Do You Believe the Miracles in the Bible Really Happened?
POSTED BY: RiveR6213
UPDATED: Friday, May 25, 2007 06:02
VIEWED: 15041
PAGE 8 of 9
Quote:
Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:
It’s not really a question of not believing in miracles as much as it is in choosing the words that I use so as to not to commit to something that I can’t provide adequate support for. And I can’t tell you that Jesus walked on water, I can only tell you that this is what the Bible says. Now if I told you that I believed that Jesus walked on water, would that really answer your question? Would that really provide you the "truth" you seek? I can believe just about anything and I can tell you just about anything, but that I believe a thing will not make it real to you. The only thing I can tell you is what I’ve already told you. That 2000 or so years ago in Judea, something happened concerning a man named Jesus that inspired people to begin believing in him such that today a full one third of the entire world, over two billion people, are followers of that man. I can’t perform a miracle and I can’t direct you to anyone who can, but I can tell you that my study of physics has proven without question to me that there is far more in heaven and earth then we can dream of. Now I know what all of this means to me, but you’ll have to decide what it means to you, because unfortunately, the extent of the answer that I can provide you will always fall short of proof.
It means that there is more in our physics that we have not discovered. Maybe it is possible to walk on water and change the weather, or to heal the sick and the lame. Maybe there is more in our science to learn, or are we going to arrogantly claim that we have learned it all? If anything, I've figured out that this Christian God uses the laws of this particular dimension to do certain things that seem like they are miracles to us.
-River
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You are not alone River. I don't see them either.
But still I have to ask myself how it all got started. And if you look at the logic behind it. The small particles that form the atom are so versatile. Put enough together and you get a star that produces the light we need. They have gravity that holds everything together. Using the proper chemicals you get electricity. I would go on but you get the idea. It is such a simple device that has all these abilities. It took some some logic to come up with a building block that can used in so many ways. I just don't see it happening by pure accident.
Traveler
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Ok if you’re looking for an answer or opinion here’s mine. I’ve been avoiding this thread like the plague because, well this subject usually stirs ppl up. I was kinda waiting for this theard to sink to the bottom but for reasons of one thing or another it keeps floating back near the top.
Here’s my belief and it isn’t a matter of discussion or debate ( that’s what the original post starter ask for)
1) I do believe in a God. A big YES.
2) I do believe in Jesus. Yepper on that one too. He’s my brother.
3) If I believe in the first two does that have a link into believing in miracles? Affirmative.
Now why do I feel that I have to believe in all these? Ever without my actually seeing it with my own eyes or having pure proof? First of all I don’t have to, I choose to. Secondly I’ve been told that there are planets and moons and all sorts of things on the other side of the universe. Why should I believe this? I’ve never seen them either. I just believe that they’re there. I believe in a multitude of things that I have never seen, felt, smelled or tasted or heard. Beautiful things and horrid things too. Without trying to sound to corny I think life is a miracle and a mystery. Just when we are finding something out another question or two about it pops up. Now I’m not a holy roller, preacher or any such person. I’m just a person and have fallen by the wayside many times. Hope that it hasn’t made to bad a blemish on my soul. I am human, but I should try to do better.Anyoo-
Like I said before I’m not here to debate anyone over my beliefs. I don’t feel that any one religion is better than any other and if your belief is that we are here and it’s just us with no God or any supreme nature responsible for all of this than I respect your thoughts.
So do I believe in miracles? YES, totally, Z
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Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
Ok if you’re looking for an answer or opinion here’s mine. I’ve been avoiding this thread like the plague because, well this subject usually stirs ppl up. I was kinda waiting for this theard to sink to the bottom but for reasons of one thing or another it keeps floating back near the top.
Here’s my belief and it isn’t a matter of discussion or debate ( that’s what the original post starter ask for)
1) I do believe in a God. A big YES.
2) I do believe in Jesus. Yepper on that one too. He’s my brother.
3) If I believe in the first two does that have a link into believing in miracles? Affirmative.
Now why do I feel that I have to believe in all these? Ever without my actually seeing it with my own eyes or having pure proof? First of all I don’t have to, I choose to. Secondly I’ve been told that there are planets and moons and all sorts of things on the other side of the universe. Why should I believe this? I’ve never seen them either. I just believe that they’re there. I believe in a multitude of things that I have never seen, felt, smelled or tasted or heard. Beautiful things and horrid things too. Without trying to sound to corny I think life is a miracle and a mystery. Just when we are finding something out another question or two about it pops up. Now I’m not a holy roller, preacher or any such person. I’m just a person and have fallen by the wayside many times. Hope that it hasn’t made to bad a blemish on my soul. I am human, but I should try to do better.Anyoo-
Like I said before I’m not here to debate anyone over my beliefs. I don’t feel that any one religion is better than any other and if your belief is that we are here and it’s just us with no God or any supreme nature responsible for all of this than I respect your thoughts.
So do I believe in miracles? YES, totally, Z
Thank you for taking the time to answer this question!
