setting the stage: an introduction - jesus film...

“Hey, what is this anyway?”

Welcome to the Discussion Guide for JESUS: Fact or Fiction? I’m sure you have lots ofquestions, but hopefully we will be able to answer some of them right here, right now.

What is JESUS: Fact or Fiction?

The journey starts here.

Does God exist? Would a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people? Isthere life after earth? Does God have a purpose for my life? Is there historical evidencefor Jesus?

The JESUS: Fact or Fiction? DVD was developed to help answer questions like these.This DVD provides people the opportunity to listen to some of the world’s leadingexperts in science, philosophy, history, theology and law address more than 50 questionsrelated to Jesus, God and the Bible.

These experts present the facts, history and evidence that support the claims andteachings of Jesus. The DVD also contains personal life stories and the latest version ofthe documentary film JESUS, the most historically accurate film ever made on the life ofJesus.

To aid in group discussions, this guide has been created to navigate the six hours ofmaterial found on the DVD.

Who is it for?

• Those wanting to investigate Christianity.

• New Christians.

• Those who feel that they have never really started living as Christians.

• Newcomers to the church.

• Those who desire a deeper understanding about questions of faith.

What’s involved?

The JESUS: Fact or Fiction? Discussion Group meets once a week for eight weeks. Theevening starts off with some goodies and coffee offered by the host in a homeenvironment. We then mix up the evening with short videos and group discussions abouta designated topic.

If you would prefer to just listen, you can. No one will pressure you to answer questions.Group leaders see listening as having a high value. If you do ask questions, know thatthis is a place where you can discuss without fear or embarrassment, a place wherepeople are encouraged to share their thoughts, opinions and ideas.

setting the stage: an introduction

1DISCUSSION GUIDEDISCUSSION GUIDE

What are the topics?

• Love or Justice: Am I worthy of love?

• Purpose or Coincidence: What am I here for?

• Truth or Relativism: How can we know what is true?

• Authenticity or Myth: Is anyone real these days?

• Trustworthy or Unreliable: Who can I trust?

• Life or Death: What happens after I die?

• Forgiveness or Contention: Do I get another chance?

• Hope or Disillusionment: Is there something that will give me hope?

What will it cost?There is no charge for the discussion guide, although a small contribution might berequested towards the purchase of your own copy of the JESUS: Fact or Fiction? DVD.

When and where?

The JESUS: Fact or Fiction? Discussion Group meets once a week for eight weeks.Contact your group leader about the exact location.

So come join us

We’re all on this spiritual journey together. Maybe we can help each other along the way.

Sincerely,The JESUS: Fact or Fiction? Team

setting the stage


Read to the Group“Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage...” It

seems sensible enough that love just goes with marriage. But love and justice—thatis another pairing entirely. Love elicits feelings of acceptance and overlookingwrongs, while justice indicts the errors of the guilty. Are these concepts trulyopposite, or is there a possibility that a seed of one is germane to the other? Today,let’s look at justice in light of love, or even more practically, let’s re-evaluate love asa basis for justice.

Why are the majority of country and pop music songs based on romantic

love? Why is love so important to us?

Watch video segment: “Does God know who I am and what I do?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � God and Forgiveness� “Does God know who I am and what I do?” (Mittelberg, followed by a Life Story:Norma)

How do people try to run from God? Why is “facing what you’ve done” so hardfor us as humans?

Watch video segment: “Don’t all religions teach the same thing?”To find video: Question Index � Belief Systems � continue � continue � “Don’t allreligions teach the same thing?” (Zacharias, followed by Robinson)

What did Robinson say was the difference between religion and Christianity?Why is that difference significant? What are good measuring sticks fordiscovering truth?

Watch video segment: “What about those people who have never heard about Jesus?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “What about those people who havenever heard about Jesus?” (Geivett)

In what way could this question be a smoke screen for the asker? What does thequestion really hope to discern?

WEEK 1 Love or justice


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Optional Videos:

“I don’t believe God will forgive me for what I’ve done.”To find video: Question Index � God and Forgiveness � “I don’t believe God willforgive me for what I have done” (Strobel � play or skip (mature content) � LifeStories: Robin, followed by Lisa)

“Won’t good, moral, ethical people go to heaven?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “Won’t good, moral, ethical peoplego to Heaven?” (Strobel)

WEEK 1 Love or justice


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Read to the GroupWhen David Horton decided to go to a Cincinnati Reds ballgame with his

girlfriend, he knew he was a wanted man. He had failed to appear in court for a drugcharge. As it happened, his parole officer attended the same May 7, 2003, game.During the game, the wanted man decided to give his girlfriend a smooch, and thatkiss was displayed on the “Kiss Cam.” Everyone at the Great American Ball Parksaw the kiss, including the parole officer. Before the night was out, the parole officerand a policeman arrested Horton, 24, in his front-row seat.

