By Faith. Why?

[Audie]

Let's try again, then.

How do you define 'love'?

Again you demonstrate that you cannot
admit to any error or falsehood on your
part, and you want me to watch you do it again?
No tnx

 

[2ndpillar]

Justification by faith was prophesied by Habakkuk when he said, 'but the just shall live by his faith' [Habakkuk 2:4]. Of course, it's not that people hadn't lived by faith before the coming of Jesus Christ, because we're told in Hebrews 11 that Abel 'offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain', and he did so 'by faith'. Thereafter, a long list of Old Testament figures lived by faith.

Is there a difference between the faith shown by the OT figures, and faith shown by 'born again' believers in the NT? Can we say that the object of faith is the same?

To my understanding, Paul is correct when he says, 'Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law' [Romans 3:28]. This does not mean that works are not important, only that works must follow faith.

I have taken to wondering why it is that Hebrews 11:6 says, 'without faith it is impossible to please him [God]'.

It seems to me that God initiates our trust. God is love, 'a God of truth and without iniquity' [Deuteronomy 32:4]. He raises his own as an only son, admonishing and correcting but always in the spirit of love. The upbringing provided by God allows the son to become a loving example of the Father's Spirit. The love takes root in the son, and the son's trust is rewarded. Is this the reason that trust, or faith, is so important?

Sometimes a delinquent son seeks to fulfil vain ambitions, and does not heed the loving advice of the Father. Yet the Father, ever faithful to his son, continues to offer him love, knowing that even delinquent sons can repent and return. Earthly existence is short, scripture warns us, and the great reward of faith is eternal life with the Father.

So, what is an atheist doing when he declares that faith in God is without evidence? Is love not the evidence that the Son bears the Father's Spirit?

The question would be what is love? (John 14:15) And how do you love your neighbor. As for "faith", faith is acting on what one believes, which is "works"/action. (James 21-24) As for Hebrews, written by some unknown writer, supposedly associated with Paul, well, as Paul is the false prophet of Revelation 16:13, whose "demon" spirit has returned to gather the nations against Jerusalem, that would not be the guy I hang my hat on.

John 14:15

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

 

[Redemptionsong]

The question would be what is love? (John 14:15) And how do you love your neighbor. As for "faith", faith is acting on what one believes, which is "works"/action. (James 21-24) As for Hebrews, written by some unknown writer, supposedly associated with Paul, well, as Paul is the false prophet of Revelation 16:13, whose "demon" spirit has returned to gather the nations against Jerusalem, that would not be the guy I hang my hat on.

John 14:15

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

God is love in its most perfect form, and to live righteously in love one must be filled with the love of God. That is, not our love for God, but God's love for us!

The great weakness of your argument is that the faith and love you present as 'ours' is not the faith and love of God. It's man's love, and man's faith before he ever received the Holy Spirit.

The faith of God comes with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So if you don't know baptism in the Holy Spirit then you are not going to know the faith of God. [See 1 Corinthians 12:9]

This is why the law cannot save a man. Under the law a man does his own works of righteousness, but under grace he does the works of the Holy Spirit.

 

[2ndpillar]

God is love in its most perfect form, and to live righteously in love one must be filled with the love of God. That is, not our love for God, but God's love for us!

The great weakness of your argument is that the faith and love you present as 'ours' is not the faith and love of God. It's man's love, and man's faith before he ever received the Holy Spirit.

The faith of God comes with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So if you don't know baptism in the Holy Spirit then you are not going to know the faith of God. [See 1 Corinthians 12:9]

This is why the law cannot save a man. Under the law a man does his own works of righteousness, but under grace he does the works of the Holy Spirit.

There are many "spirits" and men seem to follow the spirits of demons embodied in false prophets, such as the false prophet Paul, who you just quoted. (1 John 4:1) To "love God" one must keep the commandments (1 John 5:3). To love one's neighbor, they must do the same, such as not kill or steal from them. God is not required to love "us". In fact, he hates the liars (Proverbs 6:16-19). If one loves their spiritual brother, it is the love of God they experience, for the dust of the earth is without love. You will know the children of God by the love you see they have for each other. That is the love of God within the children for each other. God does not require "faith", such as in your "faith of God". Faith is doing something you believe is the right thing (James 4:17). Rahab the harlot did the right thing and was "justified by works" (James 2:26). The "many" are following the false prophets down the road to "destruction" (Matthew 7:13-15). The "two horns like a lamb", Christlike leaders, Peter and Paul, are "deceiving" "those who dwell on the earth", the "many", to "destruction" (Revelation 13:11-13). One, Peter, as a "stumbling block and Satan" (Matthew 16:23), and the other as a teacher of lawlessness (Matthew 7:23) & (Matthew 13:41).

