The Thomas Factor

SteveB

Well-known member
Thomas was the guy in John 20 who refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead unless he could stick his finger into the wounds on Jesus' hands, and his hand into the wound in Jesus' chest/side.
So, a few verses later, Jesus shows us, Thomas is there, and Jesus tells him--- go ahead.
So profound is Thomas' reaction that he exclaims--- My Lord, and My God! as he falls on his knees to worship Jesus.

Jesus' response is--- because you have seen, you have believed. But blessed are those who believe without seeing.

This statement by Jesus ascribes a special level of happiness to those who believe that Jesus has risen from the dead, without having seen him. A lot of atheists like to call this blind faith, yet they miss what's taken place here.



Introduction: Defining Religious Doubt
Our newspaper headlines tell the story. We are winning the battle against many dreaded diseases, but new ones are taking their places. Instead of physical calamities like tuberculosis, polio, typhoid fever, and malaria, we have made a switch. Now we have traded for emotional sicknesses like anxiety disorders and various kinds of clinical depression. The latter may even be far worse than the former. Perhaps more common, especially on less severe scales, many think that the emotional sicknesses affect life far more, are more difficult to deal with, and are far more painful than their physical counterparts.

Some have called the last few decades the “Age of Anxiety.” It seems that few descriptions provide a better idea of what this generation is about. We are worriers. We are concerned about every conceivable sort of situation. Yes, almost gone are the days when Russia pushing the button is our chief distress. Gone, too, is the apprehension that I or some loved one might be drafted to fight in some foreign jungle.

But new problems have taken their places. Will I get AIDS? Can my children even be raised today without contacting many opportunities for drugs and pre-marital sex? What if they make the wrong decision, especially given contemporary forms of peer pressure? Will some crazed individual walk into our local school or restaurant and open fire? We have heard that so-called Generation X is the first generation to conclude that their world will be worse than that of their parents. What does that mean?
 
In part I think it means we have let our enemies fill our institutions with the singular objective of breeding hatred of our culture in the minds of our youth. It's called critical theory, and it seeks to destroy that which it criticizes. And it criticizes the identity of our society, in which each new generation's personal identities are forged. Worst of all, it vanquishes hope, replacing it with self loathing. Happily our president is attempting to put a stop to it but he can't do it alone. Trumps war on critical theory
 
In part I think it means we have let our enemies fill our institutions with the singular objective of breeding hatred of our culture in the minds of our youth. It's called critical theory, and it seeks to destroy that which it criticizes. And it criticizes the identity of our society, in which each new generation's personal identities are forged. Worst of all, it vanquishes hope, replacing it with self loathing. Happily our president is attempting to put a stop to it but he can't do it alone. Trumps war on critical theory
No. I've recently been introduced to this idea of Critical Race Theory. It apparently had its origins in Marxism, and it almost seems like Darwinism had a hand in it too.

I have to say--- those who promote it are a hateful, and malevolent lot. Every time I engage in a CRT promoter, I feel like I come away from it beaten, battered, bruised, and in some cases, even raped.



This op however has nothing to do with critical race theory. It might indeed be a curious discussion on another op, but please don't do it here.
 
In part I think it means we have let our enemies fill our institutions with the singular objective of breeding hatred of our culture in the minds of our youth. It's called critical theory, and it seeks to destroy that which it criticizes. And it criticizes the identity of our society, in which each new generation's personal identities are forged. Worst of all, it vanquishes hope, replacing it with self loathing. Happily our president is attempting to put a stop to it but he can't do it alone. Trumps war on critical theory
We only have to look at the respectful way Trump treats other people to see what Christianity is really like...
 
This statement by Jesus ascribes a special level of happiness to those who believe that Jesus has risen from the dead, without having seen him. A lot of atheists like to call this blind faith, yet they miss what's taken place here.
Nothing at all like blind because Thomas was given evidence he could touch and see!
 
I assume you mean when Trump is rescuing the perishing? Consoling the bereaved? When he is releasing the prisoners? When he is withdrawing soldiers from the battle field? When he is empowering the down trodden? When he is making peace? When he strengthes the hand of those who stands against evil? I must say, I have to agree.
I am talking about how he treats the people around him, not what he does to win votes.

In what way did Trump "Rescue the perished"? From the article you link to the only bt I could see about Trump was this :

President Donald Trump said Mr Warmbier's death had deepened his administration's resolve "to prevent such tragedies from befalling innocent people at the hands of regimes that do not respect the rule of law or basic human decency".

That is it? What has Trump done personally there?

What effort did Trump personally expend on any of those things besides saying a empty few words designed to boost support for himelf? What money did he donate? Is this really what being a Christian? Help others - as long as it is in yourself interest.

Why do you think Trump is so reluctant to hand over his tax records? Is that really how we should expect Christian to behave? Is Trump's attitude to women representative of Christians? These are the things that show how he lives his life - with contempt for everyone else. If that is what Christianity is, no thanks.

Jesus lived as a pauper; he gave away all his material goods, and had his disciples do otherwise. Trump is the antithesis of Jesus.
 
I have to become a close friend of Jesus and then give me evidence he exists?

Maybe Jesus needs to think this through a bit...
think it through a bit?
I'm guessing that his leaving heaven (after having spent untold trillions of eons thinking about it), living on earth for ~33 years, hanging our with a group of people who were more interested in getting dreams fulfilled, while watching him do what he came here to do, and then dying on a roman cross isn't thinking it through enough for you?
Or do you think that the Romans were a bunch of wusses who didn't know how to shame, humiliate, and then murder people?
It seems to m that it's you who needs to think this through a bit more.

I'm guessing this means you've never actually paid attention when you supposedly read the bible?

It's pretty clearly stated in the gospel of John.

20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

If you're not interested in knowing, you won't do what Jesus said.
If you are interested in knowing, you'll take the time to learn to do what Jesus said.
The thing that I've long found interesting is that Jesus is not a hard guy to get to know. He's really friendly with those who come to him.

28 Then they (the people who were in the crowd) said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

and

35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Then we see in Matthew 11

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

So.... it would indeed appear that we need to approach Jesus on his terms to be his friends.

It's not like he's made it difficult.
 
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