J
Jkuehn
Guest
When a friend asks me why I believe in Christianity, I don’t know how to answer. What kinds of things would you say? Evidence? Personal reasons? Moral reasons? How would you explain it?
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M
MonteRCMS
Guest
All evidence tells us that Jesus was real.
Jesus claimed to be God, the Son of God.
And His followers witnessed that Jesus was executed by crucifixion, on Friday, and that He arose from the dead on Sunday … We call it Easter Sunday.
To make things more believable, we have been given the gift of miracles from various people who we call saints. This “chain” of miracles go back two thousand years for Christianity and further back for the Jewish faith.
You can start by find books we enjoy reading that tell us about some of these saints. Butler’s Lives of the Saints is available in most libraries.
And we can read the New Testament, which is the story of the origin of Christianity, keeping in mind that the New Testament was not written in English, but in Greek and Hebrew. Translated into Latin. With the various books and chapters collected by St. Augustine and others.
Although St. Augustine led a terrible and sinful life for around 15 years, his mother, St. Monica, prayed unceasingly for his conversion. And one day, he did have a conversion and not only became a Christian but also became a priest and a bishop.
St. Augustine was very prolific writer and you can look him up on the internet.
The Church recognizes all this by placing his feast day and his mother’s feast day side by side. Generally around August 27 & August 28, each year .
St. Jerome, St. Augustine and others collaborated to pull the books and letters together to produce the Bible around AD 400 … these people spoke and wrote multiple languages and were tremendous intellects.
The original texts of the Tanakh were mainly in Hebrew, with some portions in Aramaic. In addition to the authoritative Masoretic Text, Jews still refer to the Septuagint, the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, and the Targum Onkelos, an Aramaic version of the Bible. There are several different ancient versions of the Tanakh in Hebrew, mostly differing by spelling, and the traditional Jewish version is based on the version known as Aleppo Codex. Even in this version there are words which are traditionally read differently from written, because the oral tradition is considered more fundamental than the written one, and presumably mistakes had been made in copying the text over the generations.[citation needed]
The primary biblical text for early Christians was the Septuagint. In addition, they translated the Hebrew Bible into several other languages. Translations were made into Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, and Latin, among other languages. The Latin translations were historically the most important for the Church in the West, while the Greek-speaking East continued to use the Septuagint translations of the Old Testament and had no need to translate the New Testament.
The earliest Latin translation was the Old Latin text, or Vetus Latina, which, from internal evidence, seems to have been made by several authors over a period of time. It was based on the Septuagint, and thus included books not in the Hebrew Bible.
Jesus claimed to be God, the Son of God.
And His followers witnessed that Jesus was executed by crucifixion, on Friday, and that He arose from the dead on Sunday … We call it Easter Sunday.
To make things more believable, we have been given the gift of miracles from various people who we call saints. This “chain” of miracles go back two thousand years for Christianity and further back for the Jewish faith.
You can start by find books we enjoy reading that tell us about some of these saints. Butler’s Lives of the Saints is available in most libraries.
And we can read the New Testament, which is the story of the origin of Christianity, keeping in mind that the New Testament was not written in English, but in Greek and Hebrew. Translated into Latin. With the various books and chapters collected by St. Augustine and others.
Although St. Augustine led a terrible and sinful life for around 15 years, his mother, St. Monica, prayed unceasingly for his conversion. And one day, he did have a conversion and not only became a Christian but also became a priest and a bishop.
St. Augustine was very prolific writer and you can look him up on the internet.
The Church recognizes all this by placing his feast day and his mother’s feast day side by side. Generally around August 27 & August 28, each year .
St. Jerome, St. Augustine and others collaborated to pull the books and letters together to produce the Bible around AD 400 … these people spoke and wrote multiple languages and were tremendous intellects.
The original texts of the Tanakh were mainly in Hebrew, with some portions in Aramaic. In addition to the authoritative Masoretic Text, Jews still refer to the Septuagint, the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, and the Targum Onkelos, an Aramaic version of the Bible. There are several different ancient versions of the Tanakh in Hebrew, mostly differing by spelling, and the traditional Jewish version is based on the version known as Aleppo Codex. Even in this version there are words which are traditionally read differently from written, because the oral tradition is considered more fundamental than the written one, and presumably mistakes had been made in copying the text over the generations.[citation needed]
The primary biblical text for early Christians was the Septuagint. In addition, they translated the Hebrew Bible into several other languages. Translations were made into Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, and Latin, among other languages. The Latin translations were historically the most important for the Church in the West, while the Greek-speaking East continued to use the Septuagint translations of the Old Testament and had no need to translate the New Testament.
