Faith From Evidence  is a free web-based ministry designed to help church groups teach an apologetics program
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    • What is the Gospel?
    • What is apologetics?
    • What is truth?
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    • Seven major views of god
    • What are some of the attributes of God?
    • Are faith and reason contradictory?
    • Classical arguments for the existence of God
    • Is atheism rational?
    • Making an atheist doubt
    • What is an agnostic?
    • What is the Socratic Method?
    • Recognizing flawed arguments
    • Isn't the Bible just a book of myths?
    • What is a worldview?
    • Uniqueness of the Christian worldview
    • What's wrong with karma?
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    • What is naturalism?
    • Problems with naturalism
    • What is the Theory of Evolution?
    • Problems with Evolution
    • The Fossil Record
    • What is Intelligent Design?
    • Is the universe designed?
    • Is the solar system designed?
    • Design and the molecule
    • Understanding Genesis Chpt 1
    • Who was Jesus?
    • Evidence for the resurrection
    • Jesus vs. other "prophets"
    • Jesus in the Old Testament
    • Is Jesus God himself?
    • Is the Bible inspired?
    • What is hermeneutics?
    • How did we get our Bible?
    • Is the New Testament reliable?
    • Is the Old Testament reliable?
    • Contradictions and the Bible
    • Evil, Suffering and a loving God
    • Old Testament killing and a loving God
    • Does the Bible support slavery?
    • Can we be good without God?
    • Is religion good for society?
    • Were most wars religious wars?
    • The origins of human rights
    • The origins of modern science
    • The origins of public education
    • The origins of modern charity
    • Christianity and art history
    • Christianity and architecture
    • Christianity and politics
    • Marriage and the Bible
    • Same-sex marriage
    • Abortion, science and the Bible
    • Hate crime legislation
    • Taxation and the Bible
    • Feminism and the Bible
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    • Separation of Church and state
    • Was the Bible written to control the masses
    • Radical Muslim vs. Radical Christian
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Isn’t the Bible Just a Book of Myths?
In the atheists' relentless attacks on Christianity, they have attempted to label the Bible as a book of myths. Despite the fact that for centuries, archaeologists have used it as a guide to uncover many lost civilizations, including Babylon, which was long thought to be a mythical society. Of course their claim lacks knowledge of both the Bible and mythology. Myths are cosmic tails of supernatural events in the distant past which include superhuman heroes or gods who take on human characteristics, none of which can be verified. The Bible on the other hand reads more like a history book than mythology.  


Christian Bible vs. Mythology
Hindu Mythology - The creation of the world is described in several ways. One of the oldest creation myths in the Rigveda (RV 10.121) had Being come into existence as a cosmic golden egg and later that the universe was created out of the mangled limbs of Purusha, a magnified non-natural man, who was sacrificed by the gods.  In the Puranas, Vishnu in the shape of a boar, plunged into the cosmic waters and brought forth the earth. According to Hindus there were in all twelve ferocious battles fought between the gods over the control of the three worlds. Weapons included swords, daggers, spears, clubs, shields, bows, and lightening.  The text also mentions various divine weapons by various heroes, each associated with a certain god or deity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_mythology

Christian Bible Luke 1:1-5 - Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 

The Christian Bible goes to great lengths to call out names of people, cities, titles, foods, buildings and describe historical events in detail. This really sets Christianity apart from other holy books in that it can be analyzed on its historical validity, which has fared perfectly.  Of course there are many events yet to be verified, but the thousands of events that have been verified support the accuracy of the stories that unfold throughout the text. Given this kind of accuracy, the Bible should be given the benefit of the doubt on events yet to be verified.  


Now does the Bible contain supernatural events that are not verifiable.  Of course.  The parting of the Red Sea would be hard, if not impossible to verify.  But even here, God uses natural forces (wind) to accomplish his purpose which is very different from mythology.  I Corinthians 15:14 …and if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain and so is your faith. The Christian religion is rooted in historical events, primarily the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. There is substantial evidence to believe that this event actually happened. “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). 
Conclusion: Christianity is rooted in historical events that are well documented by eyewitness accounts, myths are legends about supernatural events which are unverifiable. 


Articles

Did the Hebrew Writers Borrow from Ancient Near Eastern Mythology?  Dewayne Bryant, M.A.
Pagan Mythology and the Bible Garry K. Brantley 
Mythology and the Bible  Eric Lyons
Copyright © 2015 FaithFromEvidence.org
  • Home
  • About
    • About this Ministry
    • How to use the material
    • Ministry Purpose
    • About the Curriculum
    • Statement of Faith
    • About our Team
  • Education
    • Course Curriculum
    • Course Powerpoints
    • Course on Video
    • Course on Audio
    • Course on Video HD
  • Short Videos
  • Topics
    • What is the Gospel?
    • What is apologetics?
    • What is truth?
    • Is truth relative?
    • Seven major views of god
    • What are some of the attributes of God?
    • Are faith and reason contradictory?
    • Classical arguments for the existence of God
    • Is atheism rational?
    • Making an atheist doubt
    • What is an agnostic?
    • What is the Socratic Method?
    • Recognizing flawed arguments
    • Isn't the Bible just a book of myths?
    • What is a worldview?
    • Uniqueness of the Christian worldview
    • What's wrong with karma?
    • Secular Humanism
    • What is naturalism?
    • Problems with naturalism
    • What is the Theory of Evolution?
    • Problems with Evolution
    • The Fossil Record
    • What is Intelligent Design?
    • Is the universe designed?
    • Is the solar system designed?
    • Design and the molecule
    • Understanding Genesis Chpt 1
    • Who was Jesus?
    • Evidence for the resurrection
    • Jesus vs. other "prophets"
    • Jesus in the Old Testament
    • Is Jesus God himself?
    • Is the Bible inspired?
    • What is hermeneutics?
    • How did we get our Bible?
    • Is the New Testament reliable?
    • Is the Old Testament reliable?
    • Contradictions and the Bible
    • Evil, Suffering and a loving God
    • Old Testament killing and a loving God
    • Does the Bible support slavery?
    • Can we be good without God?
    • Is religion good for society?
    • Were most wars religious wars?
    • The origins of human rights
    • The origins of modern science
    • The origins of public education
    • The origins of modern charity
    • Christianity and art history
    • Christianity and architecture
    • Christianity and politics
    • Marriage and the Bible
    • Same-sex marriage
    • Abortion, science and the Bible
    • Hate crime legislation
    • Taxation and the Bible
    • Feminism and the Bible
    • Discrimination and the Bible
    • Separation of Church and state
    • Was the Bible written to control the masses
    • Radical Muslim vs. Radical Christian
  • Shop
    • Books
    • DVDs
  • Jesus Saves
    • What is Salvation?
    • Why Jesus?
  • Contact Us
    • Have a question
    • Copyright
    • FAQ