“Out of all the coincidences, we had 20- or 30-thousand people at the ballpark,and who do they put on the ‘Kiss Cam’? And then, who is there but his paroleofficer?” said Richard Goldberg, Horton’s attorney. If convicted, he could face up to18 years in prison.

Coincidences seem to happen fairly regularly in our lives—running into someoneyou had just been talking about, or “Wow, we’re both wearing pink today.” You caneven have a coincidence about purpose: “How weird that you are talking about that,I was just pondering my purpose in life last night.” Purpose seems convenientlyjuxtaposed to coincidence. Coincidences smack of being random, but purpose hasintentionality about it. One of the biggest questions in life—“What am I herefor?”—seems to be more of a question of purpose than coincidence. Is this aquestion that comes up occasionally for you? Or, it is a coincidence that we aretalking about this today?Citation: Associated Press (5-30-03), through CNEWS; submitted by Lee Eclov, Vernon Hills, Illinois

Have you ever had a random experience like that?

Watch video segment: “Does God really have a purpose for my life?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � Relationship WithJesus � continue � “Does God really have a purpose for my life?” (Zacharias,followed by a Life Story: Kenny)

What is your purpose?

Watch video segment: “Isn’t belief in God incompatible with evolutionary theory?”To find video: Question Index � God � “Isn’t belief in God incompatible withevolutionary theory?” (Hazen)

What are your thoughts about the video? Do you feel like God is incontrol of your life? How does this statement sound: “God is the designerof your life?”

WEEK 2 Purpose or Coincidence


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Watch video segment: “Is Christianity a crutch?”To find video: Question Index � Relationship With Jesus � “Is Christianity a crutch?”(McDowell, followed by a Life Story: Michael)

Was there ever a time you needed a crutch? Have you ever asked for help?Give an example.

Optional Videos:

“What is the difference between intelligent design and creationism?”To find video: Question Index � God � continue � “What is the difference betweenintelligent design and creationism?” (Dembski)

“What is it like to have a relationship with Jesus?”To find video: Question Index � Relationship With Jesus � “What is it like to have arelationship with Jesus?” (Shaffer, followed by a Life Story collage)

“Can Jesus relate to me and offer hope in my daily life?”To find video: Question Index � Relationship With Jesus � “Can Jesus relate to me andoffer hope in my daily life?” (Monroe, followed by a Life Story: Sonia)

WEEK 2 Purpose or Coincidence


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Read to the GroupIn Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer tells of his harrowing experience climbing Mt.

Everest. On May 10, 1996, Krakauer made it to the top, and paused only for a fewminutes before heading down. Storm clouds soon enveloped him, but he was closeenough to base camp number 4 to get to shelter before the storm hit full force. Fourclimbers peaked the summit shortly before Jon but didn’t get to refuge in time. Thestorm caught them; exhausted and lost, they simply lay down to wait out the night. Inthe morning, they discovered they slept one step from the 4,000-foot precipice of theSouth Wall. Without knowing it, they had bivouacked on the edge of a cliff in themiddle of a snowstorm. The climbers thought they were safe, but found they wereone step from tragedy.

Truth is safety in that it protects you from deceit. But truth can be shockingnonetheless because it reveals something you may not expect, like a 4,000-foot drop-off. When my truth isn’t your truth, we call that relativism. In this world where whatis right for me may not be right for you, how do we find common ground? Relativismseemed to work for Einstein, but when your right does me wrong I may have reasonto argue. Isaac Newton said, “Plato is my friend. Aristotle is my friend. But my bestfriend is truth.” Can a line be drawn to delineate a set of values that works foreveryone? That’s a good question! Let’s see.Citation: Jeffrey Arthurs, Portland, Oregon

What crazy things will people do to find the truth?

Watch video segment: “Is anything truly right or truly wrong?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � Beliefs Systems �“Is anything truly right or truly wrong?” (Hazen)

The speaker mentions murder of a child as being morally abhorrent. Are thereother things that you think might be in the same category—morally abhorrent nomatter what the culture or belief?

Watch video segment: “I believe spiritual truth is relative and decided by each person.”To find video: Question Index � Beliefs Systems � “I believe spiritual truth is relativeand decided by each person.” (Zacharias)

Why does it matter that truth is immovable versus stationary? What does thatmean in our daily lives?

