Zone1 do you believe in a god?

[alang1216]

Thumbnail your evidence and logic for me.

Logic: It is hard to imagine God created man (evolution) but easy to imagine man created God (religion).
Evidence: I have never, nor has anyone I know of, encountered anything supernatural that can't more easily be explained by chance.

 

[ding]

Logic: It is hard to imagine God created man (evolution) but easy to imagine man created God (religion).
Evidence: I have never, nor has anyone I know of, encountered anything supernatural that can't more easily be explained by chance.

I thought your "absolute certainty" was about the God of Abraham.

But to this new point... the historical evidence for Jesus Christ controlling nature, controlling matter, healing disease, healing deformities, raising the dead, and raising himself from death. You can't really claim you are without excuse.

 

[alang1216]

I thought your "absolute certainty" was about the God of Abraham.

I have absolute certainty the God of Abraham is, like Zeus, mythical.

But to this new point... the historical evidence for Jesus Christ controlling nature, controlling matter, healing disease, healing deformities, raising the dead, and raising himself from death. You can't really claim you are without excuse.

There are historical claims about Jesus but there are also similar historical claims for others from the ancient world. Those stories were widely believed but not copied by later Christian scribes. Do you believe them too?

 

[ding]

I have absolute certainty the God of Abraham is, like Zeus, mythical.

And your evidence and logic for that absolute certainty is what?

 

[ding]

There are historical claims about Jesus but there are also similar historical claims for others from the ancient world. Those stories were widely believed but not copied by later Christian scribes. Do you believe them too?

No. Because none of their witnesses worshipped anyone as God because of it or founded a global religion unlike any before. Which is all part of the EVIDENCE.

 

[Meriweather]

There are historical claims about Jesus but there are also similar historical claims for others from the ancient world.

Name one of these similar historical claims. Did the world and peoples in the world change when this claim was made? The Resurrection and the certainty of life continuing after death changed how people thought, which changed how people lived.

 

[zaangalewa]

do you believe in a god?​

No. I believe in god.

Counterquestion: What about to let be your stupid mind manipulating questions which are no real questions?

 

[pinqy]

i am not sure

i would like to see what others think

How do you not know whether or not you believe something? You can be unsure whether or not something is true or exists, but that's not the same as belief.

Example: I have no idea if any alien life exists. I believe that some form almost certainly exists. I think it is possible intelligent alien life exists, but I don't believe there is. But neither do I believe there isn't. There is not enough evidence to have a belief. But that's not saying I'm not sure what I believe: I'm sure I don't believe in either.

 

[alang1216]

And your evidence and logic for that absolute certainty is what?

Again

 

[ding]

Again

Doesn’t address you claim concerning the God of Abraham.

 

[alang1216]

Doesn’t address you claim concerning the God of Abraham.

The God of Abraham is just one of many gods credited with creating the universe. I see no evidence to support any of the gods being the Creator or being anything beyond the creation of men to understand what they did not understand and control what they could not control.

 

[alang1216]

Name one of these similar historical claims.

Apollonius of Tyana was a Greek philosopher and religious figure who lived in the first century AD, roughly around the same time as Jesus. His life story, as recorded by Philostratus in the "Life of Apollonius of Tyana", bears some parallels to the stories told about Jesus in the New Testament Gospels.
Similarities and Comparisons:

• Miraculous Birth: Both Jesus and Apollonius' births were reportedly heralded by divine signs. Apollonius' mother is said to have had a dream where a visitor from heaven announced her son's divinity, and his birth was accompanied by unusual divine signs.
• Healing and Exorcism: Both figures are said to have performed miracles, including healing the sick and casting out demons. For instance, Apollonius is credited with healing a boy with rabies in Tarsus and defeating a demon in Corinth.
• Raising the Dead: The "Life of Apollonius of Tyana" includes a story where he seemingly brought a young woman back to life who had died on her wedding day.
• Wisdom and Teaching: Both were charismatic teachers who gathered followers and traveled widely to spread their philosophies. Apollonius, a follower of Pythagoras, preached a life of wisdom and intellectual pursuit.
• Divine Nature/Son of God: Both are described in ways that suggest a divine nature. Apollonius is referred to as "the Son of God" and "the image of the Eternal Father manifested in the flesh". Some accounts even state that he was a spirit in heaven before his earthly birth.
• Disappearance and Ascension: Like Jesus, Apollonius is reported to have ascended to heaven after his death. One version states he vanished from his prison cell and was never seen again.

Did the world and peoples in the world change when this claim was made? The Resurrection and the certainty of life continuing after death changed how people thought, which changed how people lived.

If that is your criteria, you should be a Mormon. There are many parallels between it and the Christianity from which it came. It is and has been growing at about the same pace as early Christianity did in the Roman world.