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

1 John 4:1, NASB: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

James 4:17, NIV: If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.

 

[Redemptionsong]

There are many "spirits" and men seem to follow the spirits of demons embodied in false prophets, such as the false prophet Paul, who you just quoted. (1 John 4:1) To "love God" one must keep the commandments (1 John 5:3). To love one's neighbor, they must do the same, such as not kill or steal from them. God is not required to love "us". In fact, he hates the liars (Proverbs 6:16-19). If one loves their spiritual brother, it is the love of God they experience, for the dust of the earth is without love. You will know the children of God by the love you see they have for each other. That is the love of God within the children for each other. God does not require "faith", such as in your "faith of God". Faith is doing something you believe is the right thing (James 4:17). Rahab the harlot did the right thing and was "justified by works" (James 2:26). The "many" are following the false prophets down the road to "destruction" (Matthew 7:13-15). The "two horns like a lamb", Christlike leaders, Peter and Paul, are "deceiving" "those who dwell on the earth", the "many", to "destruction" (Revelation 13:11-13). One, Peter, as a "stumbling block and Satan" (Matthew 16:23), and the other as a teacher of lawlessness (Matthew 7:23) & (Matthew 13:41).

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

1 John 4:1, NASB: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

James 4:17, NIV: If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.

If Paul is a false prophet, then Jesus must be a false Messiah, and the Tanakh a false prophecy.

Paul experienced baptism in the Holy Spirit in Damascus after the Lord sent Ananias to heal his eyesight [Acts 9]. Ananias did not like the idea of approaching a known persecutor of the Church, but the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of lsrael:
For l will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake'.

From your perspective, Saul of Tarsus was doing a fine job persecuting the Church, because you believe the Church to be false. So who do you think blinded Saul's eyes, and why was Ananias sent to lay hands on him, and heal him?

 

[Audie]

God is love in its most perfect form, and to live righteously in love one must be filled with the love of God. That is, not our love for God, but God's love for us!

The great weakness of your argument is that the faith and love you present as 'ours' is not the faith and love of God. It's man's love, and man's faith before he ever received the Holy Spirit.

The faith of God comes with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So if you don't know baptism in the Holy Spirit then you are not going to know the faith of God. [See 1 Corinthians 12:9]

This is why the law cannot save a man. Under the law a man does his own works of righteousness, but under grace he does the works of the Holy Spirit.

So if god let's himself be tortured
and killed- knowing he can't actually die,
and knowing of unlimited glorious results,
that is a finer act of " love" than any human
who suffers far more, for uncertain results.

What weird upside down belief.

 

[dybmh]

If you know of a greater love than that shown by Jesus then l'd like you to be explicit and name the individual who demonstrated that love.

So who is it?

Take your pick:

James Stockdale - Wikipedia

"Rear Adm. Stockdale resolved to make himself a symbol of resistance regardless of personal sacrifice. He deliberately inflicted a near-mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all of the Prisoners of War".​

William H. Pitsenbarger - Wikipedia

Instead of climbing into the litter basket so he could leave with the helicopter, Pitsenbarger elected to remain with the Army troops under enemy attack and he gave a "wave-off" to the helicopter which flew away to safety. With heavy mortar and small-arms fire, the helicopters could not return to rescue Pitsenbarger.

For the next hour and a half, Pitsenbarger tended to the wounded soldiers, hacking splints out of snarled vines and building improvised stretchers out of saplings. When the others began running low on ammunition, he gathered ammunition from the dead and distributed it to those still alive. Then, he joined the others with a rifle to hold off the Viet Cong. Pitsenbarger was killed by Viet Cong snipers later that night. When his body was recovered the next day, one hand still held a rifle and the other clutched a medical kit. Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did.​

Air Force Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham| Military Times

About four hours after the helicopter hit the ground, Cunningham decided the cargo compartment had become too dangerous for his patients. Using a small sled-like device, Cunningham dragged the wounded troops to a safer spot away from the aircraft. In doing so, he crossed the line of enemy fire seven times.

