BIBLE’S DIVINE ORIGIN

Simple Faith, or is there Proof?

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

All matters are considered “true” and “real”—religion included—only when proven. And proof exists only with witnesses: either first-hand knowledge we personally witnessed, or second-hand knowledge we learn of that was witnessed by masses. We don’t believe every story, but when masses testify to witnessing an event, we dismiss conspiracy as so many people can’t share a common motive to lie (Rabbi Israel Chait). 

Now, do we use proof always, or are the matters better left to faith? Should religion be a matter of faith, or should religion follow reason and proof like science? How do we determine this answer?

We all wish to live following God. How do we determine His true will? “Truth” and “reality” refer to any concept that complies with what exits: creations, people, natural laws or events. For example, gravity is a natural “truth,” as we witness all objects fall, and satellites revolve around Earth. Thus, gravity complies with existence, so we say gravity is truth and reality. The moon is a “real” truthful object, as it is witnessed. In contrast, astrological powers are not real, as astrological claims are not validated by reality. And World Wars I and II are “truths” as masses witnessed them both. While claims of UFOs, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster are false as they lack witnesses. And math is “real” as we see its formulas comply with nature. As Maimonides taught, we accept as true that which our senses detect, and which our minds demand must be so, such as 2+2=4. If we leave home and see our front window intact, but return later to a smashed window, we need not witness anything to know some object clearly penetrated the window causing the now broken glass. Reason dictates real events.

In all cases, we determine truth based on reason, witnesses or proof. But what about religion? Is determining which religion as God’s true religion, to be subjected to the same rigorous test of proofs and reason? Or is faith more proper when following religion? Which one does God demand of us?

We certainly would not accept a job “on faith” that that one will pay us 12 months later for all our labors. We would not ingest a doctor’s prescribed medicine without first knowing the doctor is in fact a doctor with a track record of healing his patients. And we would not drive our car over a mile-high drawbridge while it is open, with faith that it will close by the time we reach the edge. We don’t gamble with matters that risk our livelihood, health and our very lives. But for some reason, people are willing to gamble simple faith or belief when to comes to religion; they don’t seek proof that their religion—of the many that exist—is truly God’s religion. 

As all religions conflict, they cannot all be correct. Either God’s will is that man follow one leader and his ideas, or the other leader and his opposing ideas. But God cannot ask that man follow contradictory views, just as God does not wish man to both accept and deny his senses. Either God despises worshipping man, that He alone be served…or He accepts man praying to man. Both cannot be God’s will. 

We arrive at the realization that even in religion, reason and proof reveal that conflicting religions cannot both be God’s will for mankind. God must have one religion He wants man to follow…the religion He gave man. Which one is it? 

This idea of a single true religion complies with reality, as God created only one human species. All men and women descend from the first Adam and Eve. And even without knowing this Biblical fact, the world recognizes all humans are identical in bodily design of primary features, like a heart, lungs and brain, and are identical in mental design like our preferred emotions of happiness and love and our shared dislike of pain and sorrow. There’s no doubt about our identical human design, regardless of hair or skin color, facial features or accents: “We all bleed red” (Rivkah Nachmias). 

A single human species exists regardless of race, and is best treated identically for illnesses: all cancer patients (Asians, Africans, Europeans, Semites, Eskimos) are identically best treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy…and bacteria infections are best treated with antibiotics. As there is no variation in treating illnesses, it is wrong to differ in the treatment of philosophical and religious beliefs. One religion should best treat the human mind and emotions, offering man the greatest happiness, just as one medical cure best treats the identical human body. 

But somehow, the world has accepted religions as God-given without any validation. One reason for this lack of demand for proof, is that religion does not present one with any immediate risk. People think, “Nothing happens to me based on my religious choice. So nothing forces me to prove my religion as true.” Also, people are influenced by others, and by reputations, and one follows a religion based on the need for acceptance by others. People also assume their inherited religion is the true religion, as if the group you belong to is inherently correct. Well, everyone says that…a slight problem. 

Over time, masses attract masses, and attract greater followings…although never proven to be God’s word. But no follower can defend how their religion is more validated than the next. No one stops and thinks, “What makes my religion true? Maybe it’s false. Maybe God never originated my religion. Maybe the other religion is God’s true religion and  mine is man-made.” 

