How come?

[YellowShark]

You're not going to win quickjoe. Carbon and argon dating are very well understood scientific techniques. And you are also correct when you say that scientists just don't date the fossilized artifacts but also everything found around the artifacts - rocks, plants, etc. So between all those items scientists get a pretty clear picture of the age.

 

And this just hasn't happened once, but thousands of times with thousands of remains and artifacts. Hundreds of scientists have confirmed this repeatedly. So we know beyond all reasonable doubt that human beings have been around for at least 100,000 years. Not 4000 as it says in the bible. But this just doesn't fit with some peoples belief systems so they will deny the evidence at all costs.

 

And this is what amazes me. You hand this type of solid validated evidence over and some people just cover their ears and go "LA LA LA..I can't hear you!"

[BetheButterfly]

How come the bible doesn't give an exact date for Jesus's birth?

 

That's a good question. For the answer, it's important to take into consideration the culture and time period of the group of people involved.

Jesus is Jewish, of the tribe of Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel) son of Isaac, son of Abraham.

 

The Jewish people didn't tend to keep a record of what date their forefathers were born. For example, they didn't record the date Abraham was born.

 

The 12 apostles of Jesus, who walked and talked with him, were all Jewish. They did not see the need to either know or account when he was born. Rather, they did tell people what they learned about what happened.

 

At that time, Jewish people, as far as I know, didn't celebrate birthdays every year.

 

If everything else in the Bible is "the word of god" and "basically truth" - why doesn't it say Jesus was born on ___________. Surely God would know the date. It shouldn't be a mystery what so ever.

God does know the date, but obviously the date is not the all-in-all here. if so, then God would have made sure the children of Israel knew the date Abraham was born, as well as Moses and King David and so on.

 

For example, Exodus 2 talks about Moses' birth. Please note that the date was not included. Why? It was not a big deal in Jewish culture at that time. In Jesus' time, the date was not a big deal either.

 

Exodus 2

Exodus 2 NIV1984 - The Birth of Moses - Now a man of the - Bible Gateway

" Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. "

 

And don't give me BS. If God created "all life and the entire universe" but can't give an exact date of birth just doesn't add up at all. And don't tell me they didn't have calendars. The Jews (see: Jesus) have had a calendar for 5772 years now. And don't use "the bible is a theological document not a historical document.." because you can't have it both ways. Many Christians use the Bible as a historical document to prove their beliefs are based in fact.

Again, it is important to note the culture. Jewish people at that time nor earlier did not provide dates for most of the births of the important people in their history.

So why is the biggest fact in Christianity not in the Bible?

That is not the biggest fact in Christianity; Jesus' birth (not the date) is only 1 of many important facts in Christian beliefs. By the way, Jesus never told people to celebrate his birthday every year. That was something that because a tradition, not based on anything Jesus commanded. Edited August 28, 2012 by BetheButterfly

[taiko]

While the Catholic Church may have made annual celebrations of Christ's birth and ressurection Holy Days of obligation restorationist, most notably Jehovah Witnesses have reject those "most important days" as not important but rather following along with the pagan past of the people. Thus they reject the cultural and religious celebrations.

[madjac74]

While the Catholic Church may have made annual celebrations of Christ's birth and ressurection Holy Days of obligation restorationist, most notably Jehovah Witnesses have reject those "most important days" as not important but rather following along with the pagan past of the people. Thus they reject the cultural and religious celebrations.

 

Yeah we already know Jehova's witnesses are tight asses. Only 144,000 souls let into heaven? If it's full then you can stop knocking on my damn door

[mercy]

Yeah we already know Jehova's witnesses are tight asses. Only 144,000 souls let into heaven? If it's full then you can stop knocking on my damn door

 

I asked them that one time. They looked befuddled.

 

I mean all this witnessing and heavens already full! Go home relax.

[madjac74]

I asked them that one time. They looked befuddled.

 

I mean all this witnessing and heavens already full! Go home relax.

 

Yeah with those odds, little skinny pale dorks\y dudes in ties are not who you should be sending to my door.

[M30USA]

The beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses can be shattered just by using the Bible alone--which they claim to believe.

 

They say Jesus was angel. Yet Hebrews says that Jesus came in the nature of humans, not angels. Hebrews also says that God never said to ANY angel, Thou art my son.

 

Unfortunately most JWs know Scripture better than 90% of Christians and their ability to deceive is great.

[mercy]

I was just teasing with madjac.

 

I meant no disrespect to any Jehovah Witnesses. And I apologize if it came across that way.