My little brother doesn't believe in Jesus-need an answer to a question

[TommD]

So my younger brother, (18 now), told me he does not believe in Jesus, but believes in God. Six months ago he told me he believed that we evolved from apes, and I told him it was going to be a slippery slope to Athiesm…And without my intervention, I feel it will. He is going to college for science.

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

I had an answer or two but I need a good explanation for this question. Any help?

Thanks

 

[davidv]

So my younger brother, (18 now), told me he does not believe in Jesus, but believes in God. Six months ago he told me he believed that we evolved from apes, and I told him it was going to be a slippery slope to Athiesm…And without my intervention, I feel it will. He is going to college for science.

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

I had an answer or two but I need a good explanation for this question. Any help?

Thanks

According to the bible, what happened in between was:

Luke 2: 51-52
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.

 

[Todd_Easton]

Six months ago he told me he believed that we evolved from apes

The idea that the physical body of Adam “evolved from apes” is not inconsistent with Church teaching. There are many good Catholics who hold this idea.

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

Jesus was known as a carpenter (Mark 6:3), like Joseph, his presumed father. (Matthew 13:55) It seems reasonable to assume that Jesus worked at that trade with Joseph until he began his public ministry. The reason the Gospels are silent is probably because nothing noteworthy happened during those years.

 

[JimG]

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

Can he answer the same question about Julius Caesar? Does he believe in Julius Caesar? That’s the sort of question that can’t be answered about most historical figures, even up till recent days. That doesn’t make them any less historical. Our historical evidence for Jesus is much better than that for most historical figures of his day.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Can he answer the same question about Julius Caesar? Does he believe in Julius Caesar? That’s the sort of question that can’t be answered about most historical figures, even up till recent days. That doesn’t make them any less historical. Our historical evidence for Jesus is much better than that for most historical figures of his day.

Well said

 

[Donald45]

…he told me he believed that we evolved from apes…

When your brother studies evolution at the college level, he’ll learn that the theory has never suggested that “humans evolved from apes.” Rather, what is affirmed is that both apes and humans developed from a common ancestor in the distant biological past. In other words, humans and apes share a common ancestor, and so might be thought of as evolutionary “cousins.”

Also, in no way does the idea of biological evolution necessarily rule out a genuine faith in, and devotion to, Jesus Christ. I highly recommend these books for your brother:

Francisco J. Ayala, Darwin & Intelligent Design (Fortress, 2006); ISBN 0-8006-3802-6

_____, Darwin’s Gift To Science & Religion (Joseph Henry Press, 2007); ISBN 0-309-10231-6

Karl Giberson, Worlds Apart: The Unholy War Between Religion & Science (Beacon Hill, 1993); ISBN 083-411-5042

Keith B. Miller, Perspectives On An Evolving Creation (Eerdmans, 2003); ISBN 0-8028-0512-4

Kenneth R. Miller, Finding Darwin’s God: A Scientist’s Search for Common Ground Between God & Evolution (HarperCollins, 1999); ISBN 0-06-017593-1

Each of these books is written by scientist who’s a committed Christian, and who also holds to the scientific theory of evolution.

God bless,

Don
+T+

 

[CapIV]

what do you mean he “doesn’t believe in Jesus”? Do you mean he doesn’t believe He was God? Or he doesn’t believe He ever existed? If it is the second one, your brother will probably fail all of his history classes. Jesus is a very well documented historical figure. Have him read Josephus and some early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch.

As for Jesus being God, just search this site for the Christ divinity apologetics. And study up on the Gospel of John.

 

[puzzleannie]

So my younger brother, (18 now), told me he does not believe in Jesus, but believes in God. Six months ago he told me he believed that we evolved from apes, and I told him it was going to be a slippery slope to Athiesm…And without my intervention, I feel it will. He is going to college for science.

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

I had an answer or two but I need a good explanation for this question. Any help?

Thanks

I hope he takes some good science courses in college, because the “man evolved from apes” theory is bad science and totally mistates the theory of evolution.

find out why his belief in Jesus as Son of God and Savior of the World rests on knowing what happened to Jesus during his childhood.

 

[TommD]

I don’t know where this came from. He goes to Boston College High School (Catholic), and I am rather dissapointed because they do not teach much religion.

He says he thinks the entire bible is fiction written by so many different people it can’t possibly be true…That all the stories are metaphors, and nothing is to be taken literally. Including Jesus. Just says he believes in God. I told him he is going to have to find a new religion. All joking aside, I need good answers for these questions.

 

[savedsinner]

So my younger brother, (18 now), told me he does not believe in Jesus, but believes in God. Six months ago he told me he believed that we evolved from apes, and I told him it was going to be a slippery slope to Athiesm…And without my intervention, I feel it will. He is going to college for science.

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

I had an answer or two but I need a good explanation for this question. Any help?

Thanks

Evolution doesn’t say that we evolved from apes, it says that apes and humans evolved from a common ancestor.

What happened in between?
Jesus grew up in a Jewish family, learning his trade from his father, and his faith from his parents. He grew up being obedient to his parents.

 

[John_Hiner]

Laudatur Iesus Christus.