A religion cannot be validated as God-given, merely by numbers of followers. If that were the case, the world is in one great contradiction, as there are masses following Christianity, masses following Islam and many following others. Therefore, something other than followers must determine if a religion is from God, or if it is false and man-made, as most must be. Reason must be employed to answer this crucial question.

Proof of a Religion

What must be the criteria for determining which religion is God’s religion? As we realize reason and proof are inescapable tools to determine reality, the reality of God’s religion too must be subjected to validation by reason and proof. 

God is merciful, He did not leave man without an answer. For when He gave His religion to mankind, He incorporated certain elements into that event so there is no confusion of His true, one religion for His one human species. He created a proof.

No religion except  Bible/Judaism claims masses witnessed miracles. All other religions make claims, but a claim without mass witnesses of miracles does not prove anything. There exists no verbal transmission of mass witnesses of any miracles regarding Jesus, Mohammed or others. In fact, not only Judaism, but Christianity and Islam accept God’s revelation to 2 million Jews at Mt. Sinai 3337 years ago when God gave His Bible to Moses and the Children of Israel, Abraham’s grandson. Bible lists dates, family names, heads of tribes and the total offspring of each of the 12 sons of Israel. Bible lists the journeys and encampments of the Jews from Egypt to Sinai, and from Sinai throughout the 40 years in the desert. 50 days after leaving Egypt, God gave His Bible to the Jews, and this was amidst great miracles: a voice emanating from fire, earthquakes, a ram’s horn blast and the mountain shaking (Exod. 19, Deut. 4). And all this was immediately subsequent to God instructing Moses to “assemble the people” (Deut. 4:10), a people previously named by tribe and numbers totaling men 20 and above at 600,000…2 million Jews in total (Exod. 12:37, Num. 1:46, Num. 26:51 ). This remains the only event in history where masses witnessed miracles, specifically the miracle of God communicating a religion, where God gave Moses miraculous sapphire tablets with 10 Commands “inscribed” inside them, an impossible feat for man. Never again did God give man a religion. Search history, you will learn this is fact.

God orchestrated His revelation in such a manner so there could be no denial of this event, no denial of His only religion, and no denial of whom would now be His emissaries to man. This precise orchestration was God’s intent for man to believe in Him and His only religion, based on proof, not faith, as faith requires no evidence and therefore, proves nothing.

The Jews are no superior to any other human. It is only that Abraham was the only monotheist in his time, in a world steeped in idolatry that God chose him to teach mankind. God wished to remedy the world of man’s great error of deifying man, deifying stars, animals and stone gods, and God did so by gifting man with His Bible. God made a pact with Abraham and his seed from Israel and his 12 tribes that this Jewish nation study and teach His Bible to the world. 

Yet over time, the sibling rivalry of other people denied God’s words and His chosen nation, and violated His command (Deut. 13:1) not to add to the Bible by creating a New Testament and a Koran. The New Testament’s claim to reject the Jew is that God exchanged his chosen people, and the Koran takes credit for giving Moses to the Jews. Both are lies. Through these 2 distortions these new religions attempted to validate themselves as God’s true word and reject God’s Bible. But they lacked the only validation of Divine communication possessed only by the Jews: mass witnesses of miracles. 

We now see that God ensured that His only religion would pass the same test of truth as any reality. All other religions fail to offer proof, explaining why there is great anti-Semitism: the world recognizes the truth of Bible and their own lack of proof, which explains their demand for blind faith. It also explains their hate of God’s truth through hating the Jew. 

The Jew’s mission is to share God’s only words with all mankind. The prophet Jeremiah teaches eventually all man kind will follow their minds and confess “we have inherited falsehood from our fathers, futility that offers no help” (Jer. 16:19). 

Jews are not humanly special or different, we all descend from Adam. But we do have a special mission to teach the world. When reason is applied to religion, the world will realize that all religions except Bible are without proof of divine origin. 

All matters are considered true and real—religion included—only when proven. And proof exists only when something is witnessed. No other religion offers proof of their claims. And as God desires man uses reason and proof, man should accept only God’s Bible as His only religion.