The God of Christianity exists.

While I have many oppositions to the statement "there are no arguments to date that sufficiently imply that a belief in God is rational and there are many reasons to doubt that the God of Christianity exists". While this is false and there are many rational theories out there, no theory can force someone to accept it. You state that there were many religions before Christianity. However this is not actually true. Before Christianity became what it is, it was simply the old testament. Which is one of the oldest religions to date. Hinduism and Zoroastrianism are no doubt older, but I will touch one those later. Christianity is a religion that is not only one of the oldest (due its origin being the old testament, Judaism) but it also has historic back ground. The New Testament which Christianity implements are all historic. In fact, many old testament books also have been proved as true history. For example: The world believed that Sodom and Gomorrah was a fake city. However trade deals and letter have been found referring to this very city. The story with Sampson was denounced because temples were not normally built with two pillars being within arms reach. However, a temple that collapsed in on itself due to two pillars which were close enough to be in arms reach were pushed over has also been found. Now let us go on to your statement: "Christianity is very similar to other religions that came before it and its claim overlaps a great deal with other religions' claims". A key difference that Christianity has, that no other religion has, is lack of selfish nature and interest. Buddhism for example, some would say this is the least selfish religion. However it's actual "end goal" is rather selfish. In Buddhism you reincarnate over and over, and the tenets of this are too produce good fruit in the world and try to help progress the world. However the main goal is too leave this world behind, to give up. Desires in Buddhism are what causes suffering (In Christianity, desires are good things, but meant to be controlled. They were created for a reason), and the end goal is to run away from what makes us suffer. To leave the world behind, even if others are left to suffer (Christianity wants to save and love others). This is the selfish end goal of Buddhism, trying to be a "good person" just so you can give up on the world. What about Hinduism? Karma in general is a very self interest belief. "I should do good things so bad things don't happen to me", this is what Karma is. If you are someone's slave today, that is because you were bad in your past life, you deserve everything that happens to you. This is what Hinduism teaches. Zoroastrianism is also a deed based faith, that doing good things will "earn" you way into heaven. Islamic beliefs also need to "buy" their way into heaven, so that they can have their worldly desires satisfied (another difference with Christianity). Back to Christianity, what beliefs does Christianity teach? "Your good deeds are like filthy rags to me." The God of Christianity does not care if you donated all your life savings to charity, just so that you can look good. What God cares about is, who you are. Out of Faith comes good deeds not the other way around. An interesting fact is, Christians don't actually go to heaven. This is a big misconception. Christians end times paradise is after a new heaven and earth are made. Where we will be raised back to life. Given new bodies and a paradise where there will be no suffering. A utopia. But one run with a everlasting and good leader, God himself. Another argument I would make, is that many of the similarities that religions have with Christianity is due to the fact that "The word of God is written upon our hearts". We know what is right and wrong, why else would so many religions have so many similarities when it comes to doing good. Heck, Buddhism and Christianity pretty much have the same golden rule "Treat others how you want to be treated". This is why I would argue Christianity is the oldest religion because it has always been within us and the Christian God has always been recognized throughout History. "God IS Love". Even a person who has never heard of God can still be Christian and not even know it. Because a Christian is someone who tries to be Christ-Like. Aka Sin Free. So what separates Christianity and other religions? Christianity is not a deed based "religion". After all, there are no set religious things you must do. There are things you shouldn't do and need to abstain from, but there is nothing that you have to do. You don't need to be circumcised lol. While it may recommend certain things to us, God does not need nor want anything FROM you, except to simply love everyone. Including him. Yes you may say areas in the Bible contradict the thought of "loving everyone". However there is a difference between necessity and hate. Yes many killings have happened in the bible because it is a historic book, not one that simply wants people to believe in it. In fact, if you wanted to make a religion that would appeal to people, you would assure them that their wrong doings are not wrong. It would be a religion that tries to comfort everyone. That is not the Bible. The Bible presents what is right and what is wrong in pretty blatant terms. This offends many, but the Bible isn't something that conforms to people. It is what it is. It is rather plainly stated God does not hate the Sinner (aka anyone, Christian or not), but God DOES hate SIN. Lastly, you say the Bible claims God is All Knowing, All Powerful, and All Good. However one of these things it doesn't claim. God cannot do anything. This is explicitly shone when God tells us he cannot lie. There are things that God CANNOT do. While it does state that WITH God we can do anything, however if God and Man do not agree, God will not force Man. After all, God obeys his own teachings. He wouldn't simply take Freedom from us, that which is his gift to us. So why doesn't God stop Humans from suffering? Because to do so, he would have to take freedom of will away. Also you stated "almost with indifference" however this couldn't be more wrong as God throughout the Bible has felt great sorrow and desire to reach out and help us. However God and Sin cannot exist in the same place, this is another thing God cannot do. If you Reject God, He cannot help you. Only WITH God are all things possible. To be with God, is to avoid sin. What is Sin? Sin is the act of rejecting God, Sin is the act of perverting something good to cause harm. Just as your hands are good for grabbing things, you can use them to kill. That is what Sin is. I hope this clears a bit of the misunderstandings that pop culture and various other things have portrayed what Christianity is. God is not an apathetic being who watches his children suffer and does nothing. God changes lives that allow him in their lives. The parable of the Prodigal Child represents this greatly as well as many other things. To summarize: A child asks for the inheritance of his Father, and his Father gives it to him. The child runs away with this money and lives a life of sin and the Father worries endlessly, the child hits rock bottom and comes running home to his Father. What does the Father do? He welcomes him back with open arms and throws a big party for the return of his child and takes care of his child. This, I do believe is the answer to why humans suffer, it is because they haven't come back to God yet. How can he throw you a party if you don't accept the invite? Of course this is not all there is to the parable. It has many meanings and implications. I know you will probably throw many verses at me trying to show contradictions, and I encourage you to do so, because most of the time, they are used greatly out of context. This should be fun and I hope we can have a good debate! Who knows? Maybe I will learn something, which I always welcome