The earliest Latin translation was the Old Latin text, or Vetus Latina, which, from internal evidence, seems to have been made by several authors over a period of time. It was based on the Septuagint, and thus included books not in the Hebrew Bible.
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R
Roseeurekacross
Guest
You love God…best answer
M
MonteRCMS
Guest
According to the Latin Decretum Gelasianum (also known as the Gelasian Decree), Pope Damasus I, or Pope Hormisdas)[95][96][97] but reflecting the views of the Roman Church by that period,[98] the Council of Rome in 382 AD under Pope Damasus I (366-383) assembled a list of books of the Bible. Damasus commissioned Saint Jerome to produce a reliable and consistent text by translating the original Greek and Hebrew texts into Latin. This translation became known as the Latin Vulgate Bible, in the fourth century AD (although Jerome expressed in his prologues to most deuterocanonical books that they were non-canonical).[99][100] In 1546, at the Council of Trent, Jerome’s Vulgate translation was declared by the Roman Catholic Church to be the only authentic and official Bible in the Latin Church.
S
Stephen_says
Guest
I don’t want to say that there is only ONE good reason to believe in Christianity, but in reality, at it’s core, Christianity isn’t just a set of moral codes, or completely based on physical “evidence” from artifacts, but because every Christian has, in some way, had an encounter with Christ. Christ is a person, and Christianity is a relationship. It’s like asking someone why you believe in your mother, or father, or brother. Well, it’s because you know them, and spend time with them, right?
J
jcrichton
Guest
Hi, J!
It is a conglomeration of things…
Hard fact: Christian wars (as bad as that is) have killed fewer than 10 millions of people in the last 2000 years (Christian wars are wars that have been fought by Christians or by monarchs/states that have claimed to be defending God/the Church) vs. non-Christian wars over 200 millions in the last 200 years alone (non-Christian wars are wars fought by states against their enemies, foreign and domestic–the states determined who is the enemy and what force to use even if it is only a matter of population/social control).
While it is likely that anyone could kill, abuse, oppress, a Christian is more likely to be at the receiving end of those exploits because the Christian will value and respect life at a greater degree and believes that he/she is responsible for his acts and must answer to Yahweh God.
Then we have the history of the Church (check out the Catholic Church: Builder of Civilization); people believe that the world as we know existed as such from prehistory; we only need to look into the world’s affair where there’s no Christian value–rights are not granted but to the wealthy and powerful. People complain about long work hours and no representation… the world as it existed did not uphold rights: a work-day was from waking up till dropping down (sometimes dropping dead), people both free and slaves were “owned” by their patrons; there was no law to appeal to as governance would be sold for coin, land or man power.
Then we have the spiritual aspects.
Depending upon your experience and Faith you live your life in Hope (respectful of God’s Will) of Salvation, in Christ Jesus.
Maran atha!
Angel
It is a conglomeration of things…
Hard fact: Christian wars (as bad as that is) have killed fewer than 10 millions of people in the last 2000 years (Christian wars are wars that have been fought by Christians or by monarchs/states that have claimed to be defending God/the Church) vs. non-Christian wars over 200 millions in the last 200 years alone (non-Christian wars are wars fought by states against their enemies, foreign and domestic–the states determined who is the enemy and what force to use even if it is only a matter of population/social control).
While it is likely that anyone could kill, abuse, oppress, a Christian is more likely to be at the receiving end of those exploits because the Christian will value and respect life at a greater degree and believes that he/she is responsible for his acts and must answer to Yahweh God.
Then we have the history of the Church (check out the Catholic Church: Builder of Civilization); people believe that the world as we know existed as such from prehistory; we only need to look into the world’s affair where there’s no Christian value–rights are not granted but to the wealthy and powerful. People complain about long work hours and no representation… the world as it existed did not uphold rights: a work-day was from waking up till dropping down (sometimes dropping dead), people both free and slaves were “owned” by their patrons; there was no law to appeal to as governance would be sold for coin, land or man power.
Then we have the spiritual aspects.
Depending upon your experience and Faith you live your life in Hope (respectful of God’s Will) of Salvation, in Christ Jesus.
Maran atha!
Angel
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B
Benadam
Guest
I think it’s the coolest thing that God became a man and walked the earth. What better way than that to reveal Himself! It’s good to be made in the image and likeness of God.
J
jcrichton
Guest
Hi, Ben!
Yeah!
This is something many cannot accept.
God Loving man so much that He lowered Himself to Live amongst us!
…more so to Give up His Life for us!
Maran atha!
Angel
Yeah!
This is something many cannot accept.
God Loving man so much that He lowered Himself to Live amongst us!
…more so to Give up His Life for us!
Maran atha!
