Let’s imagine that the gospels were all written by eye-witnesses or the associates of eye-witnesses. Let’s suppose that prior to their composition there was a vibrant oral tradition that accurately preserved the Jesus story and his teaching in particular. Let’s suppose that Paul learnt what he knew of Christianity initially from the early believers he persecuted and then, following his miraculous conversion, from his meetings with the disciples. Let’s suppose that the later books of New Testament were written by people who knew Jesus personally or were really by Paul. Let’s suppose that everything in the bible was inspired by God and is truly his word. Let’s imagine that as result of all this, everything predicted and prophesied in the gospels, in Paul’s letters and the later ones by apostles, came to pass.
Because we’d have to imagine this. Even if everything we’ve supposed was true, none of the prophesies, predictions or promises have materialised in reality. Not one. No Son of Man beaming down from heaven while the disciples and Pilate were still alive, (as he promises in Mark 9:1 and Mark 14:62 respectively), no visit from the Messiah while Paul and his acolytes were living (1 Thessalonians 4:17), no final judgement, no Kingdom of heaven on Earth, no Christians performing miracles greater than those attributed to Jesus. Not even any ‘new creations’ imbued with the Holy Spirit (‘by their fruits shall ye know them.’)
Apologists put a lot of effort into explaining away these failures, some even arguing the Kingdom is actually with us now (how incredibly disappointing it is if this is the case!) Most disappointing of all is that no Christian has ever resurrected from the dead. Not Paul, not Peter, Mary Magdalene nor any other early follower, and no-one since: not Martin Luther, Charles Wesley, C. S. Lewis, Billy Graham nor any bishop, minister or evangelist who has ever lived. All have remained resolutely dead, just like everyone else who has ever ‘fallen asleep’ and everyone who will in the future.
However much Christians want to insist the Bible is true, accurate and God-breathed, in the end it simply doesn’t deliver.
rejectingjesus, 
The failure to deliver is conveniently ignored.
The only thing that matters is putting on the show come Sunday. Time to put on your righteous, pious, we’re better than everybody else outfit kids!
Praise Jeebus!
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That’s the thing, isn’t it? It’s not one thing here or there. It’s everything. Once I gave myself permission to question my faith, it quickly became apparent there was nothing to support that faith.
Somehow Christianity is this tangle of lies and bullshit that western civilization has collectively decided to pretend is True™ or at least of value – somehow.
One of my first discussions, years ago, with Whatsisname was about the Adam and Eve story. God lies, the snake tells the truth, and Whatsisname couldn’t see it. God admits the snake was right – “He has become as one of us.” It’s like the editors put a big flashing sign in the first chapters of the book: “God is the bad guy!” and no one will admit the sign is there. No one can even see the sign.
There must be a clinical name for denial so deep and complete but I don’t know what it is. It’s like someone being pulled over by a cop who asks why they ran that red light back there and the motorist responds that there was no light and besides it was green – profoundly confident in both claims.
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IMO, they don’t care about “the sign.” Most are far more interested in what Gawd can do for them than they are the actual words in the bible. And the few that do pay attention to scripture are busy-busy-busy finding apologists that say/write what they themselves believe.
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