>Tracy,
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>>Hmmmmmmmmmmm wonder what the dead sea scrolls have to say about that?
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>Well, I'll take that as an honest (non sarcastic) question. Prior to the discovery of the scrolls the most extant version of the book if Isaiah was dated to around 700AD. Inside one of the jars was a copy dated to around 300 BC, a difference of about 1,000 years. There were for all intents an exact match! So, when the version that said in AD 700 that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem it was saying exactly the same as the one that was written in 300 BC. I'd recommend you do a little research. It's interesting stuff..



There were, if I remember correctly, only 52 descrepencies, none of which cast doubt or clouded the meanings of any segment. The writings had to be reproduced every 70 or so years, because of wear and tare, and more frequently to product copies for other groups of interested people. Why were the Jews so careful in their work of copying? They were enjoined to keep the "letter" of the Law. If the "letter" of the Law could not be faithfully reproduced from one generation to the next then faithful adherence could not be required. At the Roman destruction of Jeruselum in 70 AD, Jew dispersed over the known world, and took copies of the "Law, the Prophets and the Writings" with them. To have a copy of Isaiah written in 300AD in Israel compare so precisely to ones written 1,000 years later, in Europe and Africa leads some marvel at the techniques used and others to believe in divine intervention. The Scripture suggests the latter.


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>> Even if you believe that Jesus is alive and the rest are dead, because Jesus rose from the dead according to your bible, he didn't stay around, did he?
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><g>
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>Yes and no. <g>
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>> One is as alive as the other because it is the faith of the followers that keeps the faith alive, not a religious savior no longer in the flesh.
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>Nope.. In the flesh. He ate food post-crucifixion & resurrection.
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>> Many followers of many other religions believe as fervently as you that their book is the 'true' book of god and that their religion is the only 'true' religion. All roads lead to 'god.' Let's be happy if we each find a road at least, who cares which road it is.
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>Well, as I mentioned to Hilmar, if you're actually serious about learning about this stuff from an objective pov I'd recommend you get Josh McDowell's book, "Evidence that Demands a Verdict".