I see what you are saying, but I think other people would believe also if there wasn't the fact that all of the miracles performed in the Bible seem to defy all the laws of physics. This is the part that gives the miracles an unreal, or a science fiction/ fantasy twist. I guess it's difficult for people to accept this. Also this is the part I have a problem with, but I'm not saying that it didn't happen. I wasn't there and maybe it did, but I was struck by how persistent the writers in the bible were to point out these miracles, so that got me to thinking about them. And again, thank you for the post
-River
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Do You Believe the Miracles in the Bible Really Happened?
No.
---
"If I were a Nazi, someone would defend my constitutional right to hate Jews. If I were a Klansman, someone would defend my rights to hate blacks. It's a funny place, this world. Hate has rights. Love has none." - Jeff, Murphy's Boy
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Nope.
"Give me religion and a lobotomy."
Beulah Land-Tori Amos
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It basically comes down to whether you believe the Bible to be the Word of God or not. Some may say that they believe in certain scriptures, but others, they do not. However, 2 Timothy 3:16 says that ALL Scripture is inspired of God and benificial. So, if one is to put their faith in the Bible, they cannot discount any part of it. Plus, as mentioned by someone else, it comes down to faith. Yes, we may not see any big miracle happening in modern times, but the very definition of faith, as shown in the book of Hebrews, is that Faith is the assured expectation of things not yet beheld. So, in order to have faith, you have to believe in something you haven't seen. If you saw it with your own two eyes, it kind of diminishes the faith part.
I will say that, even though you have to trust in something you haven't seen in order to have faith, this doesn't mean that there is nothing to back up your faith. The Bible also gives us that. For example, Psalms mentiones that God hung the SPHERE of the Earth upon nothing. So, the Bible indicated that the earth was round centuries before it was ever proven. Also, if you were to look through the history books about the ancient wars that took place between Babylon and other civilizations, you will find that the Bible very accuratly fortold, in a very detailed mannor, these events. And they were written about long before the events ever took place. My point is that those, like me, that have studied the Bible and that continue to study the Bible have great faith in what it says. Yes, many of the things in it do in fact require that we have faith in things we can't see, which is the very definition of faith, but at the same time, it gives us many many examples of things that the Bible fortold that have come true down to the last detail.
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So I know that you've been discussing this for days, but one thing I've noticed is that an original question of yours went pretty much undiscussed. (Unless I missed it, which reading through this whole thread in one sitting is entirely possible.)
Do I believe the miracles in the Bible really happened? Yes...but honestly? Most days. Me and God are on slightly shaky ground right now, but I'm working on it.
But another thing I believe you asked is if anything spectacular had ever happened to us. One particular incident comes to mind, and there might be several other ways to explain it, but to me, they are highly unlikely.
When I was sixteen, I got in a car accident. I was driving a boyfriend home from my house when I was hit by a drunk driver. He was so drunk and going so fast, he drove clear through the front end of my car. (A Chrysler Lebaron, I always complained about the huge front, being sixteen and vain I said it looked like I was driving a boat). He didn't stop, he, in fact took parts of my car with him. So much of the car was gone that I could see the road in front of me. The driver's side door was crushed in so that it was against my side (I broke several ribs.) It was about 1:00 in the morning, and fortunately, there was a woman there who stopped and literally pulled me out the passenger side window. Neither door would open, and after my boyfriend got out, he was so much in shock he left me in there. She must have been somebody's mother because she left her car running in the middle of the road, grabbed my by the shirt and hauled me out. Anyway, that was fortunate, but the part that I saw as truly miraculous was that every single window, and both windshields were shattered, but only a couple of pieces of glass were inside the car. The rest of it was in a huge circle all around the outside. The police never could explain why it landed that way, but I'll never forget looking at it for the rest of my life.
Maybe the reason we don't see miracles like the ones that are described in the Bible is because (1) Most of the ones you described occurred when Jesus was physically there to perform them, and (2) Perhaps the miracles have adapted to fit modern times. An influx of fish would still be seen as a miracle by a fisherman, or a starving village, but can you imagine if you went to a business conference and all they fed you was fish and bread? You'd have people on diets, vegetarians, pregnant women, people with allergies...guaranteed it wouldn't be seen as a miracle, but rather as an event with poor planing.
Slightly off topic, but I wanted to put my two cents in, 'cause that's what I do.
"Call me if anyone interesting shows up."
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Do You Believe the Miracles in the Bible Really Happened? Me..? No.
The key thing here is believe I think.. proof and all that is a tricky thing, at least philosophically speaking (from what I can remember from philosophy at university.. it was hard proving the world as we know it exists). And really the whole point with religion is faith.. isn't it. I have to ask since I'm not religious. Its the faith in the Bible and God (or another god or another book) that makes it special. So the proof, were there any, wouldn't really be all that important... am I anywhere near understanding this.. or waaay of?
Constance
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I do believe in miracles.
I beleieve the reason we don't see them now is because folks see what they want.
If a miracle took place that you saw and told someone else they would not believe you. Most folks expect big, great and grandiose miracles.
I think they come in all shapes and sizes and all you need to do is to recognize them.
Coincidence is the presence of God. I have a great story of how I was able to get some tickets to see Garth Brooks in concert. There was no way I could plan such a thing but I was able to go. I call that a miracle. Not life saving but an extraordinary string of events occurred to allow me the experience.
Good topic.
Rosie
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