In Reply to: Re: Pantheism, Hinduism, and dogmatism posted by Alan on January 02, 2004 at 09:14:00:
i certainly believe there are both excellent logical reasons to believe that the God revealed in scripture, and in the incarnation, is real, and accessible. there are also many historical evidences of the veracity of the gospel accounts. but evidence is not proof. logic can only bring one to the door of faith as cs lewis said. it is in stepping thru the door, and encountering the living God personally, by faith, that one comes to know. (and that is what really counts anyway.) frankly, it was years of knowing Jesus and "proving" the truth of his word (jn7:17) before i ever heard of josephus. and there are millions upon millions of true believers world wide who have no clue about josephus or documentary evidences that know him personally. most people come to him w/ there hearts, drawn by the spirit... arguments may occasionally help depending upon the spirit in which they are offered, but it seems to me can also interfere w/ the process. are we to win arguments, or win souls?
i think it was blaise pascal who wrote that ultimately one could not prove God's existence, that it was more or less a bet that made sense, considering the odds and the stakes. he also said "the heart has it's reasons that reason knows not of". and man, if you read that guys testimony it will move you to your knees!
but anyway, the point is... lord help us not to in our own wisdom drive away those who may be genuinely seeking his. imo.