This episode is part of my podcast series DEAR ATHEIST… If you prefer, LISTEN NOW.
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Atheists pride themselves in admitting that they could be wrong…and they just need enough proof to be convinced. However, is it really inconceivable for Christians to consider that we could be wrong about the existence of God? And if we are wrong on that point, does that take away from the wisdom of the Cross, which is sacrificial love? I think not.
If it could be proven that the Bible is entirely make belief, and there is no other evidence for the existence of God, apart from Jewish tradition, what difference would that make? Would that change the wisdom that was revealed in the Bible? Would evil and righteousness change in meaning and in practice?
People say that the wisdom in the Bible is not new. That other philosophers say the same things that are attributed to Solomon or Jesus. Jews even argue that Jesus didn’t say anything new, but just took credit for what God already said in the Old Testament, like His command to love our enemies. Someone once pointed out that Hebrew Scriptures also say that we should be kind to our enemies. Very well then.
So can Christianity become obsolete? Redundant? If not for the strong and compelling evidence for the existence of the Man called Jesus, who claimed to be the Messiah, and prophesied His death and resurrection…which came to pass…perhaps Christianity as practiced today could be squashed with the denigration of the Bible to nothing more than a book of fairy tales.
So, can I consider that I could be wrong? That there is not sufficient evidence for me to believe in the existence of God and that Jesus ever lived and He was in fact God… Yes, I can consider that I could be wrong. However, something beyond evidence compels me to believe. It is Wisdom itself.
Of all the wise men who ever lived and walked, there is none who actually personified his teachings the way Jesus did. And that sets Him apart and far above the rest! This alone, for me, is the reason why I continue to believe that He is real. Truly, He is the Word that became Flesh.
Jesus loved His enemies unto death, even asking that they be forgiven as they mocked Him. He said that you must lay down your life in order to save it. This was a literal description of the Cross, which He bore and asked His followers to also bear. He practiced what He taught and showed the superiority of His love and wisdom by His submission to crucifixion. The idea alone that someone would go so far to prove they were right, that they are the Way, speaks volumes about the validity of their claim to divinity.
There is NO OTHER person, wise man, teacher or god who ever was so impressive. On this basis alone, I am compelled to believe that He is the One, and to trust His wisdom to apply it in my life. But again, even if Jesus was right about only His wisdom, and not that He is God or that there is even a God, His wise teachings are a great resource to the world. Believing in Jesus is no tragedy, but is actually a salvation to the world. So a resistance to believe in Him, for this reason alone…never mind the other assurances we have that He is indeed the Way, the Truth and the Life, is to me, nothing but stubborn, rebellious insanity.
Christianity is the best thing that ever happened to the world. Even if there is no God. And because of how He has proven Himself in personifying His Wisdom – the greatest ever – I cannot call Him a liar and deny the rest of what He taught concerning who He is and why He came. I believe He is the Truth, because the evidence is sufficient and His Wisdom is profound.
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).
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Grace and Truth 
I can’t even consider that possibility (that does not compute, that does not compute, that does not compute…..) There is to much “heat” in the word of God for it not to be real. AND… the bible is just too “far-fetched” for it not to be real. It’s just like some news items that you see; even though you have just seen the person do a certain thing or act, you just can’t even imagine it actually being done. The wisdom that the bible speaks is another thing that blows me away. How can someone from so long ago, write some that has so much relevancy to exactly what we’re living today? I just can’t imagine it not being real!!!
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Yes, it is a stretch of the imagination! Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
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It is hardly wisdom to place anything beyond reproach. Quite the contrary!
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You can accuse me of foolishness, but you can’t deny that Jesus surpassed all in the wisdom He taught and lived…
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Neither is evasiveness a virtue.
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You are the one being evasive, fellow. I accepted your charge that I am foolish to believe. I have laid out my claim on Jesus which you disregarded in your first comment, and EVADED in your second. And as a hypocrite, you accuse me of being evasive.
You can only choose denial in this lifetime. Enjoy it while you can.