WEEK 3 truth or relativism


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Watch video segment: “With so many religions claiming to be true, what make Christ’sclaims different?”To find video: Question Index � Beliefs Systems � “With so many religions claimingto be true, what makes Christ’s claims different?” (Habermas, followed by Zacharias)

Do you really think Christianity is different from other religions?

Watch video segment: VivianTo find video: Journey Menu � Life Stories � continue � Vivian

Optional Videos:

“I’m not a bad person. Why would I need forgiveness?”To find video: Question Index � God and Forgiveness � “I am not a bad person. Whywould I need forgiveness?” (Scholes, followed by a Life Story: Melani)

“Has the Bible changed over time?”To find video: Question Index � The Bible � “Has the Bible changed over time?”(Maier, followed by Wallace)

WEEK 3 truth or relativism


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Read to the GroupA well-known actor was being interviewed on late-night television. “Tell me,” said

David Letterman, “You’re a sex symbol who plays all sorts of exciting roles withgorgeous women. How does that compare to your real life, off-screen?”

The actor reminded Letterman that he had been happily married for 20 years. Thenhe said, “Here’s the difference in a nutshell. In the movies, life is mostly about sexand occasionally about children. Married life is mostly about children andoccasionally about sex.”

Although the tabloids perform the wonderful service of detailing the secret andprivate lives of celebrities, we probably aren’t hearing the real story. America tendsto mythologize the famous as having lives we are to envy. But we don’t really everget to see the authentic lives of cultural icons. We all desire to relate to someonereal—someone stripped of all pretenses—where we can relate to the authentic personbelow the surface. What makes it hard to ascertain the difference between the mythsand the real? Let’s dig deeper and perhaps we can find some answers.Citation: Philip Yancey, “Holy Sex: How It Ravishes Our Souls” Christianity Today (October 2003)

What do you think about reality television shows? Do you think they arereal? Fake? Partially real?

Watch video segment: “Are the Bible stories of Jesus just myths?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � Jesus Christ � “Arethe Bible stories of Jesus just myths?” (Ewen)

Would you live your life according to a book that was a myth?

Watch video segment: “I question whether or not God exists.”To find video: Question Index � God � “I question whether or not God exists.” (Nash,followed by Monroe)

Would you follow someone that didn’t exist?

Watch video segment: “Why are some Christians hypocrites?”To find video: Question Index � Relationship With Jesus � “Why are some Christianshypocrites?” (McDowell, followed by Shaffer)

How do you respond to a hypocrite?

WEEK 4 authenticity or myth


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Watch video segment: Life Story: ShellyeTo find video: Journey Menu � Life Stories � continue � Shellye

Optional Videos:

“Don’t all religions teach the same thing?”To find video: Question Index � Beliefs Systems � continue � “Don’t all religionsteach the same thing?” (Zacharias, followed by Robinson)

“Is there a literal hell?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “Is there a literal hell?” (Geivett)

“Is heaven more than wishful thinking?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “Is heaven more than wishfulthinking?” (Geivett)

“With so many religions claiming to be true, what makes Christ’s claims different?”To find video: Question Index � Beliefs Systems � continue � “With so many religionsclaiming to be true, what makes Christ’s claims different?” (Habermas, followed byZacharias)

WEEK 4 authenticity or myth


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Read to the GroupThe New York Times published a 7,000-word expose in May 2003 on one of its

own reporter’s—a 27-year-old staff writer—prolific mistakes. The journalist resignedafter being implicated in a scandal involving plagiarism, falsified quotations, fakedinterviews and fraudulent expense reports. The Times’ internal investigation into thereporter’s tenure at the paper uncovered a long history of falsified stories thatappeared in the newspaper, saying at least 36 of his 73 articles had problems withaccuracy. The Times investigation found, “He fabricated comments. He concoctedscenes. He lifted material from other newspapers and wire services. He selecteddetails from photographs to create the impression he had been somewhere or seensomeone, when he had not.”

It is disheartening to find out that one of the leading news agencies shook with itsown internal scandal of reliability. If you can’t trust a news agency for truth, who canyou trust? Where can you find truthful and reliable information about the importantissues that face us in a modern world? Let’s face it, you trust things every day—airplanes, automobiles, cyberspace, medical professionals, and the like—to fulfillwhat they were intended to do. With some of life’s most essential questions, how canwe know the source of truth is reliable? Let’s investigate that today.Citation: © May 11, 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

Would you invite Dan Rather to your house? Do you believe news that themedia reports? Why or why not?