I suspect that one of the things that He did was speak to Mary for the joy of it, but also so that she could help the Apostles after the Ascension. I do not think that it is a coincidence that St. John lived with Holy Mother Mary, “The Table of Philosophy,” and that he is the author of the Gospel of John.

So one thing Jesus did was form the Church by forming its greatest disciple.

Pax Christi nobiscum.

John Hiner

 

[John_Hiner]

I don’t know where this came from. He goes to Boston College High School (Catholic), and I am rather dissapointed because they do not teach much religion.

He says he thinks the entire bible is fiction written by so many different people it can’t possibly be true…That all the stories are metaphors, and nothing is to be taken literally. Including Jesus. Just says he believes in God. I told him he is going to have to find a new religion. All joking aside, I need good answers for these questions.

Laudatur Iesus Christus.

I think Mr. Barton’s book on the attacks on the Bible might be helpful for you to read. This might give you some broad grasp of the sort of intellectual attacks your brother, and perhaps his “high school,” has suffered.

The book is available to read online or as a download (free of charge) at churchinhistory.org/pages/booklets/authors-gospels.pdf.

I hope this is helpful. I found it very refreshing and reassuring.

Spiritus Sapientiae nobiscum.

John Hiner

 

[Joe_5859]

So my younger brother, (18 now), told me he does not believe in Jesus, but believes in God. Six months ago he told me he believed that we evolved from apes, and I told him it was going to be a slippery slope to Athiesm…And without my intervention, I feel it will. He is going to college for science.

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

I had an answer or two but I need a good explanation for this question. Any help?

Thanks

I felt similarly when I was that age. I believed in God, but didn’t believe Jesus was God, or that the Catholic Church was anything special, or that the Bible was any more inspired than any other book.

This book changed my mind:

Yes or No?: Straight Answers to Tough Questions About Christianity by Peter Kreeft.

Actually, I suppose that the book didn’t change my mind per se. Before I read the book, I went on a retreat that changed my perception of the Church, even though I still didn’t quite believe. A few months later, I went to pray in front of the Tabernacle, still not sure I believed in Jesus, the Church, or the Bible. But as I sat there, I realized I was sitting in front of Jesus and I knew the Church was right, even though I didn’t understand. On the way out of the Church, I found this book in the vestibule, and it answered all my questions that had been keeping me away for so long. God wanted me to take the first step in faith before he gave me the answers I was looking for.

The main thing you want to do, of course, is to pray for your brother’s conversion daily. I don’t know if I’d recommend giving him this book or not. Often times, the “Here’s a book” method of evangelization is not particularly effective as there’s no guarantee he will read it. Even if he does read it, he might not be in a place where he is open to what it says, or perhaps it doesn’t answer the questions that are bothering him the most. But, then again, it might help. Only you can make that call. However, in any case, it should help you to read it as it will help you answer any questions he might have.

 

[grandfather]

If your brother believes in God, for now, ask him if that means he believes God made everything that exists. If he does, then ask him if he believes the creation was made for a purpose. If he says yes, ask him what he thinks this purpose is. He will probably not be able to answer. We can know God exists without revelation, but not know any more than that. An atheist must believe that there can be no purpose in existence. Purpose can only be derived from intent. Creation’s purpose can only come from a creator. If we believe existence has no purpose then our lives have no purpose. They are meaningless and without value. When people believe this they become despondent. I have no worth or value. I am an accident. Life has no value. If we do have a purpose it had to come from the being who made us. It does me no good to have a puspose unless I know what it is. We can only know it if it is revealed to us. If we are on a journey, as we see that life is a journey and we do not know where we are going, or it does not matter where we are going, it does not matter what direction we take or what we do with our lives or how we live. But if we do have a desitination how shall we know what it is and how to get there? There are questions of existence that all people in all cultures wonder about. Where did we come from? Why am I here? Where are we going? What is right and wrong, or how should I live? We see that some people make big messes of their lives, proving that the journey is perilous. We see broekn lives, marriages, and wounded children. The reason people’s lives go off track is they do not know how to live, to stay on track, or that there is a track. Your brother will have to decide for himself how to live and choose his path. He will be shaping his destiny with every day’s choices. He is choosing without God’s help. He rejects the wisdom of the saints. He goes his own way. He must think he is very wise. There is so much at stake. Jesus said, we can do nothing without Him. Your brother will learn this one way or another.

 

[AmbroseSJ]

So my younger brother, (18 now), told me he does not believe in Jesus, but believes in God. Six months ago he told me he believed that we evolved from apes, and I told him it was going to be a slippery slope to Athiesm…And without my intervention, I feel it will. He is going to college for science.

His question to me was, “What happened from when Jesus was born, all the way up until he was an adult when we hear about him?” What happened in between?

I had an answer or two but I need a good explanation for this question. Any help?

Thanks

There are already a lot of good answers in this thread, but I will toss in mine. First of all, I think you should rethink what you said about the necessity of your intervention. Pray for God’s intervention, and ask for the intercession of his guardian angel, and patron saint. I would also ask your brother to not say such things unless he has a genuine desire to find the truth. Spouting off silly ideas and expecting others to try and convince him that he is wrong, is really playing that puerile game with him. Have him convince YOU that he is ernestly seeking the truth!