Ronald David Bruno
Well-Known Member
Well, I am not going to go through 400 posts to see of anyone else covered this, I would expect someone did.The burden of proof is on anyone making a claim that a certain deity exists of any religion. I am not concerned about God, I am concerned about the ‘evidence’ that is being presented by those who make the assertion
Since God is invisible, He had to make Himself known in other ways. Since you cannot see the glory of God, His brilliance as the sun and live, He had to shadow Himself behind a cloud or as He did with Moses, the burning bush. You would burn up in His presense. He also sent messengers, angels in human form, also glorious and powerful creatures that appeared to eye witnesses, communicated to them and disappeared, or ascended into heaven. They would bring messages, warnings of things to come - prophecies. These prophecies shared by the individuals (prophets) who received them were tested. If they did not happen exactly as foretold, these prophets would stoned to death. People believed in God because they witnessed miracles and prophecies fulfilled. Most people initially were like you, doubtful and needed some proof.
God chose a nation to guide, use, test and reveal Himself to. They were the text case for humanity. They failed to keep a Law given to them but all along were promised a Messisah, a Savior that would come and make things right.
The proof is in Christ. GOD emptied Himself and became a man. When we look at Christ, we see God. He is the EXACT illumination and expression of God. The book of John reflects His deity. He is our evidence. He came and lived among them. He healed the blind, the deaf, the diseased and brought people back to life who were dead and gave us hope and promise of eternal life IF we believed in Him. Now if you witnessed those miracles and Him, you would believe.
We are given FAITH to believe HIS WORD, THE STORIES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT HE DIED FOR OUR SINS AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY.
You must open your heart and ask like a child _ in humility _ for this gift of faith. No one can come to God unless the Father draws them.
Read John, pray to God and ask for enlightenment and mean it before you do. He will reveal Himslef. It's okay. You can say simply, "God, I don't believe in you, so if you are real, show me!" Faith comes by the WORD. It is supernatural, it penetrates the soul and has the power to change you, give life.
There are books like: "More Than A Carpenter", Evidence that Demands A Verdict", "A Case For Faith", "A Case For Christ", that will help you through the doubts and answer many questions. Lee Strobel was an atheist, award winning investigative journalist and lawyer who sought out to disprove the story of Jesus and on his journey found overwhelming evidence in His favor that ked him to faith in Christ. Now He is a Christian author ("A Case For Faith", "A Case For Christ", etc.)