The enemy’s movements forced Cunningham and the 160th medic to move the casualties to a second and then a third location outside the helicopter, exposing themselves to enemy fire. During the last movement, the 160th medic was shot twice in the abdomen.

Shortly thereafter, at 12:32 p.m., Cunningham’s luck ran out. An enemy round hit him just below his body armor as he was treating a patient. The bullet entered low from the right side and traveled across his pelvis, causing serious internal injuries.

“Untreated, you die from that,” Scott said.

Cunningham must have known he was in serious trouble. But despite his worsening condition, he continued to treat patients and advise others on how to care for the critically wounded. One of the two blood packs he had brought saved a badly wounded Ranger. The medics gave the other packet to Cunningham himself, whose life was slowly flowing out in a red stream onto the white snow.

Cunningham’s chain of command has written him up for the Air Force Cross, an award second only to the Medal of Honor. In the supporting documentation, it says: “As a result of his extraordinary heroism, his team returned 10 seriously wounded personnel to life-saving medical care.”
​

Remembering Medal of Honor Recipients Who Have Sacrificed Their Lives in Service - Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Recipient Michael Murphy was killed in the line of duty after he left his cover position and went to a clearing, exposing himself to enemy fire, in order to get a clear signal to contact headquarters to request immediate support for his team.

Recipient Travis Atkins wrestled a suicide bomber to the ground, using his body to shield the rest of his patrol from the blast.

Medal of Honor Recipient Robert J. Miller, advanced towards the enemy when his unit came under fire, drawing their attention away from his fellow patrol members so they could safely withdraw to protected positions.

​

 

[shunyadragon]

Ok. So let's ask why it is that these passages of scripture, which do exist, are not accepted as pointing to Jesus.

The answer lies in the intentionally ambiguous wording of scripture. For all scripture is equivocal, allowing for a temporal and spiritual significance. The Torah Jew has chosen to read the text as only significant in its temporal setting. It was the spirituality of Christ that opened up the scriptures to his disciples:
Luke 24:27. 'And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself'.

Jesus saw himself, the Christ, in the scriptures. He showed the disciples where these passages could be found. They had probably never before had the 'eyes to see' the spiritual significance of these passages.

As an example, consider Psalm 110:1. To whom does this Psalm, written by David, refer? It causes quite a bit of discussion amongst the rabbis. Some think it's David, some Abraham, and some the Messiah. It's important to know because the figure could be the glorified Christ. And how did the Christ come to be glorified if he's just a flesh and blood man (as Torah Jews believe)? Doesn't a man have to die before he can be resurrected?

Your denial of Christ as the figure of OT prophecy makes Jesus a liar, and, this in turn makes a mockery of his life and testimony.

To me, not being able to see the eternal message of scripture amounts to spiritual blindness. But maybe people can't be blamed for spiritual blindness if their hearts haven't been touched by the love of God?

The bold above is an absurd emotional insulting generalization and does not reflect what I believe.

I have never said I denied anything, and as usual you overreach and generalize beyond the content of my posts.. My beliefs are not an issue here. The conclusion of my posts is that your standard of 'evidence' and absolute certainty of prophecy is unreasonable considering the diversity of interpretation of prophecies, and yes the fact that Jews understanding of prophecies does not accept Jesus Christ as the Msssiah.

A glaring error in the above is Jews do not believe 'The Torah Jew has chosen to read the text as only significant in its temporal setting.'

 

[Redemptionsong]

So if god let's himself be tortured
and killed- knowing he can't actually die,
and knowing of unlimited glorious results,
that is a finer act of " love" than any human
who suffers far more, for uncertain results.

What weird upside down belief.

From a Christian perspective, Jesus was fully human, with the full measure of the Father's Spirit resting upon him.

It's because he was fully human that he experienced pain, suffering and physical death.

It's because his soul was without sin that God's Spirit returned [having left him when he bore the sin of mankind] to raise him from the dead.

Jesus knew that he had come into this world to die; that was the role of the Suffering Servant. This could not have been an easy burden to carry.