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No, I did not say you were foolish to believe. My criticism was directed at your efforts to place that belief beyond scrutiny. When you responded by dodging that point, I suggested you were dodging the point, which you were. You may take what petty pleasure you like in thoughts of what may happen to me in the afterlife, but just to be clear, I’m not at all interested in talking you out of your Christianity. You could try approaching it with a little more integrity, however. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.
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Perhaps you should take ownership of the fact that your criticism was unclear. It completely went over my head what you were refering to, and thinking of it now, you couldn’t be more wrong.
My whole post is about considering that I could be wrong, and that the evidence is insufficient. My point was that even though I can consider that…I am still compelled to believe because of the wisdom Christ exhibited which is like no other.
I take no pleasure thinking about your eternity, believe me.
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I think you should read your own words from time to time. You might be very surprised at what they contain.
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I think you should learn to communicate explicitly. You play guessing games and I am tired of guessing what you are trying to say.
Cheers!
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I played no guessing games with you. You unwillingness to respond to the words actually written or to take responsibility for your own position is NOT my responsibility.
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What is this ‘Wisdom’ that appears to the source of your belief? That one word appears in your argument without any explanation. I really hope that you can explain it without resorting to quotations from a book as questionable as the bible.
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Then you don’t truly wish to understand my perspective.
Have a great day 🙂
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You actually can’t explain it can you? Your whole essay falls apart on that.
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I can explain it. I explained it and you missed it. And then you challenge me to explain it without using the origin of the Wisdom… That’s stupid.
This is the part where I explained the wisdom that I am sold on. It is the Wisdom of the Cross:
“Jesus loved His enemies unto death, even asking that they be forgiven as they mocked Him. He said that you must lay down your life in order to save it. This was a literal description of the Cross, which He bore and asked His followers to also bear. He practiced what He taught and showed the superiority of His love and wisdom by His submission to crucifixion.”
Blessings to you.
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Is that all? A circular argument based on a book full of inconsistencies and contradictions.
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Okay… My point was Jesus practised the greatest wisdom I have ever heard, and that was the principle of the Cross. I only learnt about this principle from reading the Bible. I can only say that Jesus practised it from reading the Bible. But on its own, the wisdom of the Cross is supreme in life.
Jesus said: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit”. He used an example in our world to hint about this wisdom. He then taught how “if you want to save your life, you must lose it”. It is contrary to what the world teaches…but this is profound wisdom.
This wisdom is applicable to marriages, business, relationships, so many areas of our lives, where we win by losing. We win by being humble. We win by exalting others… This is the wisdom of the Cross, and what Jesus lived in His walk on the Earth.
When I think of the Cross, and I think of how everything Jesus did was to illustrate it, even before He finally subjected Himself to cruxifiction, I know that this Man/God is the Author of Life!
God bless you.
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Here we go again.
You don’t reliably know what Jesus said because you only have one unreliable book as a source.
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Still you don’t get it!
Whether the book is reliable or not, the wisdom in it is supreme!
Like the Lord of the Rings for example. We know that is a work of fiction, but there is soooo much wisdom in it and parallels to life. Even if we can reject the story as a made up story, it will never invalidate the truth communicated in it.
Jesus didn’t come so we could exalt the Bible, but discover HIM through the Bible, and know Him for ourselves… When we do, we can accept the Bible for what it is, while exalting Jesus – THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE – for Who He Is!
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The evidence for Jesus and the wisdom personified in him if carefully examined with an open and keen mind will lead you into some undeniable truths. Even history from the dark ages to the Middle Ages and to the great awakening leading to the renaissance prove the infallibility of Jesus and the Cross. Skeptics want material evidence but do not readily consider the mystical , invisible and psychological principles that govern the our world which Jesus pointed the way to; that if anyone were to practice would give the results he predicted. I think skeptics actually lack the experience of this Jesus . And like you mention Ufuoma could be as a result of a willingly rebellious core. I challenge anybody to study the life of Jesus and his sayings and dedicate a life to following in that path to see where it takes them
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Thanks Bosun!!! I appreciate your contribution on this 🙂
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