People survive falls and horrific maladies all the time. All over the world. Whether they are Buddists, Muslims, Christians or Athesists, there are many "miracles" that just happen. You're talking one man. It could happen without intervention from God.
But, per Deem's testimony, it didn't. The medicine the doctors gave him didn't work, as he still had the disease. After his prayer, the disease is gone. And Deem cites no other medical treatments or procedures, after his prayer request. And, referencing Deem is hardly and exhaustive list.
When it comes to curing the deadliest of diseases, it takes BILLIONS OF DOLLARS and countless man-hours of deliberate work from sentient beings (scientists and doctors) to even ATTEMPT to cure such ailments. Yet, you believe that such things "just happen". That takes about as much (for lack of a better term) "faith" for you to believe, as it takes a Christian to believe that God healed him of that disease.
Children starve in 3rd worlds. Christians go there to convert them to Christianity. Why are they still starving? Not worthy enough? It's been this way for a couple of thousand years. Does God need more time to think about it?
Jesus said, during His time on Earth, that his disciples would always have the poor with them. And, that's their opportunity to not only minister to their physical needs, but to preach the Gospel as well. Until His return, and as long as we live on this sinful planet, we will have poverty and those vicitmized by it. The old-"because there is misery on Earth, there is no God" take simply holds no water.
Uh no, science is usually factual not anecdotal. Yes they had science, but not even close to what we have now. They didn't know that dinosaurs existed and had no idea what they were.
Ummmmmm......"Dinosaur" is a 19th-CENTURY TERM; the first Bible that was translated into English happened nearly 200 years before that word came into existence. So, where do you get this claim that these people had no idea what the creatures, now known as "dinosaurs" were?
Same trick that got you to believe it. It's a story. Just like Samson slaying how many thousand men in one afternoon. You believe it because the book you so adore says it's true. Lol, how do we know there wasn't a caravan of food hidden behind a hill?
And this "trick" would be what? BTW, I'm sure there are plenty of "stories" you believe that you can't prove to be valid. But, that's another issue for another time.
Josephus life was way after Moses, so he could recount any story he wanted. He wasn't enslaved by Egyptians. Most of the slaves in Egypt were Egyptians that were poor, although I don't doubt there were also some Hebrew slaves. Egypt had conquered Israel, so this is how the story came about. And we've had Christmas for eons too, but we know that is a pagan holiday that was adopted by the Christians. Another great story.
Josephus has access to records, that documented the Israelites enslavement in Egypt, among those being the works of Egyptian historian, Manetho. Josephus cited those historical references in his writings. Most historical accounts from ancient figures are documented by people who lived after those figure's lifetimes. These historians has access to documents, which have been either destroyed or remain lost. Regardless, your claim of there being no extra-Biblical documentation of the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt is incorrect. So, your attempt to frame Josephus as simply recounting the story as he please is quite feeble.
As for Christmas, the recognition of the birth of Jesus may have been grafted onto a pagan holiday. But, for that to happen, the event HAD TO HAVE OCCURED in the first place.
I could pray to a jug of milk and get the same results. A yes answer, a no answer and a wait a see answer. God to you is a being you were told about. Do you think if you were lived in an isolated area away from Christianity, that you would have known about him? Doubt it.
Wrong again. History shows how the Christianity spread in certain parts of the planet, far removed from Israel. People who live in countries, in which practicing Christianity is punishable by DEATH are still learning about the Gospel.
Guess what, it's still happening in the world today. Of course these tribes and people have their own Gods, but of course to you it's poppycock since you've been raised to believe that the Bible is the only true book. But to them it's how they were raised to believe.
As is usually the case, you forget about the many millions of Christians who WERE NOT RAISED to believe in Christianity but did so later in their adult lives. And that's happening WORLDWIDE, far away from the USA (or North America, for that matter).
I was raised Catholic and in a middle class family. At first not questioning my religion, until I was out on my own. The more I researched, the more I learned how religion is nothing more than a way to CONTROL people by fear. Christians fear Hellfire and Brimstone, so they do what a book tells them to so they can avoid it. Fear is a great way to get people to respond. Ask the media.
You were raised Catholic.......AND? As I said earlier, Christians come from all walks of like. Some were raised in the faith and remained in it. Others were not raised as Christians, yet they became Christians later in life. Furthermore, others who were once atheists did their research (just like you) and became Christians as a result. Rich Deem, the guy referenced with the Crohn's disease, is one such fellow.
In fact, if you ask people, who have become believers as adults, most will tell you that fear of hell had little to do with their conversion.
I almost forgot!!
a) occured at Moses' cue (coincidence)
b) affected primarily, if not exclusively, the Egyptians (because they were there)
c) did not cease, until Pharoah yielded and released the Hebrews (they have the exact time line?)A normally-prosperous Egypt just happens to get slammed with calamities, upon Moses' return (nevermind that no warnings of such hit the scene prior to his arrival). They start when Moses says they'll start; stop when he says they'll stop. And the ultimate end to them all results in the most powerful man in the world, yielding to the demands of his slaves, and allowing them to take his nation's wealth, after all of Egypt's firstborn INCLUDING the Pharoah's own (and excluding a handful, smart enough to get to a marked Hebrew house).
Concidence??? I don't think so!!!