 

[Redemptionsong]

Take your pick:

James Stockdale - Wikipedia

"Rear Adm. Stockdale resolved to make himself a symbol of resistance regardless of personal sacrifice. He deliberately inflicted a near-mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all of the Prisoners of War".​

William H. Pitsenbarger - Wikipedia

Instead of climbing into the litter basket so he could leave with the helicopter, Pitsenbarger elected to remain with the Army troops under enemy attack and he gave a "wave-off" to the helicopter which flew away to safety. With heavy mortar and small-arms fire, the helicopters could not return to rescue Pitsenbarger.

For the next hour and a half, Pitsenbarger tended to the wounded soldiers, hacking splints out of snarled vines and building improvised stretchers out of saplings. When the others began running low on ammunition, he gathered ammunition from the dead and distributed it to those still alive. Then, he joined the others with a rifle to hold off the Viet Cong. Pitsenbarger was killed by Viet Cong snipers later that night. When his body was recovered the next day, one hand still held a rifle and the other clutched a medical kit. Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did.​

Air Force Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham| Military Times

About four hours after the helicopter hit the ground, Cunningham decided the cargo compartment had become too dangerous for his patients. Using a small sled-like device, Cunningham dragged the wounded troops to a safer spot away from the aircraft. In doing so, he crossed the line of enemy fire seven times.

The enemy’s movements forced Cunningham and the 160th medic to move the casualties to a second and then a third location outside the helicopter, exposing themselves to enemy fire. During the last movement, the 160th medic was shot twice in the abdomen.

Shortly thereafter, at 12:32 p.m., Cunningham’s luck ran out. An enemy round hit him just below his body armor as he was treating a patient. The bullet entered low from the right side and traveled across his pelvis, causing serious internal injuries.

“Untreated, you die from that,” Scott said.

Cunningham must have known he was in serious trouble. But despite his worsening condition, he continued to treat patients and advise others on how to care for the critically wounded. One of the two blood packs he had brought saved a badly wounded Ranger. The medics gave the other packet to Cunningham himself, whose life was slowly flowing out in a red stream onto the white snow.

Cunningham’s chain of command has written him up for the Air Force Cross, an award second only to the Medal of Honor. In the supporting documentation, it says: “As a result of his extraordinary heroism, his team returned 10 seriously wounded personnel to life-saving medical care.”
​

Remembering Medal of Honor Recipients Who Have Sacrificed Their Lives in Service - Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Recipient Michael Murphy was killed in the line of duty after he left his cover position and went to a clearing, exposing himself to enemy fire, in order to get a clear signal to contact headquarters to request immediate support for his team.

Recipient Travis Atkins wrestled a suicide bomber to the ground, using his body to shield the rest of his patrol from the blast.

Medal of Honor Recipient Robert J. Miller, advanced towards the enemy when his unit came under fire, drawing their attention away from his fellow patrol members so they could safely withdraw to protected positions.

​

I'm sure l could dig out stories the match such heroism in war.

The first thing to mention about many of these people is that they took their strength and willingness to die from their faith in God. You may, for example, know the story behind 'Hacksaw Ridge'. An American medic by the name of Desmond Doss twice won the Bronze star for saving fallen comrades under fire. What's particularly interesting about his case is that he refused to kill. Why? Because he took his example from Jesus. It's one thing having love for those that love you, but it's quite another having love and compassion for those that hate and persecute you.

In the examples of bravery that you have provided, there is no indication that the soldiers loved their enemies.

The war that Jesus waged was against the spiritual powers of darkness that lead men to kill one another. He never took up arms, but always relied on his Father as his strength.

 

[Redemptionsong]

The bold above is an absurd emotional insulting generalization and does not reflect what I believe.

I have never said I denied anything, and as usual you overreach and generalize beyond the content of my posts.. My beliefs are not an issue here. The conclusion of my posts is that your standard of 'evidence' and absolute certainty of prophecy is unreasonable considering the diversity of interpretation of prophecies, and yes the fact that Jews understanding of prophecies does not accept Jesus Christ as the Msssiah.

A glaring error in the above is Jews do not believe 'The Torah Jew has chosen to read the text as only significant in its temporal setting.'

In my opinion, your beliefs are an issue here!

Anyone who criticizes another does so from a particular standpoint, and that standpoint is a reflection of their own beliefs.