Watch video segment: “Has the Bible changed over time?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � The Bible � “Hasthe Bible changed over time?” (Maier, followed by Wallace)

How could the Bible, written many years ago, have any relevance to me today?

Watch video segment: “Would a loving God allow bad things to happen to goodpeople?”To find video: Question Index � Suffering and Evil � “Would a loving God allow badthings happen to good people?” (Scholes, followed by Life Stories: Randall and Anna)

The Bible says that God is love. How do you reconcile God allowing bad thingsto happen to good people?

WEEK 5 trustworthy or unreliable


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Watch video segment: “Does prophecy support Jesus as the Messiah?”To find video: Question Index � Jesus Christ � continue � continue � “Does prophecysupport Jesus as the Messiah?” (Robinson, followed by Strobel)

Where should one go to get answers about the future?

Optional Videos:

“Is intelligent design scientifically legitimate?”To find video: Question Index � God � continue � “Is intelligent design scientificallylegitimate?” (Dembski)

“Is a God of miracles impossible?”To find video: Question Index � Miracles � “Is a God of miracles impossible?”(Habermas, followed by a Life Story: Greg)

“Can I trust the Bible?”To find video: Question Index � The Bible � “Can I trust the Bible?” (Habermas,followed by Bock)

WEEK 5 trustworthy or unreliable


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Read to the GroupNurse Mary Zollinger was on duty at Madison Memorial Hospital in Boise, Idaho,

when the emergency medical personnel brought in little Logan Pinto’s body. The two-year-old had fallen into a canal and remained submerged for nearly 30 minutes beforerescuers found him. Efforts to revive him failed, and Logan was pronounced dead.The grieving parents wept and said their goodbyes, and Zollinger began preparing thebody for the funeral home.

Then the nurse saw Logan’s chest move slightly. The child was still alive. Loganwas airlifted to Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. That evening thetwo-year-old was breathing on his own, and his color had returned.

Comedian Tony Follari has said “Death is well understood, it’s life that isn’t.”What do we know about life? We know it’s hard and frustrating. But we also learnwhat brings joy and happiness, and hopefully we pursue those things. What do weknow about death? It looks like an end, and there is sadness for those left behind.When we think of it, life’s most important things come into glaring view. What dowe know of life after death? Anything? There must be some information out thereto help understand the mystery. Let’s take a look at some of it.Citation: http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,121223,00.html (5-28-04);submitted by Chris Stinnett, Seminole, Oklahoma

Have you ever known anyone who has had a near-death experience or readabout one? Describe it.

Watch video segment: “Is heaven more than wishful thinking?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � Life After Death �“Is heaven more than wishful thinking?” (Geivett)

Assuming heaven does exist, what do you think it will be like?

Watch video segment: “Why would God allow innocent children to suffer and evendie?”To find video: Question Index � Suffering and Evil � “Why would God allow innocentchildren to suffer and even die?” (Mittelberg, followed by a Life Story: Rick & Karen)

Have you ever been through pain and suffering? The speaker quotes Jesus: “Takeheart, I have overcome the world.” What do you think about that statement?

WEEK 6 life or death


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Watch video segment: “Did Jesus Christ rise from the dead?”To find video: Question Index � Jesus Christ � “Did Jesus Christ rise from the dead?”(McDowell)

Why does it matter that Jesus Christ rose from the dead? What does it mean toyou?

Optional Videos:

“Were Jesus’ death and resurrection hoaxes?”To find video: Question Index � Jesus Christ � continue � “Were Jesus’s death andresurrection hoaxes?” (Maier)

“Is there a literal hell?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “Is there a literal hell?” (Geivett)

“How can I be sure that I will go to heaven?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “How can I be sure that I will go toheaven?” (Mittelberg)

“Won’t good, moral, ethical people go to heaven?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “Won’t good, moral, ethical peoplego to heaven? (Strobel)

WEEK 6 life or death


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Read to the GroupAvalanches are unpredictable, and a hundred people annually perish from them in

the Alps. Skiers and snowboarders are increasingly doubling up on safety. Snowenthusiasts are attaching reflectors made by RECCO, a European-based company thatdesigns rescue systems, into their clothing. RECCO’s “one more chance” philosophyhas landed its scanning antennas in more than 350 rescue stations worldwide.Avalanche victims can often be found rapidly—within 20 to 30 minutes—if they arewearing the reflectors, providing the best second chance around.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have an electronic transponder on you after you’ve made ahuge mistake? You know, when you’ve decided to make that one little pointed jab atyour friend and a mountain of hurt, anger and emotions comes down and buries you.It is so easy to want to be forgiven, and yet so hard to offer forgiveness when we havebeen hurt. No one likes to walk on eggshells of unforgiveness. The best way to learnhow to forgive is to experience it firsthand as a tutor. Let’s explore how forgivenesscan be experienced.Citation: www.recco.com

Have you ever felt that you did not have another chance (with a friend,job, etc.)?

