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ANV
Guest
What leads you to KNOW that the Bible is the word of God.
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Della
Guest
That depends what you mean by your question. If you mean: “How do you know that the books of the Bible are the word of God,” then the answer is: Because the Church defined them as such.
If you mean how do we know that the Bible as a whole is the word of God, the answer is: Because it tells us the truth about God and our relationship with him. In effect it’s God’s story more than ours: Who he is, what he wants of us, how we are to respond to him. We know it’s true because the events predicted in it have come true and are coming true. It’s a living witness in that it continues to feed our souls on a daily basis, teaching us to love and serve God as the Son of God instructed us.
If you mean how do we know that the Bible as a whole is the word of God, the answer is: Because it tells us the truth about God and our relationship with him. In effect it’s God’s story more than ours: Who he is, what he wants of us, how we are to respond to him. We know it’s true because the events predicted in it have come true and are coming true. It’s a living witness in that it continues to feed our souls on a daily basis, teaching us to love and serve God as the Son of God instructed us.
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undead_rat
Guest
Our Sacred Teacher told us that scripture cannot be broken, and “scripture” is the Bible.
He also mentioned the “Sign of Jonah” as a confirmation of His own validity. That sign is His holy image that He left for us on His burial cloth.
He also mentioned the “Sign of Jonah” as a confirmation of His own validity. That sign is His holy image that He left for us on His burial cloth.
J
joeybaggz
Guest
To answer the question you asked, in the form that you asked it, the answer is simple.
WE DON’T
Had you asked, " why do you believe that the Bible is the word of God, the posters who have answered you would be accurate. And I might be tempted to believe that the intent of your question was a legitimate effort to know and understand the theist’s position.
The word KNOW (as you capitalized it) means to have verifiable, empirical, even scientific proof. At least that is the way I take your question. Belief is not proof. We can’t prove the existence of God in any scientific manner, we can’t prove the Bible is the word of God in any scientific manner, and we don’t try. The fact that you state you are an atheist means that there is no dialogue of any substance that is possible between you and the theist.because there is no common ground.
I wonder if the object of your question is to elicit answers such as you have gotten so that you can run to the nearest atheist forum and belittle those who believe. After all, it, your capitilizing the word know smacks of a bit of smarmy. I sincerely hope that is not your intention, but then again, I don’t KNOW.
Shalom
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1neophyte
Guest
What leads you to KNOW that your parents are your parents, and that you are not the victim of an elaborate ruse?
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on_the_hill
Guest
I don’t. Maybe it isn’t. 
I have faith that it is.
I have faith that it is.
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ChurchSoldier
Guest
First the Bible tells us.
2Tim3:16 “All scripture is God breathed”
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"
Second, the Church confirmed it in creating the Canon.
Great question. Thx.
2Tim3:16 “All scripture is God breathed”
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"
Second, the Church confirmed it in creating the Canon.
Great question. Thx.
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petra22
Guest
So many things point me to God as I read the Bible, but this saying by John… does it for me…
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venite_adoremus
Guest
Epistemology is the study of knowledge. To know anything, one must first be alive and sentient, and second be able to trust what is observed and experienced. Then one must be able to separate justified belief from opinion. This is done by pursuit of logical premises, each of which follows from that which has already been proved. The key to that, coincidentally, in Latin, is “logos.” The Word.
So, the first evidence needed: How do I know? I am not speaking here of a particular object of knowledge, but rather knowledge itself in general. How do I know anything? For if something is truly known, it cannot be false.
Regarding Catholicism, I refer you to Aquinas, who has the most logical arguments of all. He starts with first premises and works you through it, step by painful step.
Good discussion of how the logical process works over at Wikipedia. Look up the word “epistemology”, or copy and paste if you know how.
So, the first evidence needed: How do I know? I am not speaking here of a particular object of knowledge, but rather knowledge itself in general. How do I know anything? For if something is truly known, it cannot be false.
Regarding Catholicism, I refer you to Aquinas, who has the most logical arguments of all. He starts with first premises and works you through it, step by painful step.
Good discussion of how the logical process works over at Wikipedia. Look up the word “epistemology”, or copy and paste if you know how.
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1Lord1Faith
Guest
Good question. It’s kind of like getting to know someone, and now I have to vouch for them to someone who doesn’t know me or them.
It can be a bit of a process depending on the person. For me, I basically found validation in the Bible for a lot of things I believed to be true. But the Bible is just one piece of a puzzle in which I see God.
Jesus simply said, “I know mine and mine know me”, I’m paraphrasing there.
I’ll also agree with the post above mine.
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Roseeurekacross
Guest
No, God tells everyone He is God, the One God. He tells people all over the globe this truth.
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tonyrey
Guest
Despite their differences all religions proclaim the same basic truth: God exists and we should respect everyone’s rights to liberty, equality and fraternity - which do not exist in a Godless universe.
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tonyrey
Guest
You beat me to it!
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Della
Guest
Whatever is true, is true, no matter who teaches it or how it comes to be believed. Catholic theologians have supported the idea that pagans can be inspired by God, since all men are created in God’s image and God desires to save all men. For example:
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Well, they have faith, even if what they believe in isn’t the whole truth. But if they seek God, he will reward that seeking with the truth.
Acts 10 a man named Cornelius, a Roman who did what he could do to follow the Law of Moses impressed St. Peter:
34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
From the Catechism:
Possible salvation of non-Christians: #s 846-848.
“Outside the Church there is no salvation”
846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:
Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336
847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:
Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337
848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."338
So we see that those who follow their own belief systems believing that they are seeking God will be rewarded for that seeking. It isn’t that our Bible is the only truth, but that it has all the truth needed for our salvation, since Christ came though the Hebrew people as promised by God through their prophets.
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STT
Guest
And where the church takes its credibility from? Word of God, Bible. This is circular.
This is again circular.
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Della
Guest
[/QUOTE]And where the church takes its credibility from? Word of God, Bible. This is circular.
It’s a collection of religious writings. From whom are we supposed to look for credibility? The local atheist society?Actually no, the Church doesn’t take its credibility from the Bible. The NT hadn’t been written when Jesus founded the Church. Indeed, none of the NT was written until long after he’d ascended into heaven (I know you don’t believe in his ascension, but I cite it merely for context). The OT canon wasn’t decided by either the Jews or the Church until after the 1st century, so no, the Church didn’t look exclusively to the Bible to gain her credibility. You should learn a bit of history before making such comments.
But seriously, the Bible is also an historical document. Much of what it relates can be verified by independent sources. It’s not merely a collection of mythological tales, as many seem to think–mostly those who have never made any real effort to read it.
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fisherman_carl
Guest
I think, Because ultimately, like so many miracles, it has the testimony of so many faithful witnesses throughout it’s history. The Bible is just a collection of books. But if it can help lead you to something greater, a relationship with a person, Jesus Christ, then it testifies to itself. There is no way that I know of to prove the Scripures are inspired. However, if you are open and you read them you just might come to that conclusion on your own as you may find God speaking to you through them. Once you find God speaking to you through them then they become like a treasure trove, a pearl of great value. Jesus said if you follow his teaching then you will know the truth which will set you free.
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