As regards Torah Jews, my statement about spiritual blindness is directed particularly at Messianic (Suffering Servant) prophecies. We both know very well that there are passages of scripture that Torah Jews do connect to the Messiah, but these are all to do with a future Messianic kingdom on earth.

When will the sin of mankind be dealt with if there is no 'Suffering Servant'?

If a Torah Jew dies tomorrow, before the return of the Messiah, will he know the salvation of God?

 

[Audie]

From a Christian perspective, Jesus was fully human, with the full measure of the Father's Spirit resting upon him.

It's because he was fully human that he experienced pain, suffering and physical death.

It's because his soul was without sin that God's Spirit returned [having left him when he bore the sin of mankind] to raise him from the dead.

Jesus knew that he had come into this world to die; that was the role of the Suffering Servant. This could not have been an easy burden to carry.

If true, then sure, a heavy burden.
But as an ultimate pain and sacrifice for
others- no chance.

Ftm he was one of thousands killed the same way.
Christisns did far worse things in the inquisition.

Not to diminish what Jesus experienced but,
as a worst thing that ever happened, no.

In any event, believing he wont really die and
the vast benefits of his sacrifice ...you didn't even
address that. Which was the point of my post.

 

[Sand Dancer]

In the Bible, God is defined as 'love' [1 John 8:16].

IMO, faith is a response to love, and is, on that account, wholly connected to love.

I'm now interested to understand whether atheists define love as a power that engenders trust.

People can say Yahweh is love but read what horrible things he did in the Bible.

 

[dybmh]

I'm sure l could dig out stories the match such heroism in war.

The first thing to mention about many of these people is that they took their strength and willingness to die from their faith in God. You may, for example, know the story behind 'Hacksaw Ridge'. An American medic by the name of Desmond Doss twice won the Bronze star for saving fallen comrades under fire. What's particularly interesting about his case is that he refused to kill. Why? Because he took his example from Jesus. It's one thing having love for those that love you, but it's quite another having love and compassion for those that hate and persecute you.

In the examples of bravery that you have provided, there is no indication that the soldiers loved their enemies.

The war that Jesus waged was against the spiritual powers of darkness that lead men to kill one another. He never took up arms, but always relied on his Father as his strength.

John 15:13 - No Greater Love

According to this ^^ loving enemies is irrelevant. If Jesus is God and Jesus is alive, then he didn't really intend to lay down his life. And that means the examples I brought demonstrate a greater love.

 

[Sand Dancer]

If you know of a greater love than that shown by Jesus then l'd like you to be explicit and name the individual who demonstrated that love.

So who is it?

People died for other people before Jesus, and since. The difference is that most other people stayed dead.

 

[Audie]

I never said that 'evidence was the same as 'proof.' but there are standards as to what is acceptable to be considered evidence. Evidence must be able to be independently objectively verified. Inly 'some events, people and places may be independently verified, The 'outside evidence such as archaeological evidence is considered verifiable evidence, The Bible may be considered anecdotal evidence relying on the personal view of the authors, and not factual evidence unless verified by ;outside source.'

What is the difference between research based evidence and anecdotal evidence? – MassInitiative.

What is the difference between research based evidence and anecdotal evidence?
ADMIN MAY 3, 2020 ADVICE
Table of Contents [hide]

• 1 What is the difference between research based evidence and anecdotal evidence?
• 2 What is the difference between anecdotal and empirical evidence?
• 3 What are some examples of anecdotal evidence?
• 4 What is an example of analogical evidence?
• 5 Why is anecdotal a fallacy?
• 6 Why is anecdote not considered strong evidence?
• 7 What’s the difference between anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence?
• 8 What’s the difference between anecdote and qualitative research?

What is the difference between research based evidence and anecdotal evidence?
Anecdotal evidence is evidence collected in an informal manner and relying heavily on personal experience1. Scientific evidence is based on findings from systematic observations, measurement and experimentation and any person can independently verify or confirm it using the scientific method.

What is the difference between anecdotal and empirical evidence?
Anecdotal evidence is using your personal experiences and stories to illustrate your point. Empirical evidence is measured, unbiased, and replicable.

What is anecdotal research?

A semiformal or formal research project that relies on anecdotal evidence. In some fields of science, e.g., sociology and anthropology, anecdotal study is formalized with rules and protocols that are often rigorous to determine the way the evidence is collected, analyzed, and interpreted.

