christianity is that in Islam, Christ did not died by crucifixion. And when we see the historical records, Jesus died by crucifixion which makes the Koran historically inaccurate. 

On 4/4/2019 at 4:14 PM, Strange said:

I would imagine many religious people would say that their preferred religion and god(s) are the "One True Religion" and all the others are simply a deviation from that.

Yes, they can be. But in the case of Christianity aside from the fact that it is testable and also founded historically, it is unique like what Jesus claims example claiming to be "the only Way, truth and the Life." No other religion claims like that. And also He claimed to be the Son of God which is vindicated by His resurrection. 

On 4/4/2019 at 4:43 PM, Sensei said:

Honestly, diversity of religion is quite natural thing, and almost inevitable, especially if there are problems with communication. For similar reasons why human languages are diversed. In older times, when communication and connection between one village and other village, between one area and other area, were much more troublesome or even nearly impossible (like in Old World and Americas, Australia and Islands, in times when there was no reliable means of transport through oceans), one group of humans evolved independently from other group of humans. Even if they would start from the one single religion, after centuries and millenniums without exchange of information with their origin, they were making their own local versions of religions, or making their own local gods.

Diversity happened also in Christianity: Catholic Church, Orthodox Greek Church, later Protestants, Lutherans, Christian sects etc. etc. They have e.g. different approach to "saints" (kinda like half-gods and heroes in Greek's Mythology). People pray to half-gods, for intercession at higher level. Placing their beloved "saints" pictures and figures in the room around them..

Diversity also occurred in Muslims: Salafites, Sunnis, Wahhabis, etc. etc. (In fact, it is much easier for Muslims to separate because they do not have the supreme Imam, the equivalent of the Pope).

Rarely separations were happening without wars, without innocent victims.

Rarely joining/rejoining were happening without wars, and mass murdering people attached to their parents religion and unwilling to convert...

 

 

..sounds to me quite like e.g. making "saints"/"half-gods"...

Diversity of Christianity is due to the fact of different doctrines or biblical understanding. As a Christian, I like to focus on the commonality of our beliefs or what C.S. Lewis said " Mere Christianity" that is believing that Jesus is our salvation and Lord. 

With regards to your second response, I agree that some Christian denominations have wrong understanding of the scripture or they did not practice the teachings of  it. Example ( I will not mention the name)  is the denomination that uses statues of saints which hurts my heart when they venerate those statues rather than Jesus Himself. 

On 4/4/2019 at 4:51 PM, studiot said:

 

Sounds remarkably similar to the invective of hate preached by some Mullahs of another Religion.

Are you sure this is not just another construct of Man at his worst?

What do you mean? 

Religions existed almost everywhere in this planet called earth. It's seems that humans are religious in nature. Religions are diverse. A question may arise, WHY? Here, I will provide the biblical explanation of it. Let me offer Romans 1:19-25:"

¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,^[g] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

²⁴ Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

We see here a biblical explanation of religious diversity in the world. Religions other than Christianity is simply a deviation from worship on the True God and transferred the worship into the creature.

Any response regarding this is very much appreciated. Thank you.