11/10/12

Can you believe it?


Do you believe this?  I don't, and its not because of the "ahajokes.com" label either.  The asteroid hitting the Earth sounds like the best idea, but since I wasn't there, I guess I will never REALLY KNOW!!!  Doubting what people tell you is a good thing... unless you have proof!!!  Here is something from the New Testament that illustrates what I am referring to...

John, Chapter 20
  17 Jesus said to her, "“Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”"

  18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.  19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them,"“Peace be to you.”"

  20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.  21 Jesus therefore said to them again, "“Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”"  22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "“Receive the Holy Spirit!  23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”"

  24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came.  25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

  26 After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, "“Peace be to you.”"  27 Then he said to Thomas, "“Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”"

  28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

  29 Jesus said to him, "“Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”"

Question: What does it take for you to believe in something you have not personally witnessed?  Is it absolutely necessary to have someone actually show you to believe?  If that is the case, then you probably are a skeptic and I understand where you are coming from because I was once that way myself.  I didn't believe anything that I couldn't see, feel, or comprehend.  If I couldn't scientifically analyze it, it was myth.  I suppose a remnant of that thinking remains in me, but only a very small amount.  While it seems ridiculous to me that dinosaurs died from smoking, I wasn't there, so I don't really, really know.  Could an asteroid have eliminated them?  Possibly, but again, it is only theory.  Even when they existed is up for grabs to me, because carbon dating is based on the assumption that the atmosphere contained a relatively constant amount of that element over the eons.  To me, short of seeing with my own eyes, the reliable testimony of witnesses is what will convince me that propositions are really facts.  Most of the time I am a bit like Thomas, but with enough evidence from others, I can believe something I haven't seen.  The Scriptures have almost limitless witnesses and that's good enough for me.  You may or may not be where I am on this, but just let me add my two cents here.  I know the teachings of the Bible are true, because I have proved them over and over again.  If even as stubborn a person as myself can believe, I have hope for you as well.  Just think about it, OK???