Is the Bible the "Word of God"?

[10CC]

When something tells you you should fear god because he does love you! Plain nonsense!

I feared my father and he loved me.

Did you love him?

[Goat]

Nope, if Jesus actually existed, He is long dead. If He were alive, we would all know it.

How do you KNOW that? ALL people didn't know He was alive when He was, and even His own people rejected and killed him. ALL people didn't know He died. YOU are in denial. Do you also deny that Buddha, Confucius, Mohammad and other religious leaders did NOT exist, or is this denial just about Jesus?

Sorry, but Jesus has not been shown to exist outside of the Bible.

Josephus ben Matthias is the best known ancient Jewish historian. He was born in 37 CE, only a few years after Jesus' execution. Josephus was well educated in biblical law and history.
Josephus' writings cover a number of figures familiar to Bible readers. He discusses John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, Pontius Pilate, the Sadducees, the Sanhedrin, the High Priests, and the Pharisees. As for Jesus, there are two references to him in Antiquities. I will recount them in the order in which they appear.

First, in a section in Book 18 dealing with various actions of Pilate, the extant texts refer to Jesus and his ministry. This passage is known as the Testimonium Flavianum.

Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.
Jewish Antiquities 18.3.3

Second, in Book 20 there is what could be called a passing reference to Jesus in a paragraph describing the murder of Jesus' brother, James, at the hands of Ananus, the High Priest.

But the younger Ananus who, as we said, received the high priesthood, was of a bold disposition and exceptionally daring; he followed the party of the Sadducees, who are severe in judgment above all the Jews, as we have already shown. As therefore Ananus was of such a disposition, he thought he had now a good opportunity, as Festus was now dead, and Albinus was still on the road; so he assembled a council of judges, and brought before it the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ, whose name was James, together with some others, and having accused them as lawbreakers, he delivered them over to be stoned.
Jewish Antiquities 20.9.1

Ant 18 is a later insertion, and is a forgery from start to end. While you have this fad of saying that it is 'modified', there is no evidence that the 'modified' version existed prior to the 4th century.

Josephus was talking about Jesus, son of Damaneus, who was christ (high priest) , as mentioned in that article.

Some people feel that the phrase 'the one called Christ' was added on, in addition.

Sorry, but that is merely one book of myths supporting another book of myths. There are no actual facts contained in those so-called prophecies.

Sure, all these writers of the NT got together and conspired to have Jesus fulfill over 600 OT prophecies.
There are MANY FACTS, but as you don't KNOW the OT or NT and you don't KNOW the prophecies made about Jesus that He actually fulfilled in the NT then your dismissal is nothing more than that, dismissiveness. Denial does NOT establish fact or reality my friend.

Why, yes they did. Every solitary one of them,.. and by the way, the number usually quoted is 300, not 600. If you want a head on head debate on what you consider the top 5 prophecies, I would more than happy to discuss them in a head to head debate on them. They used out of context quotes, shoe horned into place, mistranslations, and 'writing to' the alleged prophecy,, rather than showing something full filled. I would be glad to discuss 5 of them in head to head, like I said, and not only that, I am confident enough about it that I will let you chose which 5 prophecies.
That will include an in depth look at the context and in many cases, the underlying Hebrew.

If, after 5 prophecies, you are not satisfied, I can go onto the next 5. I am sure that the people observing will get the pattern by then.

[Zetesis Apistia]

When something tells you you should fear god because he does love you! Plain nonsense!

I feared my father and he loved me.

Did you love him?

Well of course. I just didn't like trips to the wood shed.

[mohadib]

[Replying to post 210 by Zetesis Apistia]

At what age did you stop fearing your father? Do you continue to fear god?

I just don't see a Loving relationship based on fear.

[Zetesis Apistia]

[Replying to post 210 by Zetesis Apistia]

At what age did you stop fearing your father? Do you continue to fear god?

I just don't see a Loving relationship based on fear.

I was not afraid of my dad because he was in no way abusive. But he was a disciplinarian that would correct me if necessary. He didn't feel good about it though. I remember seeing him cry one time after he paddled my sister. I had a very good relationship with my dad. He was the best. But he wouldn't hesitate to take me to the woodshed for a dose of correction if need be and I was quite fearful of him at such times. In all actuality it was a healthy fear because it was a very good deterrent for any inclination i might have had to act out. I stopped fearing my dad when I was no longer under his jurisdiction, but my fear was replaced with appreciation.

So I had a loving relationship with him. It wasn't based on fear though it was based on his love for me. His discipline, which I feared, was his way of protecting me from myself. There is a difference between fearing and abusive father and fearing a loving father. My wife had an abusive father and she feared him all of the time. In that kind of a situation there is no loving relationship. My dad wasn't abusive but i was afraid to cross him. Looking back it was a healthy fear.

[10CC]

[Replying to post 210 by Zetesis Apistia]

At what age did you stop fearing your father? Do you continue to fear god?

I just don't see a Loving relationship based on fear.

I was not afraid of my dad because he was in no way abusive. But he was a disciplinarian that would correct me if necessary. He didn't feel good about it though. I remember seeing him cry one time after he paddled my sister. I had a very good relationship with my dad. He was the best. But he wouldn't hesitate to take me to the woodshed for a dose of correction if need be and I was quite fearful of him at such times. In all actuality it was a healthy fear because it was a very good deterrent for any inclination i might have had to act out. I stopped fearing my dad when I was no longer under his jurisdiction, but my fear was replaced with appreciation.

So I had a loving relationship with him. It wasn't based on fear though it was based on his love for me. His discipline, which I feared, was his way of protecting me from myself. There is a difference between fearing and abusive father and fearing a loving father. My wife had an abusive father and she feared him all of the time. In that kind of a situation there is no loving relationship. My dad wasn't abusive but i was afraid to cross him. Looking back it was a healthy fear.

You think so?
Do your children fear you?
Do you honestly believe that fear is a greater force for good than love?
That is not what your jesus teaches.
It is though what your god teaches.
Are you sure they are the same?

[A Troubled Man]

When something tells you you should fear god because he does love you! Plain nonsense!

I feared my father and he loved me.

Did you love him?

Well of course. I just didn't like trips to the wood shed.

Your father beat you? Obviously, he didn't love you.

[Zetesis Apistia]

You think so?
Do your children fear you?
Do you honestly believe that fear is a greater force for good than love?
That is not what your jesus teaches.
It is though what your god teaches.
Are you sure they are the same?

Some people don't respond to love. In fact some people take advantage of it. Certainly love should provoke a man to good works but this is often not the case. Some people must be corralled by fear. It is the only music they will dance to. Love is the preferred method, but if that doesn't work the rod will.

[Zetesis Apistia]

Your father beat you? Obviously, he didn't love you.

Do you understand the difference between a correcting father and an abusive one? If you don't my condolences.

[10CC]

You think so?
Do your children fear you?
Do you honestly believe that fear is a greater force for good than love?
That is not what your jesus teaches.
It is though what your god teaches.
Are you sure they are the same?

Some people don't respond to love. In fact some people take advantage of it. Certainly love should provoke a man to good works but this is often not the case. Some people must be corralled by fear. It is the only music they will dance to. Love is the preferred method, but if that doesn't work the rod will.

Umm no it doesn't.