[TheRealVille]

Most of these ancient "healings" were the work of writers thousands of years ago. All we have to go on is legend and what is written, but that doesn't mean they actually occured. You've asked a a good question. Just because someone writes that they saw a miracle healing, or a whale swallow a man, or someone walk on water, doesn't necessarily mean it happened. Many of the ancient religions beginning 2 to 3 thousand years before Christianity also had healings, miracle workers, virgin births, sons of god(s), etc. These legends, stories, myths, dreams, visions, and so on, were handed down for centuries. Some of the writings of the Bible are from similar versions of things that happened hundreds of years before. The oral stories of supernatural occurances were common, and just like in today's world, as these oral stories were handed down through the generations they became a little more embellished and fantastic as they were told over and over again.

I think another good question is, 'Did God create man in his own image, or did man create God in their image'. If you notice, the Bible is full of laws and rules that were common in the days that it was written by man. It was definitely a man's world because women and children are treated about as bad as it gets, especially in the Old Testament. Men wrote the works over hundreds of years in the customs and culture of the times, and they wrote them to fit their own religious agendas for power and control. Some of their religious codes would seem outrageous today, I mean, what parent would stone their child to death for misbehaving or showing disrespect? Or permit a father to sell his daughter into slavery? (Exodus 21:20-21)

It is human nature, all the way back to prehistoric times, for man to use supernatural means to answer 3 basic questions: (1) How did we get here, or where did we come from? (2)How are we suppose to behave while we are here on Earth? (3) Where do we go after we die? And question #2 always provides the answer and solutions to question #3. Also, it helps to add a little incentive so the flock will fall in line, so almost all religions from caveman days to now have a built in sure way to get people to toe the line. It's called 'fear'. So, there must be some form of punishment, and the invention of Hell was the perfect answer. Without this fear factor there would probably be a reduction in the faith factor. So, you simply must have faith that miracles were performed as they are written about in the Bible. That is all the proof you are suppose to need. And, one more thing, don't ask questions or have doubts. Just believe.

The Jesus story, which is very, very similar to the Horus story was told 1500 years after Horus. Yes, there are many copy cat tales through the ages. But, the logic I have heard here and elsewhere, is comparing it to "Abe Lincoln and John F Kennedy" logic.