Bible Answers Introduction
If we can rely upon ancient documents to disprove the Bible, then we can also rely on ancient documents to prove the Bible. If the Bible is to be dismissed because it’s old, then all the older documents used to debunk the Bible must also be dismissed. Be skeptical of the skeptics, never blindly swallow what anyone says.
- "Those who know all the answers haven’t heard all the questions." ~ unknown
- "Rest easy, Neo, the answers are coming." ~ Morpheus, The Matrix
- "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer
- Conspiracy theory is ridiculed/opposed by mainstream institutions
- Flat Earth is ridiculed/opposed by most conspiracy theorists
- The Bible is ridiculed/opposed by many Flat Earthers
- "An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all." ~ Oscar Wilde
- “If you’re not catching flak you’re not over the target” ~ WWII bomber pilot saying
- “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” ~ Mark Twain
- "To answer before listening— that is folly and shame... In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines." ~ The Bible, Proverbs 18:13,17 (NIV)
When you hear people discussing religion, especially negatively, it becomes clear that it usually isn’t all religion that is meant, but specifically Christianity and the Bible. No other book has been so relentlessly examined and critiqued; no other religion has been so targeted for so long by so many; no other people are subjected to such a degree and duration of inquisition and extraordinary evidence requirements. It seems that just about any spiritual viewpoint or story is acceptable, as long as it isn’t the Bible and/or Christianity. And it seems that no name but Jesus seems to trigger strong negative reactions; you can say you worship Thor or Krishna and no one throws a fit, but say you believe Jesus is Lord and the eye-rolling begins.
Christians are routinely condemned for claiming to have the truth, yet our critics also claim to have the truth. We are criticized for thinking we’re right and everyone else is wrong, when our critics also believe they’re right and everyone else is wrong. They tend to respect people of other religions for living according to their convictions, yet despise Christians for doing the same. Faith is presumed to be the enemy of knowledge, when in reality it grows from knowledge. Those who condemn faith believe many things they cannot prove and thus do not know.
Those who seem most obsessed with destroying the Bible, and only the Bible, claim to be objectively examining the facts of history. But upon further examination, in most if not all such cases many key facts have been omitted, misunderstood, or cherry-picked. For example, some who claim that the Gospels borrowed from earlier religions have taken additions that post-date the time of Christ and inserted them before his time.
But no one stops to question anti-Bible or anti-Christian claims; these are swallowed blindly and never subjected to cross-examination. Skepticism is abandoned when it comes time to question the critics. And so the narrative, the presumed concensus, is that the Bible and Christianity have no answers, no evidence, no basis for acceptance.
It is my hope and prayer that you will find material at the sources listed below to at least show that there really are answers, there really is evidence, and we really have a basis for our faith, so it deserves the same tolerance as any other faith. Be skeptical of the skeptics.