What Is Evidence From A Christian Point Of View?

[Dead & Grateful]

A lot of times on this forum, I read Christians saying, "I observe so much evidence of a God in life", or "the evidence all around us makes my faith stronger".

So the question is simple: What constitutes as evidence to you Christians, and why?

Please answer both parts of the question.

Also, I'd rather this not turn into a religious debate. If non-Christians like me want to post in this thread, please be respectable and only ask questions you have for Christian posters, please don't criticize or try to prove their statements "wrong". I'm going to try to follow this guideline myself.

EDIT: To Christians: Please also describe evidence outside of the Bible, as I don't see how that proves anything. Modern-day is preferable.

[TomStrife]

Well, I just see how when people turn to God their whole lifestyle changes from the better. They just seem to be more happy about things since they, as I, am a 100% I am going to Heaven. I just think I can see God molding and chanigng people's lives who turn to him and they end up being happier than the were before. That's my four cents.

EDIT: As for the evidence around us, this may sound week, but I just can't imagine a world that was created out of remnants of a Supernova to be as beautiful as it is. How everyone around us is perfect. Not the world itself, but just how everything was made. The stars in the sky, beautiful scenery, ect. Just try thinking up a new color. Can't do it? God can.

Now, Dead & Graceful, not to shower you with flattery but you, as well as Odin (Wintermetal), and Sasqutach and other members are really smart and have a very intelligent way of thinking. I can admit I'm just some sophmore in High School that barely knows anything, but I do know more about my religion than you so I can provide you with this information. I just felt like clearing that up since I was under the impression you thought I was ignorant and I wouldn't admit in pass topics of religion-related issues.

[hotmangaspikes]

I am a "Christian" for many reasons coming from Ireland you have it drilled into you throughout society and have even got it marked from birth from the age of 0, Through my own experience I think this is a cruel indoctrinisation process. I see the evidence of god around me in the vacant stares of my brainwashed peers and in the many overfunded christian convent schools that make life hell for students with a different perspective on christianity. I know im wandering a little off subject but why are there christian charities set up to help people in africa when the church promotes the sale of nestle products in its school vending machines. nestle is a huge problem in africa. yet another contradiction courtesy of the christian church. don't get offended anyone...
P.s reminds me a little of the church of yevon (except without the cool hymn)

[Anomaly]

I seriously doubt you're a christian in anything but name. Each to their own, I suppose.

Evidence, Dead and Grateful? To the faithful, evidence can be a simple matter of belief. It may be evident to us that God has healed someone through the power of prayer...while someone else would say it was simpley a combination of positive thinking, good health care, and coincidence. Most evidence presented by the faithful is paper thin when set upon by the skeptical mind. There can be an explaination for anything and everything, and it can all say 'You're wrong, it was not God, it was this instead'.

The faithful will believe how they want, even and most especially, about the evidence that makes up the foundations of their faith. Evidence of God can be healing for some. It can be good fortune for others. It can be in the answers of prayers. It can even simpley be awe and wonder at a cosmos that is mostly inexplicable, unexplainable, and beautiful.

All of this evidence, I'm sure, would amount to little more than ignorance, if not out right self delusion to the skeptical mind. But as you've said before, trying to compare something based on belief, which is basically influenced by opinion, and something like concrete evidence, which is based on broadly accepted fact, is very difficult.

So it is with me. My evidence is just for me, it isn't for anyone else, its nothing I care to try and prove to anyone else either. The simple fact is that my evidence was a personal experience...one I wish everyone could have, but one you have to ask for. It's very hard to ask someone you don't think exists for something...for some kind of proof. Some would say its blasphemous to do so.

What constitutes as evidence to me, but not to most christians in this day and age, is described as 'The in-filling of the Holy Spirit'. It's unbelievable by most people, and unsupportable save amoung those who have also experienced it. You see, thats where it stops being faith...thats where it stops being belief. You just know...you know God is there because you have felt him. Not many christian churches teach that..most of them are far more concerned with the social part of things. so when you say 'you christians' I hope your prepared to get a lot of differing answers. At the same time, I doubt you'll get many...this place is too hostile and this age is too far removed from such concepts as Holiness, Piety, and Salvation to even be considered without something of a tongue in cheek attitude.

I suppose the other flaw here is that even with concrete evidence, you can argue over what that evidence means. with evidence based on experience and faith, you only have one persons word to go on and trying to argue over its meaning with them will simpley end in them saying 'you don't understand'. But thats fine too...there are a lot of things in this world that we're not likely to ever understand.

You could be right...maybe some people are just happier believing in an afterlife...maybe some people are happy just going to a big social event at the end of every week. I'm sure thats the case really. Some, but not all, and I don't simpley refer to those that shun christianity all together. That again, I'm sure, is something difficult to understand.

[Angantyr]

As I grew up I was raised Christian, I did not really care and only chose to because my mother was really religious. I use to always question my faith but not until I became much older did I feel that maybe Christianity is a lie.

What convinces me as evidence is simply Logic. What humans know is simply astonishing compared to what we use to know but compared to what there is to know I feel we have only scratched the surface. The "Morals" which people live by are a stem from Christianity, but I feel they are based around what they want rather than what makes sense.

The whole Good vs Evil thing is man made, an animal only gains a sense of "good" as it is taught to be good. Where as in the Wild animals have their own sense of what they feel, not some govermental state developed for a society. The reason I say this is cause a lot of people seem to base their lives around the concept of "good" is what they are told is good and "Evil" is everything they don't like in society.

I do not base my feelings towards something from somebody elses view, I take a look at the "Evidence" and evalulate it for myself. For example most stereo types are actually mostly true, but there sometimes is not a full picture, for example basing personallity on hair colour:

Red heads are indeed quite fiesty, my ex was one BUT one thing that I've noticed is that red heads are good thinkers and when the argue they cover most of their basis. As for Blondes, they are not stupid but they are all quite happy. Of the friends I've been with 3 where blonde, the 2 guys were always the top of the class AND they tended to have the "blonde" kind of thing about them. As for the Girl I haven't spoken to her in ages but she was a bit differant, she wasn't as intelligent as the guys (Not saying she was stupid) but she was not ditzy or anything. Anybody seen Gundam Seed with that blonde girl who gets stuck on that island with the guy from the Cordinaters? Kind of similar except she was a punk chick.

Overall I feel "most" of what is told is true BUT as somebody else here said, there is always chance that something can not be 100% Accurate. And I believe this is what starts the biggest arguements: a tiny disagreement in what is true and what isn't.

[animorpher]

This isn't really evidence but i think that everyone has moments where they wonder whether or not God is real. I am a christian and i have loads of moments like this. What decides it for most people is whether or not they were brought up as a christian. I have moments of thinking God dosn't exist but i always go back to thinking he does. People not brought up as a christian might wonder whether God is real but will probally go back to thinking he dosn't.

If this dosn't apply to you...ah well Plus if you don't understand, i am only 11 and not very good at explaining things.