What is the difference between anecdotal and factual evidence?

Anecdotal evidence is a factual claim relying only on personal observation, collected in a casual or non-systematic manner. Other anecdotal evidence, however, does not qualify as scientific evidence, because its nature prevents it from being investigated by the scientific method.

What are some examples of anecdotal evidence?
The following are examples of anecdotal evidence:

• Wow! I took this supplement and lost a lot of weight! This pill must work!
• I know someone who smoked for decades, and it never produced any significant illness. Those claims about smoking are exaggerated!
• This anti-aging cream took years off. It must be the best!

What is an example of analogical evidence?
These are some examples of analogical evidence you might use in your work: A peer-reviewed study that is similar in many ways to the topic in your essay. An expert opinion about something very similar to your topic. A court case or historical event that is similar to your thesis.

Why do people rely on anecdotal evidence?

Anecdotal evidence provides us with additional information beyond that of a typical data point. There could be counter-intuitive patterns present in those stories, or variables you hadn’t thought to take into account.

Can anecdotal data be trusted?

Anecdotal evidence is based on individual accounts, rather than on reliable research or statistics, and so may not be valid.

Why is anecdotal a fallacy?
A person falls prey to the anecdotal fallacy when they choose to believe the “evidence” of an anecdote or a few anecdotes over a larger pool of scientifically valid evidence. The anecdotal fallacy occurs because our brains are fundamentally lazy. Given a choice, the brain prefers to do less work rather than more.

Why is anecdote not considered strong evidence?
Why is an anecdote not considered strong evidence? An anecdote is not falsifiable.

What is an anecdote and give examples?

An anecdote is a short story, usually serving to make the listeners laugh or ponder over a topic. For example, if a group of coworkers are discussing pets, and one coworker tells a story about how her cat comes downstairs at only a certain time of the night, then that one coworker has just told an anecdote.

What is considered anecdotal evidence?

Anecdotal evidence is usually based on individual experiences or observations, as distinct from probabilistic evidence that gives estimates of how likely something is to occur based on experience with large numbers of people.

What’s the difference between anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence?
Anecdotal evidence is simply an analysis of events that occur in a natural context or setting. Most scientific studies start with a null hypothesis to be disproved, and a design of study to test the validity or invalidity of the hypothesis.

What’s the difference between anecdote and qualitative research?
If qualitative research was merely anecdotal, scepticism of qualitative research is justified. However, qualitative research is not anecdote. The definitions of qualitative research and anecdotal evidence highlight this difference.

When to use anecdotal evidence to verify credibility?

When one person’s experience is used as proof that the same would happen or apply to a larger group of people, the ‘evidence,’ as such, should be examined using the scientific method to verify credibility. Anecdotal evidence can be very effective in indicating a need for further study about a phenomenon and in our personal decision-making.

How is anecdotal evidence used in the advertising world?

Anecdotal evidence is very popular in the advertising world. Every time you see a claim about a product’s effectiveness based on a person’s personal experience, the company is using anecdotal evidence to encourage sales.

"You say that love is known intuitively"
is what I never said.
Then there's what you didn't sauy.
Our friend just makes such things up.

 

[Audie]

Ok. So let's ask why it is that these passages of scripture, which do exist, are not accepted as pointing to Jesus.

The answer lies in the intentionally ambiguous wording of scripture. For all scripture is equivocal, allowing for a temporal and spiritual significance. The Torah Jew has chosen to read the text as only significant in its temporal setting. It was the spirituality of Christ that opened up the scriptures to his disciples:
Luke 24:27. 'And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself'.

Jesus saw himself, the Christ, in the scriptures. He showed the disciples where these passages could be found. They had probably never before had the 'eyes to see' the spiritual significance of these passages.

As an example, consider Psalm 110:1. To whom does this Psalm, written by David, refer? It causes quite a bit of discussion amongst the rabbis. Some think it's David, some Abraham, and some the Messiah. It's important to know because the figure could be the glorified Christ. And how did the Christ come to be glorified if he's just a flesh and blood man (as Torah Jews believe)? Doesn't a man have to die before he can be resurrected?

Your denial of Christ as the figure of OT prophecy makes Jesus a liar, and, this in turn makes a mockery of his life and testimony.

