Satan has been quite successful in convincing humanity that he doesn't even exist and that there is no need to be saved.
You didn't even answer my questions. You are going to have to do much better than this if you have any hope of counteracting such success on Satan's part.
Jesus Christ was a real man. Historians far and wide believe this to be fact. I personally am humbled enough to believe that people with PHDs in theology are probably more knowledgeable than I and if they can pursue such lengthy studies on text that many deem "outrageous claims", then there must be some merit there. Also, keep in mind that we are human. We are not God. So our level of understanding is inferior. That's why God advised us to not lean on our understanding of things. We are sinners living in a tainted world. Our ideology will be naturally tainted as well.
Some people need science. I get it. This video may be able to help you in determining the authenticity of Christ's death and resurrection. As humans, we can't fathom that this extraordinary event actually happened because we see Christ as merely another human being. But we forget that he was God in the flesh. Capable of far more miracles and supernatural feats than us.
I don't believe facts. I accept those facts supported by sufficient evidence. I save belief for those things that cannot be substantiated in such a way. Having a PhD in theology does not innoculate one against confirmation bias or plain wishful thinking. I evaluate their claims, like anyone else's, based on the evidence they present, and extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, at least if they are of a historical or scientific nature.
God endowed us with the ability to think, reason, problem-solve, and generally figure things out. By your reasoning, he needn't have bothered. Just another temptation to tantalize us with so we can get slapped down for using it. Eve and the apple, over and over again.
Everyone needs science. It is how we understand the physical world. A similar case can be made that everyone needs spirituality. It is how we understand the world beyond the physical. Problems arise, though, when we use the wrong tool for the job. We shouldn't ask scientists to tell us why we are even here. We should likewise not ask our spiritual leaders, including our holy books, things like how old is the earth. I cannot accept the historical veracity of the resurrection, or even the divinity of Jesus. I certainly can accept things Jesus came to teach us.
I'm referencing Christ specifically. Not them. None of them were crucified and resurrected to pay for everyone's sin, were they? Was that not the biggest event to happen in the Christian faith or the world? The single most miraculous thing that no one else was able to do? Jesus far outdid anything that apostales did. Peter walked on water because he saw Jesus walking on water. He told him "if it's you Lord, ask me to come to you" and Jesus replied "come". I don't know if Peter himself could have walked on water at any time for any reason. It was this interaction with Jesus in that moment that made it possible.
Perhaps you can explain to me how Jesus' death and resurrection "pays for" our sin. Wool seemed to describe it as a great battle between God and Satan for the souls of humanity, but would not confirm or refute my understanding of what she meant.
Everyone has to seek their own path in terms of religious convictions or moral philosophies. One thing I have learned over the years (as a Christian) is that preaching bible verses mean NOTHING to people who do not know Jesus. Bible verses are meant for all to live by but only for followers to understand. How could we possibly expect someone who has not personally experienced the feeling of the Holy Spirit to understand the word of God? We can't.
What do you mean by "know Jesus"? Know him like you do? Know him like this or that authority on the Bible? If the way I see Jesus is different from yours, will you tell me I don't know him at all? If I say I understand the Bible as well as the next person, but don't share your perspective, will you just say that means I don't really understand it? This is the kind of circular reasoning and doublespeak that makes it very frustrating to discuss religion with some Christians (probably some of other faiths as well, but I haven't encountered many of them yet).
I try to just share what I feel is in my heart, from my personal experience or understanding. Or even the things I've learned. That's why I attached the video I did. That's not to say that we can't learn from other philosophies. There are actually a lot of parallels between Buddha's teaching and God's. So I think there are a lot of universal truths. But, one must wonder where these convictions of the conscience derive from. For me, I believe it's the way God created us. To inherently have an idea of what's right and wrong in our everyday lives.
I agree with much of this. These ideas, and of course God, are truly universal. It is for this reason that I cannot believe Christianity has a monopoly on spiritual truth, moral soundness, or connection to God. The underlined, above, is exactly right IME. Each person must seek their own path, but although these paths may be different, they all lead to the same place. All we can do is share what is in our heart, from our personal experience and understanding. That, and give the example of how we lead our lives.
Well, humans are the advanced species, I'm sure you agree. Then why war? Why serial killers? Why narcissism? As a Christian, this is where we believe evil and sin enter the picture. There are murderers who admit what they did was wrong, but they don't feel remorse about it? Where does the very essence of evil come from? When we can know that something isn't right yet do it anyway. These are the questions that keep me seeking.
But what causes the mutations over time? Isn't evolution about the advancement of species over time, not regression?
Much of what we readily label "evil" seems to be associated with mental illness: psychopathy, likely other disorders. Just look at how many mass shooters in recent years had a history of mental illness, often untreated. Now scientists can gain insight into physiological differences in the brains of such folks vs. the rest of the species. Sure, these particular features have no apparent benefit in the evolutionary process (unless to curb ballooning population?). One must remember, however, that advancement of the species as a whole does not require the advancement of every individual. Many individuals will take what eventually (on a very long time scale) prove to be evolutionary blind alleys.
I think it takes more faith to not believe in God. When I look at the intricacies of the world, I can't help but believe that a divine creator had His hand in all that we know. The sheer coincidence of our existence on a planet like Earth where no other planet compares.
Indeed - the notion that there is no God is as much a matter of faith as any religion. The only logically defensible position is agnosticism, since we truly cannot know. But the highlighted is an unsupportable claim. We cannot know what lies across the vastness of the universe, much/most of which is beyond the range of our most sensitive and sophisticated equipment - at least today.
