All religions are based on faith, but Christianity far more than others. All religions believe in something divine that is above us, Christianity goes a little bit further. Christianity goes further because it's the only religion that is trying to prove, with tangible evidence, their beliefs. Christ accompanied His preaching with miracles that went beyond human comprehension. He walked on water, commanded the elements, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead. In short, He preached with something tangible for people to see. Finally, He announced his death and resurrection. If anyone could think of Him as a great magician or illusionist, then that would signify that after he died, he could no longer have an effect on the people of this earth. His own disciples, although they were eyewitnesses of his miracles, were tested; they did not expect His resurrection. After His death, they went back to their jobs and did not expect anything more to happen until the women in the bible story, especially Mary Magdalene, told them the good news they ran to the sepulcher. Now these people, not only were they partakers of His sermons and miracles in life, but they also became eyewitnesses of the greatest event for mankind: the chance to live after death. If this message was true, it would mean eternal life existed. One of them, nevertheless, remained skeptical, namely Thomas. He did not believe at first. He didn't trust their testimonies. He wanted to reach out and touch. Jesus stayed with them for 40 days, eating with them, passing through walls. It was not a dream or a collective illusion, but a real sharing of real life, with more lessons, until Jesus disappeared into the sky in front of them. Some might think that all this was a fabrication of the apostles, such as the Jews wanted to believe. What good would this earn for the disciples? Money? Honor? Anything else? None of this, these people were embarked in an unparalleled preaching work. They left their families and went around Asia and Europe bearing their testimony. They crossed mountains, valleys and seas, according to their narrative, between mockery and brutality. Reading acts and, especially Paul's epistles, they shows incredible stoicism, Stephen dies bearing his testimony, Peter in the Sanhedrin must defend himself and then he is imprisoned and so on. What about Paul? One of the most bitter enemies of the faith that speaks of an unusual event on the road to Damascus. A hallucination? He didn't see in that way, not only he changed his life, the vision changed him from persecutor to be persecuted. The letters he wrote are the most spiritual to be found between all the scriptures. These people MUST have learned and know these things to be true, they would not have staged a farce, only to be persecuted and killed. The villains, usually, when uncovered they do not want to pay the price of their iniquity, the disciples paid the price of their honesty. Why this thing is not universally accepted? Because it is unusual and contrary to the experience of each of us. Because our minds do not get to understand it and what we do not understand we usually refuse it. Triumph over death? Look at this reaction. Acts 17: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32 ¶And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. There are real things, which we refer to every day, we cannot see, feel or touch, yet they are real for us. Time, thought, dreams, can science touch them? Weigh them? Or better yet play them or change them? No, but they are familiar for us. One thing unites the scientist and the believer: faith in what they believe.
About the Author: Born in Prato, Italy, Massimo Franceschini is the author of numerous books, all of them are Bible studies. Massimo is known in the internet comunity as Doctor Bible. He owns a web page at Docbible.net Massimo now lives in San Tan Valley, Arizona with his wife Teresa. He has six children and 16 grandchildren. He loves Bible studies, mysteries, soccer, and movies. He moved to the USA in 1995 and now is an American citizen. He served two Mission for the LDS Church in Italy Rome Mission 2010- 2011 and 2013-14