To me, not being able to see the eternal message of scripture amounts to spiritual blindness. But maybe people can't be blamed for spiritual blindness if their hearts haven't been touched by the love of God?

People inventing stories and
making him into something he- an actual
heroic figure- was not, that's how to make
a mockery of his life.

He may never have lied but people sure lie about him.

 

[Audie]

God is love in its most perfect form, and to live righteously in love one must be filled with the love of God. That is, not our love for God, but God's love for us!

The great weakness of your argument is that the faith and love you present as 'ours' is not the faith and love of God. It's man's love, and man's faith before he ever received the Holy Spirit.

The faith of God comes with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So if you don't know baptism in the Holy Spirit then you are not going to know the faith of God. [See 1 Corinthians 12:9]

This is why the law cannot save a man. Under the law a man does his own works of righteousness, but under grace he does the works of the Holy Spirit.

Perfect love sends an angel to kill
children to pressure the pharoah even
the God "hardened his heart" to keep him
from yielding to pressure.
Right.

 

[2ndpillar]

If Paul is a false prophet, then Jesus must be a false Messiah, and the Tanakh a false prophecy.

Paul experienced baptism in the Holy Spirit in Damascus after the Lord sent Ananias to heal his eyesight [Acts 9]. Ananias did not like the idea of approaching a known persecutor of the Church, but the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of lsrael:
For l will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake'.

From your perspective, Saul of Tarsus was doing a fine job persecuting the Church, because you believe the Church to be false. So who do you think blinded Saul's eyes, and why was Ananias sent to lay hands on him, and heal him?

Acts was written by an unknown author, supposedly Luke, supposedly an associate of Paul, who did not witness anything according to Luke 1:1-3, and probably used Paul as his source of the event. As for some guy named Athanasius, the name is also associated with the high priest who condemned Yeshua to death and a guy who was struck down by the holy Spirit for lying. As for Paul's self-witnessing through Luke, Yeshua said the testimony of a self-witness is "not true" (John 5:31). The church that is a daughter of Babylon, the Gentile church, is the church established by Paul, the church based on Paul's false gospel of the cross/grace/lawlessness. The fellowship "persecuted" by the "Pharisee" Paul (Matthew 23:25-35), such as in the case of Stephen, were those who actually heeded the message of Yeshua. Those who claim to be the sons/followers of the persecutors of the righteous shall bear the guilt of "all the righteous" (Matthew 23:35). Apparently, Paul was blinded by a bright light, much as would be expected from an "angel of light", and according to Paul, who had other interactions with Satan, Satan often came as an angel of light. Not to say that Judas Iscariot (Zechariah 11:12-13) or the shepherd "Favor" (as in God's Grace), Paul, (Zechariah 11:10) had much to say about their fate, which probably was derived from the foundation of the world, where as the righteous have their own angels (Matthew 18:10), the wicked (prophet) probably have their own angels (demon spirits) as well, as shown in (Revelation 16:13) whose behavior stemmed from the foundation of the world. The term "messiah" means "anointed", and Yeshua is one among many "anointed", which include David, and he came to fulfill the prophecy of Moses, with regard to the prophet to come, for which one should listen to. He also came to "fulfill the prophets and the LAW" (Matthew 5:17). Like the "many" (Matthew 7:13), you seem to conflate the word of Paul, with the word of God, whereas Yeshua compares the message of lawlessness (Matthew 13:39-42) with the message of the "devil", and the subsequent tares, the product of that message, shall be "gathered" and thrown into "the furnace of fire".

 

[Redemptionsong]

John 15:13 - No Greater Love

According to this ^^ loving enemies is irrelevant. If Jesus is God and Jesus is alive, then he didn't really intend to lay down his life. And that means the examples I brought demonstrate a greater love.

You've overlooked one important word in this quotation:
'Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends'.

But Jesus was more than a man, because he was 'God with us'. Therefore his love goes beyond that of a man.

Jesus did not just claim to be a human Messiah. He claimed to be the righteousness of God. He claimed to be the salvation of God.

If a man lays down his life for a friend, the friend will live a few more years on earth, and be thankful. But Jesus did not lay down his life so that his friends could live a few more years on earth! He laid down his temporal life in order to provide eternal life to those who would follow him.