In a recent conversation with a Christian family member, I presented overwhelming evidence that demonstrates that the evidence for the supernatural claims of Christianity is very weak and full of baseless assumptions. My family member matter-of-factly replied:
“I don’t care. I know Jesus was resurrected because he lives in my heart. And he has lived in my heart since I was a small child.”
How do you counter that?
So the real question to ask Christians (instead of asking them for historical evidence for their beliefs), is to ask: How old were you when you first believed in the resurrected Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
Most mainline Protestants and Catholics will state that they have always believed in Jesus as their Savior, ever since they were born (their baptism). Most evangelicals will state that they were “saved” at a very early age, often between five and eight years old, according to studies.
So if you have believed in virgin births and resurrected corpses since the age of five, and your entire social network (parents, extended family, pastors, church friends, etc.) reinforce your childhood belief in virgin births and resurrected corpses, AND, you are an evangelical who believes that you can perceive the presence of this man-god in your “heart”—answering your wish requests, protecting you from harm, and performing “miracles” for you ever since you were a small child—NO amount of historical evidence is going to change your mind.
These poor people are deeply delusional. Shoving historical evidence under their noses is not going to work. So how do we help these people to escape from their fear-based delusion (a delusion that tells them that if they leave and abandon the belief system they will be eternally damned)? Is it even possible?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
End of post.
Escaping Christian Fundamentalism 
What’s truly sad are all those out there who believe in the adult fairly tale of evolutionary processes bringing out life as it exists today, purely from random processes and time. Others believe in a god who crated everything and left it all behind. Such an expression of that level of indifference is truly reason to disbelieve in such a being, for if one were of that ability, he surely would not have left it to wind down on its own.
And even more astounding is that both groups get along with each other as if they’re somehow joined at the hip. How does that happen? Truly one of many dichotomies in this crazy world.
LikeLike
Have you read any science books that explain evolution? If not, here is a suggestion:
“Why Evolution is True” by biologist Jerry Coyne. I reviewed the book, here. It is easy to read and fascinating. Even if you don’t believe evolution is true, you should read this short book to understand what proponents of evolution believe. Knowing what your opponent believes is important to successfully refuting his position.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I looked into it back when you talked about it before. I remain unconvinced since life doesn’t begin at the biological level, but rather pure chemistry…if it is to be the result of natural processes.
LikeLike
That you remain unconvinced has no bearing whatsoever on the evidence. Its abundance far outweighs your ignorance.
LikeLike
“How do you counter that?”
Ask them how they actually know that it’s Jesus that lives in their heart, and how they figured that out. Ask them what is different between somebody of another religion who believes that their particular deity lives in the heart and them.
If all it requires is a personal and ultimately subjective experience with your deity in order for you to know that your religion is correct, then everyone can be justified in whatever religious belief they hold to, independent of any objective evidence.
If reason and evidence don’t matter to them then they are beyond reach until they begin to value reason and evidence.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But a virgin woman can have a child today. Since there is a God, He is more than capable of handling that problem well before humans figured it out.
LikeLike
Okay, so science could conceivably (pun intended) enable a virgin to have a baby. How has this anything to do with your imaginary God? What evidence do you have that he’s ever caused a virgin to have a baby? Hint: the myth in Matthew and Luke’s gospels isn’t evidence: it’s a tall tale based on a mistranslation of Isaiah 7:14.
You Christians really will believe anything!
LikeLike
Then there are those who blindly believe there is no God, or that their god created everything and left it to die on its own. Not having seen God doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist, or has left the universe to die a thermal death. The ancients never saw galaxies, but they were out there, and still are. Science is bad at proving a negative, and sometimes even positives they think they have shown, mainly because much of it is pseudo science.
Then there are those who demand descriptions for what cannot be described in words where the relationship aspect exists between a life and his or her Creator. It’s a matter of discovery.
God promised that if we seek, we shall find. Many have gone out seeking, but with the wrong intentions, state of mind or whatever that drove the Lord to keep Himself hidden from them. People routinely seek a god who will do their bidding, and bow to their demands. That’s less than deity, and therefore is no God.
So, yes, He declared that it was either HIS way, or no way at all. Most people don’t like that, and so become manic about their doubts and denials. Go for it. Right after that last breath, it is THEN that all find out.
LikeLike
I find it rather fascinating how some Christians offer proclamations of what “God” would do or how “he” would act … keep Himself hidden… under various and sundry conditions. Attempting to offer explanations and/or make assumptions of what “God” would do is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Even the bible teaches this: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.
LikeLike
Nan, the desire of many people to fashion gods after their own desires is as old as human history itself. There’s nothing remarkable in the One true God revealing Himself when He so chooses, and not showing Himself when He so chooses. His Sovereignty is the number one problem most people have with the One true God. They want gods that are subject to them, just as you and an umber of others here want. You demand He reveal Himself to you, and because that’s not His modus operandi, you fly off the deep end of the other extreme. There’s nothing new to that. You’ve jumped off the same cliff as so many others. So what? What’s rare is to do what it takes to FIND Him, and doing so on His terms, not yours.
LikeLike
WHAT??? …. They want gods that are subject to them, just as you and a number of others here want. You demand He reveal Himself to you …
Speaking for myself — I don’t believe in “God” OR gods so your statement is so far off the charts, it’s laughable.
P.S. And I have NO interest in “finding him.”
LikeLike