Angel
M
MonteRCMS
Guest
We need to get back to the basics.
H
hymin
Guest
“I never tire of repeating those words of Benedict XVI which take us to the very heart of the Gospel: “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction”.” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 7)
M
MonteRCMS
Guest
I love Pope Benedict, but I saw his photo and he has lost sooo much weight!
P
PJM
Guest
My friend there are many books on this topic and space here is limited.
Ask that person what is the origin of good and evil?
Good comes from God 1:26-27
Evil from man’s freewill choices
Then ask that person where humanities minds, intellect and freewill come from?
Genesis 1: 26-27 tells ALL that GOD choose freely to create “man” [humanity ALONE] in HIS Image.
John 4:23-24 Tells us that “God is SPIRIT”
While one can make a feeble case for human evolution; minds, intellects and freewill are SPIRITUAL in essence and cannot have evolved… so where do they come from?
They are the fulfillment of Gen 1"26-27 and this SPIRITUAL Other Self" is lie GOD: it is immortal, spirit, and cannot die or be killed.
It is this “other self” that chooses Good and or chooses evil.
Know that conversions are God’s exclusive domain. God HAS to Offer grace, which be accepted & rejected for anyone to even began to rightly understand, so pray much for this person to become open to GODS WILL.
God Bless you
Patrick
Ask that person what is the origin of good and evil?
Good comes from God 1:26-27
Evil from man’s freewill choices
Then ask that person where humanities minds, intellect and freewill come from?
Genesis 1: 26-27 tells ALL that GOD choose freely to create “man” [humanity ALONE] in HIS Image.
John 4:23-24 Tells us that “God is SPIRIT”
While one can make a feeble case for human evolution; minds, intellects and freewill are SPIRITUAL in essence and cannot have evolved… so where do they come from?
They are the fulfillment of Gen 1"26-27 and this SPIRITUAL Other Self" is lie GOD: it is immortal, spirit, and cannot die or be killed.
It is this “other self” that chooses Good and or chooses evil.
Know that conversions are God’s exclusive domain. God HAS to Offer grace, which be accepted & rejected for anyone to even began to rightly understand, so pray much for this person to become open to GODS WILL.
God Bless you
Patrick
J
JohnDom
Guest
I would say do not believe in Christianity at all. Any belief whatsoever only makes it more difficult to untangle ourselves from the adversary which is the personality. Understand that being a Christian is not our ultimate identity. Our ultimate identity is the infinite and eternal soul. The path to the soul requires we let go of all beliefs. Notice the personality is in direct opposition to this. One must know this enemy thoroughly enough to realize it is a falsehood. We realize truth by penetrating deeply into what’s false.
V
Verdanty
Guest
It makes a nice comfort blanket.
I don’t mean that as a slur. It helps spoonfeed philosophy and meaning to people who otherwise might find less savory behavioral models to follow. It also helps people cope with grief or loss with the promise of good defeating evil and life everlasting.
It doesn’t matter if it is or isn’t true, it makes believers feel better about themselves now.
Do I think that is enough reason to follow it? No, but that depends what you value; gritty truth or comforting words.
I don’t mean that as a slur. It helps spoonfeed philosophy and meaning to people who otherwise might find less savory behavioral models to follow. It also helps people cope with grief or loss with the promise of good defeating evil and life everlasting.
It doesn’t matter if it is or isn’t true, it makes believers feel better about themselves now.
Do I think that is enough reason to follow it? No, but that depends what you value; gritty truth or comforting words.
D
De_Maria
Guest
All the above.When a friend asks me why I believe in Christianity, I don’t know how to answer. What kinds of things would you say? Evidence? Personal reasons? Moral reasons?
First thing I’d ask is, “compared to what?”
For example, if we compare to Judaism, see Heb 12:18-24. It gives a comparison of the nature of Judaism compared to Christianity.
Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly[d] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
If you compare to Protestantism, its more complicated.
- Protestants believe a creed that is self refuting. They claim that no one should believe anything that is not in the Bible. But that statement is not in the Bible. Therefore, they shouldn’t believe it. Right?
- In addition, Protestants believe in private interpretation of the Word of God. Therefore, each Protestant can make up his mind how to be a Christian. Whereas, with the Catholic Church, you have a visible authority which has Doctrines that are well known and easily researched. Anyone who wants to can easily discover the Doctrines which are taught by the Catholic Church, in Tradition and Scripture.
Any other religions. Well, except for the Orthodox. They are very close to Catholic and the only advantage we have to them is the Pope. But there is no other religion that is centralized and systematic and historical and moral as the Catholic Church. Not the Hindus, not the Muslims, not the Zoriasters, not any.
