That there was a man named Jesus with a small 'religious' following (Koresh had more followers at his death) executed by Romans...probably not a myth.
That he was born from a virgin that god screwed while she was firmly engaged (Joseph shoulda been quicker getting a ring on it, I guess?), preformed 'miracles', died by choice, or 'for us' (rather than 'was murdered by the state for doing religion wrong'), waked on water (unless it was frozen, then I can too) healed sick, disabled, and blind (but never ever an amputee, what's up with that, Jebus?), was an articulate friendly vegetarian zombie in his later days, and all the other magic stuff attributed to him....that's all the myth part...and is totally unnecessary to impart the good lessons he tried to teach, like inclusion, acceptance,tolerance of, and love for even those who looked or thought differently...or the golden rule...treat others as you would have them treat you...but those are the lessons remembered the least by his fans (and he has very few actual followers).
I prefer Aesop.

Hey kceaton1,

I'm sorry to hear about the narcolepsy and sleep paralysis. I remember watching a video someone put out recently (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PuvXpv0yDM) that sort of explained what it is like and it didn't seem like very much fun. I can't really imagine what you're going through. I have a friend who has narcolepsy but it must be a mild version because it seems like she kind of winds up to it and comes out of it pretty easy.

In regards to your question, I appreciate you not writing off my response as one thing or another. In regards to supernatural experiences, I can see why you have a lot of skepticism as well. You have experienced things on the order of what you've heard other people call supernatural experiences, but you have a natural explanation for them.

Having a supernatural experience can be hard to quantify, and usually when God is revealing something to you, it goes beyond sense impressions. You could perhaps write some of them off as one thing or another but three experiences in particular stand out to me as being undeniable. They aren't necessary what led me to Christ but they really defy any kind of naturalistic explanation.

The first was from before I was a Christian, when I was into the new age. At the time I was exploring a lot of eastern spiritual practices. There is one in particular, which I wont go into detail about, that for a few minutes allowed me to see with my eyes closed. When I was in the shower one day I closed my eyes to rinse my hair and when I did I was utterly shocked and amazed to be looking right at my feet and the water falling down upon them. It was real time and the only difference from normal vision was it had kind of an energetic haze over everything, kind of matrix looking. It was otherworldly but still completely in sync with my normal vision when I opened my eyes.

I wasn't hallucinating because I was able to test it in real time by opening and closing my eyes and looking at various things. It was all completely consistent and completely real. I could see what was going on to minute detail with my eyes closed and when I opened them everything matched perfectly, and vice versa. I wasn't dreaming because I immediately got out of the shower and told my then significant other who would vouch for that happening. It didn't last long but I did experience it and there isn't a naturalistic explanation.

The second thing that happened to me is that is undeniable is that I was physically healed by a Christian praying over me. My left leg used to be shorter than my right leg by a quarter inch. I know this because I measured it a few times and it caused me to walk somewhat unevenly. The man prayed for someone else who had the same problem except worse, and I saw their leg grow out and even up with the other. When I saw that I asked to be prayed for and the same thing happened to me. I know it did because I measured my legs and they are exactly the same length. I also had to learn how to walk correctly after this happened. Again, no naturalistic explanation.

The third thing happened at my baptism. I knew I needed to get baptized, although at the time I didn't really understand what it was all about. When I got baptized, it completely changed me. The easiest way to described it is, when I went into the water I was one person, and when I came back up I was a different person. Different in this sense, that I was cleansed on the inside. Emotionally and spiritually, it was like a thick black sludge had been removed from the walls of my heart. An emotional weight had been lifted, depression and anger and sadness disappeared; it was replaced with an incredible lightness, with true peace and joy. This wasn't superficial; I was utterly changed. I was a different and better (healed)person, and on top of that I could sense the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit, from that moment on until now.

People have given me different explanations; hallucinations, psychotic break, etc. I've have a lot of experience with people who have mental illness; the things that happen to them aren't positive, they're negative. When they think they have entered Nirvana, their behavior is completely off and often self-destructive. Delusional psychosis doesn't heal, it hurts. One way or another, the whole thing is going to unravel because it isn't real. What has happened to me is very real and I experience Gods love, care and guidance every day of my life. The Lord is good, and He is faithful; He cares even about the little things of my life.