Watch video segment: “I’m not a bad person. Why would I need forgiveness?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � God and Forgiveness� “I am not a bad person. Why would I need forgiveness?” (Scholes followed by a Lifestory: Melani)

Why do you think we tend to rank sins: "really evil," "bad," and "somewhat bad"?Do you think God ranks sins? Why or why not?

Watch video segment: “I don’t believe God will forgive me for what I’ve done.”To find video: Question Index � God and Forgiveness � “I don’t believe God willforgive me for what I have done” (Strobel � play or skip (mature content) � LifeStories: Robin, followed by Lisa)

Are you able to forgive others but not forgive yourself? Is it possible to acceptGod's forgiveness yet punish yourself?

WEEK 7 forgiveness or Contention


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Watch video segment: “Will God forgive my harmful mistakes?”To find video: Question Index � God and Forgiveness � “Will God forgive my harmfulmistakes?” (Strobel)

Tell about a time in your life when someone forgave you. How did it make youfeel? Was it hard to accept the forgiveness?

F. Optional Videos:

“What kind of peace does Jesus offer?”To find video: Question Index � Relationship With Jesus � “What kind of peace doesJesus offer?” (Strobel, followed by a Life Story: Bennie)

“How can I have a relationship with God?”To find video: Question Index � God and Forgiveness � “How can I have a relationshipwith God?” (Zacharias)

WEEK 7 forgiveness or Contention


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Read to the GroupIn a 1957 experiment, Curt Richter of Johns Hopkins Medical School tested how

quickly rats gave up swimming. His main focus was on whether an emotionalreaction, hopelessness, was decisive in their behavior. Prior to submersion, some ofthe rats were held, while others had their whiskers clipped, which Richter said was“their most important means of contact with the outside world.” A few of the ratsswam as long as 80 hours before they drowned. Most of the rats drowned quickly iftheir whiskers had been removed. Richter believed all that died, died fromhopelessness. He noticed rats’ hopelessness decreased when the experimenters fromtime to time “rescued” them from the water. Imagining some hope, some rats swamincredible durations waiting for rescue.

Hope can do that. The promise of better times ahead can help us withstand thetoughest of times; filling us with energy we didn’t know we had. Listen to theperceptive analysis of Woody Allen: “More than any other time in history, mankindfaces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness; the other to totalextinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.” How do you gainhope when there seems to be little around you? If there is a source of hope, wouldn’tyou like to know about it? Let’s see if there is a good source available.Citation: http://www.awionline.org/lab_animals/pratt/pratt-3.htm

As a child blowing out your birthday candles, did you ever hope forsomething? (e.g., Red Rider BB gun?)

Watch video segment: “Can Jesus relate to me and offer hope in my daily life?”To find video: Journey of Spiritual Discovery � Question Index � Relationship WithJesus � “Can Jesus relate to me and offer hope in my daily life?” (Monroe, followed bya Life Story: Sonia)

Have you ever been disappointed or disillusioned by someone you loved? Haveyou ever been under circumstances that caused you to question your own future?

Watch video segment: “Won’t good, moral, ethical people go to heaven?”To find video: Question Index � Life After Death � “Won’t good, moral, ethical peoplego to heaven?” (Strobel)

What are the criteria by which people evaluate themselves? What does Strobel sayabout that?

WEEK 8 hope or disillusionment


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Watch video segment: Life Story: Bennie To find video: Journey Menu � Life Stories � continue � continue � continue �continue � continue � Bennie

Watch video segment: “How can I have a relationship with God?”To find video: Question Index � God and Forgiveness � ”How can I have a relationshipwith God?” (Zacharias)

How can one find peace? How can a person be sure to inherit eternal life?

Leader gives his/her own Life Story (less than 3 minutes)

Optional Videos:

“What kind of peace does Jesus offer?”To find video: Question Index � Relationship With Jesus � “What kind of peace doesJesus offer?” (Strobel, followed by a Life Story: Bennie)

“How can anyone know God exists?”To find video: Question Index � God � ”How can anyone know God exists?”(Theodore)

“I don’t believe God will forgive me for what I have done.”To find video: Question Index � God and Forgiveness � “I don’t believe God willforgive me for what I have done” (Strobel � play or skip (mature content) � LifeStories: Robin, followed by Lisa)

WEEK 8 hope or disillusionment


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