But, if your friend has a particular religion in mind, let me know. We can check it out.
In a nutshell, although the Catholic Church is superior to any other religion in every way, the argument that made me Catholic was the answer to the question of suffering. It’s very simple. But no other religion has it. I just point to the Crucifix and I say, “Because we can unite our suffering to the suffering of Christ for the benefit of the people we love and the world.”How would you explain it?
Colossians 1:24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.
John 15:13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
T
Techno2000
Guest
Because… you want to go to Heaven when you die.
J
jcrichton
Guest
Hi, Michael!
Sorry you feel that way.
May the Holy Spirit grant you the peace you’re looking for.
Maran atha!
Angel
Sorry you feel that way.
May the Holy Spirit grant you the peace you’re looking for.
Maran atha!
Angel
J
jcrichton
Guest
Hi, John!
Wow… this sounds kind of budish… so how do you gain this ultimate identity?
Maran atha!
Angel
Wow… this sounds kind of budish… so how do you gain this ultimate identity?
Maran atha!
Angel
J
jcrichton
Guest
Hi!
…do you know what the meaning of your screen name is?
What is the meaning of that truth that you named?
Maran atha!
Angel
…do you know what the meaning of your screen name is?
What is the meaning of that truth that you named?
Maran atha!
Angel
V
Verdanty
Guest
My screen name is a Anglified form of the name of one of the Nornir; the Norse Gods of Destiny; one each of the “Past”, “Now” and “Future”.
The one I chose was verða, translated as “Now” or “Becoming”. Because the now is what matters. The past is dead and cannot be changed, the future is unknown and in it lies inevitable death, and that momento mori I find adequate cause to appreciate the now all the more. The Norse were rather different from Christians in that while they did believe in an afterlife and Gods, they also believed that their afterlife would one day end and that even their Gods would die.
I do not believe in Gods, neither I do not believe in eternity. Men die, beasts die, the universe itself will one day grow dark and cold, so it should be no surprise that even the memories of a God will fade; every other month archeologists dig up a statue of a divinity or leader who’s name has long been lost to the sands of time.
The truth I named? The one I believe to be so, there is nothing “out there” so to speak. No god, no magic, no angels, demons or other supernatural planes where divinities or spirits hold revels or create abyssal horrors to punish the wicked.
The truth I hold to be true is not immediately comforting, it is not pleasant; but it is the most likely to be accurate from my observations and research so far. Evidence tells me what is, not what I would like to be; it would be nice to think that one day I would see a world in which people saw those they had lost again, a paradise filled with nothing but life and love. Except there’s nothing in the world to suggest such a vision has any basis in rationality or evidence, and I don’t assent to theories purely because I would like them to be true.
Though I say not “immediately comforting”, in some respects I find it very comforting. The assurance of oblivion brings me not dread but relief, the world would grow stagnant if we could all be here for as long as we like and it is the bonfire of mortality under our backsides that make us get up and do things.
I have other reasons too, but for a brief outline of my understanding of what is I think that makes an outline. I’m happy to talk about it in more detail elsewhere.
The one I chose was verða, translated as “Now” or “Becoming”. Because the now is what matters. The past is dead and cannot be changed, the future is unknown and in it lies inevitable death, and that momento mori I find adequate cause to appreciate the now all the more. The Norse were rather different from Christians in that while they did believe in an afterlife and Gods, they also believed that their afterlife would one day end and that even their Gods would die.
I do not believe in Gods, neither I do not believe in eternity. Men die, beasts die, the universe itself will one day grow dark and cold, so it should be no surprise that even the memories of a God will fade; every other month archeologists dig up a statue of a divinity or leader who’s name has long been lost to the sands of time.
The truth I named? The one I believe to be so, there is nothing “out there” so to speak. No god, no magic, no angels, demons or other supernatural planes where divinities or spirits hold revels or create abyssal horrors to punish the wicked.
The truth I hold to be true is not immediately comforting, it is not pleasant; but it is the most likely to be accurate from my observations and research so far. Evidence tells me what is, not what I would like to be; it would be nice to think that one day I would see a world in which people saw those they had lost again, a paradise filled with nothing but life and love. Except there’s nothing in the world to suggest such a vision has any basis in rationality or evidence, and I don’t assent to theories purely because I would like them to be true.
Though I say not “immediately comforting”, in some respects I find it very comforting. The assurance of oblivion brings me not dread but relief, the world would grow stagnant if we could all be here for as long as we like and it is the bonfire of mortality under our backsides that make us get up and do things.
I have other reasons too, but for a brief outline of my understanding of what is I think that makes an outline. I’m happy to talk about it in more detail elsewhere.
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