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Isn't this a bit circular? You use the Bible as guidance because it agrees with your beliefs drawn from Bible...

Not quite. It's more of a building process. My experiences align with what I've read in the bible, confirming its truth. I realize you have to beware of confirmation bias, but to me there is WAY too much that I've experienced that cannot reasonably be explained any other way. Answered prayers, God's shaping of my life to bring me to the right places at the right times, etc. As I apply truths that the bible teaches, over and over again its truth is confirmed. I recognize that most of this "testimonial" aspect of my faith doesn't translate into scientific proof for others, but that doesn't make it any less powerful in my life.

Heh, something like positive feedback: good for faith, bad for amplifier design

But isn't "deciding" on validity of dogmas, truth of the Bible etc based on "observations" (like prayers answered, or good and bad, "deserved" and "undeserved" events in life) a no-no? At least that's what my Catholic brother told me (commenting on our mother's childhood "severing the ties" with God after untimely death of her mother). (BTW, I find it much easier to discuss religion with you than him - perhaps that Catholic vs. Protestant thing )

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Well, give Daniel a read along with the history of the region directly after it was written. Admittedly there are some prophecies that are a little vague, but some are so crystal clear they’re pretty much impossible to dismiss. The only possible secular explanation is to change the timeline of Daniel so that it was written after the events it predates (which some have tried to do), but even some of the (admittedly less clear, though still pretty powerful) predictions concern the rise and fall of the Roman empire which we KNOW came after the book of Daniel.

Well, I will have to look it up...