Traditional Marriage (was Books discussion)
Wait wait. Belief IS something different than knowledge. If it's completely proven it isn't belief but knowledge. Although if you mean belief based in a certain amount of knowledge to back it or make it sound but not covering it, that I can accept.
What is a bit more problematic for me is the previous point that there is so much proof that the Bible is the true thing. If that's true, how come there isn't A LOT more people who know about it?
We're defining words differently. Most knowledge is simply something that is believed. Even raw data involves some kind of belief. I'd rather not devolve into solipsism, or worse, though.
As to why evidence for the Bible isn't more widely known? Well, first and foremost is prejudice. We're all sinners who don't want to look into the mirror and see who we really are. (See Romans 1). As long as we don't face the evidence, we don't have to face ourselves.
- Second is the power of skepticism in philosophy. It's easy to doubt everything, but the consequences of such doubt is destruction of the self as well. Even in face of that, and all the skeptic philosophers who have driven themselves to alcoholism and death, it still remains easier to reject all evidence individually than it is to take it all as a whole and see the big picture. A doesn't prove anything alone, so it's not evidence. B by itself isn't compelling. C is just hearsay.... QuadrupleZF might just be a coincidence...
- Thirdly, a lot of evidence is individual. It means something to one person, but that wouldn't hold the same weight to another. For instance, in the ongoing knowledge of God in my life was the miraculous healing of my older sister's broken neck, during chemotherapy. You can't see the X-rays and CAT scans and other medicial evidence I have seen, not on these forums at least. You can't know the path her life took both before and after. For those reading this post it's just a medical fluke. A random chance thing that is explained as a unusual occurance, even though it has no medical explanation. (skeptecism, again) Or maybe it's easier to believe I'm just lying. More than just personal stories, what is important to one person isn't important to another. To some archeological finds are amazing, to others they're just rocks. To some philosophial arguments hold great sway, to others the most poignant words are flimsy nothing compared to actions.
- Fourth, there's a lot of bad scholarship out there. Same holds true for most other fields though. It's easy to set up strawmen of those doing a poor job.
- Fifth, many Christians don't bother to learn more than it took to convince them of the truth. It's sad but true, there aren't many people who seek to know all might be used to convince anyone.
- and many reasons besides.