I am a Christian not simply because I have seen miracles, it is because I believe the gospel. I know I am a sinner and that I need a Savior. I know that Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for my sins and was raised to life on the third day. The Lord has made that clear to me and I don't have any trouble agreeing with Him. He gave it all for me; why should I do any less? Before I knew the Lord I was resigned to a meaningless death. Today, I have a living hope. But I didn't come to be a Christian because I am afraid of death. I came to be a Christian because God revealed Himself to me, that He created me for a reason, and that my true fulfillment and purpose can only be found in Him. Since I have given my life to Jesus Christ, I have found that to be completely true, in ways I could never have imagined. My life affirms the truth of this scripture:

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Ephesians 3:21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever. Amen.

For what it's worth, I'm fairly certain it wasn't an oven-mitt the guy was using, but one of those textured mittens that are specifically made for grooming cats.

http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Coat-Cat-Grooming-Mitt/dp/B0041OSWEM

You wouldn't consider Jesus to be an authority, even though He predicted His own death and resurrection, did countless miracles, and was in fact raised from the dead? It seems like you have set the bar ridiculously high here. What would it take to convince you?

There will be such a person in the last days who will do miracles and appear to be raised from the dead, and the whole world will follow after him and worship him. The bible calls this man the Antichrist.

Even if we accept that every earthly miracle in the Bible happened, such as seas parting, water being turned to wine, and dozens or hundreds of people being brought back to life, that still doesn't mean that one guy's explanation is worth considering. Further, we couldn't examine his claim in any useful way since it says that the cause is supernatural.

A Christmas Miracle.

No Bob, just no. That is not correct on any point. (except that we were a republic...but a democratic representative republic)
I went to one of the best private schools in America, Kinkaid in Houston, and they DID teach civics (and history) quite well, thank you.
Last year I also read a great book about what really happened, taken directly from the notes of those who were there at the Philadelphia constitutional convention in 1787, called "Miracle At Philadelphia" which I suggest you read.
We have always been a democratic representative republic. It was what the founding fathers set up. It is not a 'trend' of the last few centuries. I can't fathom what you are referencing.
Perhaps you reference us having the electoral college, which are 'elected' representatives that actually elect our governing representatives, as opposed to a true direct democracy? That is not a new, or evolving thing either.
The constitution is not a history lesson, it's a civics lesson. Miracle at Philadelphia is history. Check it out.

Only real miracle on young earth "theory" is how everything had to be disguised to look like the earth was really really old...

Hi Fihh,

I don't know anything about this woman or her youtube channel, but I think her essential point is that these things are printed in textbooks as absolute fact without any proof beyond weak, circumstantial evidence. As a former evolutionist and true believer in the secular creation story, I was absolutely floored to find out the evidence isn't there for how life began (or how it supposedly evolved into what it is today).

And this is the point I would make, that you do have faith in this narrative. There isn't any proof for abiogenesis and you really have to believe that life came from non living sources, such as rocks and water. When you examine the complexity of what would need to happen to even have the minimal number of amino acids be generated, let alone be functional together, you are faced with odds greater than the number of electrons in the Universe, making the event, if it did happen, a bonified miracle.

It's not really necessary to disprove the theory of darwinian evolution, however, if the time isn't available for what they claim to have happened, to happen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYpkbCgSNtU

You're seemingly bothered by the semantic difference between "gives" and "grants" or "guarantees". Guarantees would have been a better word, but the idea that this is "indoctrination" in ...what exactly?...seems silly and totally reactionary.
Read "Miracle In Philadelphia", it gives a GREAT idea of what went on, along with tons of details mostly unknown.
EDIT: For instance, did you know that Ben Franklin was often carried in on a 'sedan chair' (or it's non-covered equivalent) carried by prisoners on 'work release'?!
While the bill of rights does use that wording, it's the government that secures those rights FOR you...or to say it another way, 'gives' you (security in them).
"Power", in the form of the continental congress, "Gave" you those rights (EDIT: by codifying them in our laws and our basic outline for government/governing). I say they are certainly NOT "god given inalienable rights" which is proven by the fact that many people do NOT have them around the world. If they were truly "god given inalienable rights", they could not be removed or ignored by anyone, could they?
It may be poor wording, but indoctrination? Come on. What are the Texas School Boards "history" text books then? Now THEY re-write history.

