“EVIDENCE VS FAITH…THE DOUBTING THOMAS SYNDROME”

Whatever a person needs or wants in giving meaning to their lives, they “WANT TO BELIEVE” that whatever it is, it must be true. I believe this is the inherent Doubting Thomas Syndrome that is in all people. It is why the Apostle Thomas needed to “touch” the Wounds of the Resurrected Christ. It is why I myself have “searched” the Holy Scriptures through the discipline of Science. It is why the title of my site is” what it is! ” Faith is belief in things unseen which is difficult for most people including the Apostle Thomas. Evidence is a “special rare” Gift but comes with a price, John 20:29.

Unfortunately, in our attempt to achieve this end, we become confused and infatuated with all kinds of ideas that are contrary to the Bible, and we end up in rebellion against the True Reality. Our EGO’s convince us that we are responsible for our own “enlightenment” and we are fooled into believing a “perceived” exclusivity of Biblical Truth when in reality it is ALL INCLUSIVE. I believe this is why everyone is infatuated with stories like the DaVinci Code, The Jesus Papers, the Gospel of Judas, Phillip etc. and Holy Blood Holy Grail. etc. I blame organized religion and its’ leaders for creating most of these deceptions. Instead of religion “freeing man from the bondage of “others” as Jesus attempted to do, it actually “enslaved” us all even more! I will, however, admit that there is really “BIG” money in this stuff though, because the more controversial, THE MORE MONEY! (Think how much more money Dan Brown would have made if he had Jesus married to Peter instead of Mary Magdalene!)

All of these deceptions should, in my humble opinion, make people very concerned about Ephesians 6:12 “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”


The following excerpt from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association raises some VERY important questions for the Doubting Thomas………

EXCERPT:

“Decision” magazine Weekly E-mail DevotionalTuesday, May 30, 2006


“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Now I have told you’” (Matthew 28:5-7, NIV).--------------------------------------------------------------Evidenceby John GuestWhen you consider Jesus hanging on a wooden cross, there are really only two options: He either died, or He didn't. Some writers have set forth the Swoon Theory -- the theory that Jesus did not die on the cross. This theory asserts that Jesus was drugged and only appeared to be dead. When Jesus was taken down from the cross, the theory suggests, the disciples stole the body and resuscitated Him, passing the event off as Jesus coming back to life.But suppose Jesus did survive the Romans' attempt at execution, being torn from the cross and lying for three days in a cold stone tomb. How would the appearance of Jesus gasping for help and being dependent on someone for survival ever inspire His following that swept Jerusalem? The Swoon Theory presents no valid evidence. Jesus did die on the cross.Hallucination TheorySo, now we are left with a dead Jesus and another set of choices. Either Jesus is still dead and buried in the ground somewhere, or else He rose from the dead and is alive today. The Apostle Paul explains that Jesus, after His death, “appeared to more than five hundred of [His followers] at the same time” (1 Corinthians 15:6, NIV).Some opponents of Jesus’ resurrection have set forth a Hallucination Theory, which proposes that Jesus’ original followers actually believed Jesus had risen from the grave, but had a hallucination: They only thought that they saw Him. But psychiatrists say that even two people -- let alone 500 people -- cannot have the same hallucination at the same time.That Jesus appeared to so many people at the same time invalidates the Hallucination Theory. But what if the disciples knew that Jesus had not come back to life, and they were seeking to pull off the greatest hoax in history? How would the disciples then have reacted when their own lives were threatened for what they were teaching?Die for a Lie?At the time of Jesus' crucifixion all of His close friends had fled, fearing a similar fate if authorities associated them with Him, their leader. Why would those who had fled in terror three days earlier suddenly be willing to risk their lives for a lie that they knew they were perpetuating?If the disciples had stolen the body and knew it to be a hoax, would they have died rather than admit it? But the Early Church underwent relentless persecution. The opposing authorities would only have to produce the dead body of Jesus to end the controversy. But they never did ... for they never could.A Fanatic's OppositionSaul was an extremely devoted and legalistic Jew. He was adamantly opposed to the Christians' claim that Jesus had been resurrected. Saul was not a peasant devotee who pined for a lost hope and was psychologically disposed to believe any wispy straw of experiential evidence. He had stood by at the first martyr's death (Acts 8:1) and understood clearly the claims of those Christians.Should the Christians be correct about Christ, it meant not only that Saul's own religious belief was way off course but also that he was a participant in the execution of the innocent One who was in close communion with the true and living God.While Saul was on his way to Damascus to stamp out the growing Christian movement there, something caused him to redirect all of his energy from persecuting Christians to promoting Christ. Only one answer accounts for his dramatic turnaround: Paul met the living Christ (Acts 9:3-6).As you have read this article, and if you have any doubts about Jesus being alive, know that He is aware you have those doubts, and know that He is with you right now: alive, loving you and wanting you to believe in Him. Jesus really did die on the cross. And we know with certainty that His followers -- even His enemies -- were absolutely convinced that Jesus rose from the dead.You can be certain, too. Let the prayer below guide you as you speak to Him……..Prayer“Dear Jesus, I know that You understand my skepticism and unbelief, but I believe You are here, that You died for my sins and that You want me to surrender my life to You. So I turn from everything for which You died -- all my sin -- and ask You to come into my life and fill me with Yourself. Forgive me my sins, take possession of my heart and life, and make me Yours. Amen.”
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“Evidence through FAITH in the Word of God is a wonderful precious Gift. Evidence of this TRUTH through physical evidence, like St. Thomas experienced, is NOT A SIN. God did not reject Thomas’ lack of Faith and Doubt. …. He responded out of Love and revealed Himself to him. I believe that those who “seek” Truth with a pure and sincere heart will not be lead astray and they themselves will experience a Doubting Thomas revelation as I did. Mine was my “exposure” to String Theory and Quantum Entanglement. This “evidence based” faith is like wise a “special” Gift of God and is just as beautiful to the recipient and one that verifies the TRUTH of God’s Holy Word. God does not think as we do, so we better stop “thinking” He does! Thank God, God is GOD! (YHWH) Pax…..Doubting Thomas