What does earthquake mean to Christian and religions?

[Dcitizen]

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent... Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

That quake must be very big to open tomb stones and destroy the temple of the chief priests, and people were scared to death and then said Jesus was really the Son of God.

What can Christian learn one of the last lesson from Jesus? Does this mean whenever the holy one is deep down to the earth, or is treated badly and depart, then the earth would shake as a reply?

[TwentyFive]

1. Conservative Christians hate Science.

So, whatever Pat Robertson says the earthquake means...that is the last word on earthquakes.

Until Pat, Jerry or James speak, they are clueless.

[Dcitizen]

3. Science is just a part of God's sciences.

Religions appear strongly where areas the rule of science could not satisfy yet.

[NNguyenMD]

2. one fundie friend of mine has already called rapture

what a major f---ing idiot he turned out to be

[madeline_con]

9. your friend...

does he still walk among us? If so, what's his explanation for being here? Hellbound, is he? ;-)

[T_i_B]

4. Ask three different Christians...

...and you will probbably get five different answers. That is why we have theological debate (exasperating as theological debate can often be).

[onager]

5. Just another exercise in Biblical Creative Writing

You wrote: "That quake must be very big to open tomb stones and destroy the temple of the chief priests, and people were scared to death and then said Jesus was really the Son of God."

Yep, and an earthquake of that magnitude should have rattled most of the Middle East. But again...we have not one mention of such a major quake outside the New Testament.

The local Roman headquarters certainly should have felt the quake. It was garrisoned in Caeserea, not far away, and in a port city where the quake could be expected to roil the waters...at least.

And since it was powerful enough to "open tomb stones," you'd think Pontius Pilate would be sending repair bills to Rome for major earthquake damage. Or asking for help from the nearest large Roman base, in Syria. Nope.

This was clearly a MAGIC EARTHQUAKE!!! It was localized and only felt within a few square miles!

This is contrary to everything we know about earthquakes. But then, so much of the Bible is contrary to common sense, what's one more item?

[Dcitizen]

6. Any good proof for magic quake from the Baar or other belief?

For Christian, Jesus commanded followers not to practice any magic.

"Very big" seems over emphasizing, but 5.8 or 6+ richter magnitude maybe reasonable to believe it could move the few-hundreds-pounds tomb stones around and caused damages to the temple. USGS has the term for this level of quake as strong one, and has also regarded earth movements which cause damages is the big quake.

Depending the velocity, wave amplitude, soil resistance, slope and other factors, quakes do damage places around its epicenter but not always all places. It might hit hard at the temple but might not crack Pilate's building.

However, the size of the quake is not the answer for this thread.
The odd for this event, which Jesus departed at the same hour with
a large quake, was estimated about 1/12 billions of chances to occur.
It's impossible in mathematics.

[trotsky]

7. Do you completely miss the point often?

The "odds" for an earthquake to strike the same time Jesus died are certainly small.

The odds for someone seeking to promote their new religion and WRITING about an earthquake happening to coincide with the death of the savior are pretty damn good!

Considering that we have no documentation whatsoever substantiating this earthquake other than the word of unknown biased Christians seeking to promote their religion, I'd say the latter explanation is far more likely. The odds are in my favor.

[Dcitizen]

13. How can the readers find your historic sources about no quake event?

[trotsky]

16. Do you understand logic at all?

It's not up to me to prove a quake DIDN'T happen. It's your job to prove that one DID. So far the only "evidence" you've given is an uncorroborated source written by a biased person with an agenda to promote his faith.

[onager]

8. Say what?

Depending the velocity, wave amplitude, soil resistance, slope and other factors, quakes do damage places around its epicenter but not always all places. It might hit hard at the temple but might not crack Pilate's building.

You must not be a geologist, but I'm not either.

However, I do live about 2 miles from the epicenter of the 1994 Northridge quake. That one measured about 7 on the Richter scale, IIRC.

About twenty miles to the northeast, the quake dropped a freeway overpass and totally isolated a whole community (Valencia).

About twenty miles to the south, the Santa Monica Freeway collapsed.

The quake was felt hundreds of miles away, in all directions.

So the idea that this Magic Buy-bull quake might have damaged the temple but not be felt a few blocks away just makes me...

:rofl:

[Dcitizen]

14. Maybe at your point of view, but

The Price/Pfister building was unhurt while the bridge across the street was collapsed at the top of epicenter. The Kaiser hospital was cracked but the whole LA still looks the same until now.

[Gelliebeans]

15. hey onager

I felt that magic earthquake down in my neck of the woods too. :hi:

[madeline_con]

10. For Christian, Jesus commanded followers not to practice any magic.

So, we call the little water into wine trick a miracle? It's o.k. for him, though, right?

Aren't those just two words that are essentially the same thing?

And, didn't he refuse to use his magic (miracle making ability) while in the desert, where he could have eaten some bread?

[trotsky]

11. The greatest commandment: "Do as I say, not as I do."

:)

[madeline_con]

12. That's a cop out

and you know it. What happened to Jesus living by example? Has that been reinterpreted?