It looked like the car did it's absolute best to avoid the last girl in the group as it knew she would not move.. A bit of a miracle. And agree, sitting where the trajectory would take a car that's out of control is quite stupid.

Oh man, that moment when the board starts to wiggle.. Scary feeling and you can't stop that vibration once it starts, you know it's bail time.

I had to once bail from 50km/h back in the eighties, the moment my feet touched the ground on that speed, man... I took two strides and went over ten meters with each and they HURT, "BLAM, BLAM".. But staid upright, small scrapes from tunnel wall and very very sore soles. Didn't go for top speed after that one. Speed was measured as there were a very busy roadway parallel and the minimum speed is 50km/h in that point, usually more.. And we were passing cars... No helmets, no kneepads, just fingerless gloves, t-shirt and jeans. It is a small miracle i'm still alive.

You may think that, I think in most instances it's neither only stupidity nor solely delusion, but it can be just complete ignorance. I point to miracle surgeons in South America that convince uneducated people that they can reach inside their body and pull out organs. They believe it because they don't know better and they're delusional usually. If they knew basic physiology, it would be much harder for them to delude themselves.
As to 'Another language, I can speak that.', I point to Peggy Hill (and those real people like her). With her, it's ignorance of the subject paired with ignorance of her own ability, at least as I see it.
I have actually known people who said things like 'calculus, probably something I can just do.' that quickly dropped AP calculus when they learned differently. They were completely ignorant of what it was, or the base math knowledge needed to learn it and maybe deluded about their own skills. When the ignorance was cleared up, the delusion evaporated.
My point is, delusion is far more difficult if not impossible without ignorance.
EDIT: please see above for how I see dumb and stupid as different.

From one of the links above:

"People are constantly hearing that so called als is termed incurable, and still they search for healed of als or cured of als stories, als survivors and “als miracles”.

Well, the people doing those searches are onto something, and you don’t need a miracle, to solve, survive, or “cure” als. As with any health problem, solving nerve health problems so called diagnosed as als just takes changing your ideas and ways and doing the work it takes to get yourself healthy. In other words, instead of waiting for a miracle or a cure for als, people can solve the problem themselves, and many have done so.

In many places, they don’t even use the term als. They just call it motor neuron disease, which sounds less like some entity attacking people and more like heart disease or something else that people realize is just a health problem that can be solved by making the right choices and adjustments.

Knowledge is power and it’s also the cure for als.

So, by following these links you can find stories of people who have done well at healing themselves, or curing als naturally, and you can find inspiration and information that you can use to heal yourself, as more people are doing all the time."

No, if something is tested and works then that is no longer "alternative medicine", it is simply "medicine". The classic example is aspirin, which is derived from the bark of a willow tree. It was then tested and has now been accepted as medicine.

Just because the FDA accepts woo for political purposes, doesn't make it science.

As for FDA approval of St Johns Wort, there is some dispute about the bias of these studies, as it is unexplained why it works so much better in Germany http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000448.pub3/full#CD000448-sec1-0005.

But for the sake of argument, let's assume there's plenty of evidence to support it. Again the answer is to streamline the approval process, not just let any muppet with some potpourri market it as a miracle cure.

I would much rather people pay 10 times the cost for medicine that actually works, and even better, doesn't kill people.

Of course, if you lived in a country with a sane healthcare system, you wouldn't actually worry about this, because in most of the world, it's considered poor form to let your citizens die from treatable diseases ,just because they can't pay for it.

Again, it's really simple, either you understand and accept the scientific method or you don't. Healthcare is complex and requires a lot of work to determine if something actually works. That costs money. It's unfortunate, but the results don't lie.