 

[ding]

The God of Abraham is just one of many gods credited with creating the universe. I see no evidence to support any of the gods being the Creator or being anything beyond the creation of men to understand what they did not understand and control what they could not control.

And that’s the evidence and logic for your absolute certainty?

 

[alang1216]

And that’s the evidence and logic for your absolute certainty?

It is enough for me.

 

[Meriweather]

Apollonius of Tyana was a Greek philosopher and religious figure who lived in the first century AD, roughly around the same time as Jesus. His life story, as recorded by Philostratus in the "Life of Apollonius of Tyana", bears some parallels to the stories told about Jesus in the New Testament Gospels.

I expected better of you. Start with who commissioned Philostratus to write a biography of Apollonius and why. Second, note the difference in the teachings of Apollonius and that of Jesus. No one witnessed his death nor his ascension. Further, Apollonius lived during the first century, whereas Philostratus was born nearly a hundred years after the death of Apollonius and was commissioned by Empress Julia Domna (in 217 AD) to write about Apollonius to deflect Romans from Christianity.

If that is your criteria, you should be a Mormon. There are many parallels between it and the Christianity from which it came. It is and has been growing at about the same pace as early Christianity did in the Roman world.

You know as little about the Mormon faith as you do about Apollonius and his origins. That you think I should be a Mormon tells all that you know nothing of me, either. I'll end as I began: I expected better of you.

 

[Grumblenuts]

I expected better of you. Start with who commissioned Philostratus to write a biography of Apollonius and why. Second, note the difference in the teachings of Apollonius and that of Jesus. No one witnessed his death nor his ascension. Further, Apollonius lived during the first century, whereas Philostratus was born nearly a hundred years after the death of Apollonius and was commissioned by Empress Julia Domna (in 217 AD) to write about Apollonius to deflect Romans from Christianity.

You know as little about the Mormon faith as you do about Apollonius and his origins. That you think I should be a Mormon tells all that you know nothing of me, either. I'll end as I began: I expected better of you.

Wow, personally attack the messenger why don't ya. Was that a typical Christian's response?

 

[alang1216]

I expected better of you. Start with who commissioned Philostratus to write a biography of Apollonius and why. Second, note the difference in the teachings of Apollonius and that of Jesus. No one witnessed his death nor his ascension. Further, Apollonius lived during the first century, whereas Philostratus was born nearly a hundred years after the death of Apollonius and was commissioned by Empress Julia Domna (in 217 AD) to write about Apollonius to deflect Romans from Christianity.

And I expected better of you. You asked for a historical figure who shared some similarities with Jesus. I did. Whatever the truth of Apollonius' story, what I wrote was being circulated at the same time and place Christianity was taking root. You can point out many differences but you also need to acknowledge the similarities.

You know as little about the Mormon faith as you do about Apollonius and his origins. That you think I should be a Mormon tells all that you know nothing of me, either. I'll end as I began: I expected better of you.

Again, I only pointed out the similarities, you focused solely on the differences. It took Christianity centuries to change the world, Mormonism is still young but it has had a major impact in how people live in many places.

I think you instinctively went into a defensive mode and failed to understand what I wrote. I expected better of you.

 

[Meriweather]

I think you instinctively went into a defensive mode and failed to understand what I wrote. I expected better of you.

You think wrong. Let's re-read my post.

Name one of these similar historical claims. Did the world and peoples in the world change when this claim was made? The Resurrection and the certainty of life continuing after death changed how people thought, which changed how people lived.

It was over a hundred years after Apollonius' before someone was even hired to write about him--and that person wasn't even one of his followers. Do a little research. That biography was only of interest for a short time. Next time you are at the grocery store, ask someone you don't know, "Can you tell me anything you've heard about Apollonius?" What do you expect they will say? Then ask them, "Can you tell me anything you've heard about Jesus Christ?" How do you think the response might differ?

Ask, "What book talks about the life of Apollonius? Then ask, "What book talks about the life of Jesus Christ?"

Apollonius and his teachings changed nothing. He and Jesus had entirely different philosophies about God. What were Apollonius' philosophies regarding God? Do you even know?

And you are disappointed that I didn't fall at your feet agreeing that Apollonius was some kind of twin of Jesus. I recommend staying away from sites that dig up similarities and instead go to sites that speak directly about Apollonius without trying to compare him to any other person. If you were to ask who Apollonius was most in line with, does Pythagoras come to mind? If he doesn't, you need to do further research.

You didn't expect better of me--you expected me to bow to your badly researched post. I do my own research, and it is I who presented the more accurate synopsis of Apollonius.

 

[onefour1]

I believe in God our Eternal Father in Heaven and in his Son Jesus Christ our Savior and in the Holy Ghost. These three make up the Godhead who represent the one true God.

 

[frigidweirdo]

i am not sure

i would like to see what others think

What is God?

Some might say God is everything, every atom, every piece of energy.

Others would say he's a dude floating in the sky who made the universe.