newsfromabove asked a question:
Hello pastor Park! Thank you very much for answering so many people’s questions. You’re a wonderful presence here on Tumblr. My question, since we’re both skeptic Christians (I used to be a strong atheist), is how do you know the Bible is God’s Word? Tough one maybe. Have a great weekend!
Hey dear friend, I love this question.
There are really two ways to answer. The first is “hard apologetics,” where I just throw facts at you until you have an empirical basis for Scripture being a divinely inspired text. We do need this to intellectually satisfy us. The second is “soft apologetics,” in which the entire storyline of the Bible effectively speaks to our human condition. We need this to existentially fulfill us.
The thing is, even if I lay down a jaw-dropping defense of faith, it won’t be enough to alleviate all our doubts. I could present a 98% ironclad case that Scripture is God-breathed and that the historical claims of the Resurrection were real, but that last 2% will require that tricky, itchy, uncomfortable phenomenon called faith.
People like you and me, who are naturally skeptical and need objective, observable evidence will always struggle with this. But that’s also a good thing. Our doubts will prompt us into investigating as deep as we can possibly go. Doubt is not a sin, at all. It’s troubling, but it has also instilled a great deal of vigilance to question everything I believe until I have a faith that works.
I’ll leave you with a few posts here. They’re also now in my first book which has an entire chapter that defends the Christian faith, with expanded details. Be blessed dear friend.
– Why Is Jesus Right And Others Wrong?
– How Do You Defend Your Faith?
– Why Do You Believe In Jesus?
— J.S.
J.S. Park: Hospital Chaplain, Skeptical Christian 
Greetings sir. I am a Muslim and I do believe that the original scripture which was preached by Christ was from God. However, with respect, I believe that that scripture was changed over time by human beings and things were added into it which weren’t present in the original texts. These additions to the faith occurred, for example at the different councils held by the bishops of the Christian world some 300 years after Christ. Also , as a Muslim I believe that Christ was a Messenger of God, a Muslim and a human being. I have written an essay on this subject: https://zakariyamohammednonfiction.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/was-he-a-muslim-an-essay-on-the-religion-of-jesus-christ/
Finally I should say, my goal is not to offend you or other Christians by this post. Just to present another perspective.
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Thank you so much for sharing your views. I truly appreciate the dialogue, I know that talking across beliefs can be sensitive and tricky. Whether or not we agree, this is a safe place to share anything you’d like. I’ll look into what you wrote!
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You are welcome sir! I think the main issue with speaking about religion is that people usually speak about it from an angle of debate i.e I’m going to make this guy look like a fool, not the angle of finding the truth i.e let’s find the truth together/lets have a discussion with good manners and no emotions.
Im looking forward to hearing your insights on the essay 🙂
Also you said that you were having trouble with the Existence of the Creator. Ive written two essays which prove His Existence using logic:
https://zakariyamohammednonfiction.wordpress.com/2015/01/07/an-argument-for-the-creator-essay/
https://zakariyamohammednonfiction.wordpress.com/2015/01/08/an-argument-for-the-creator-2-essay/
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Love this! The idea of hard and soft apologetics resonates with me. For a long time I needed the facts to even think of being a Christian, but now I need “soft apologetics”. The entire narrative which existentially fulfills me, and something I live into.
You’ve worded it in a way that I wish I could have. Wonderful post!
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To be fair, I got the idea from much smarter people than me!
Jesus would have to be 1) intellectually fulfilling and 2) existentially satisfying. If you remove the first, then he might be “real” but he’s not true. Remove the second and he might be “true,” but he’s not real. Important components to a fully thriving faith.
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Reblogged this on meanlittleboy2.
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Reblogged this on Romsey Counselling.
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