Bruce:  Lazarus had died when Jesus was away, and Jesus was happy about this, we are told, because it would be a good opportunity for him to perform a resurrection in the presence of his disciples "so that [they] would believe." (John 11:15)  Well, Roy, this is exactly what I need to see in order that I may believe . . . again!

AMANDA: Jesus performed the miracles for those who were ALREADY following and trusting Him.  In Matthew 16:4, Jesus says " A wicked and adulterous nation demands a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except for the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed."  You aren't being given a sign for the same reason the Pharisees weren't.

BRUCE:  BUZZZZ!  Thanks for playing, Amanda, but, once again, you're wrong! 

First of all, I used to be a believer, but now I am a doubting Thomas, a doubting Peter, a doubting Saul!  And as I demonstrated earlier, "doubt" or lack of "faith" without seeing was not something that would prevent Jesus from performing miracles; rather, it only showed who were the "true believers" and who were just pretenders: "true believers" Jesus tells us, can perform resurrections and other miracles just as he does, instead of having to constantly come running to him to perform the miracles for them!  But even in those cases Jesus would still perform the miracle at their request! 

Second, I am not asking for a resurrection miracle on my own behalf, but on the behalf of some other CURRENTLY BELIEVING CHRISTIAN who has lost a loved one and, like the grieving widowed mother who lost her only son in Luke 7, I am asking only that I be present "among the crowd" when Jesus's heart "goes out to" this grieving mother and resurrects her child and "returns him to her." 

Finally, and I have already been through this elsewhere, there are several resurrection tales that mention "people standing round" who came to believe after having seen, not before!  This was the case with Jairus' family, and especially "the people" who witnessed the funeral procession for the dead son of the "widowed mother" in Luke 7.  It's important to note that neither the widowed mother, nor the people in the procession are ever identified as "believers" before this miracle, but they sure were afterward!  And if that's not convincing enough for you, Amanda, then the Lazarus fable (John 11) will put the issue to rest.  There we are told specifically, by Jesus himself mind you, WHY he performs this resurrection:

[John 11:41-42]  41 Then they removed the stone.  Jesus looked upwards and said, 'Father, I thank you for hearing me. (er, brief interruption here: if Jesus is God, then to whom is he speaking to in the sky here? Hmmm . . .) 42 I know that you always hear me, but I have spoken for the sake of the people standing round, that they may believe it was you who sent me.' (my emphasis)

BRUCE:  So, tell me, Amanda, when Jesus says, "I have spoken for the sake of the people standing round" (i.e., those about to see--but as yet have not seen--the resurrection of Lazarus after he has been dead and entombed for four days) "that they may believe. . .", could the message be any more spelled out for the reader?

Well, verse 45 gives the answer to that question:

[John 11:45]  "Many of the Jews who had come to see Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him . . ." (my emphasis)

BRUCE: Notice, Amanda, the key words "had seen," as in past tense!  And as a result of having seen, many Jews "put their faith in him." 

And, yes, I know you mean to call me a "Pharisee" who will refuse to accept that which he has seen, but I already refuted this earlier by showing that not only was Paul a Pharisee who allegedly changed his "Christian hating" ways when given sufficient evidence to satisfy his own skepticism, but since I, myself, am not a Jew, let alone a Pharisee who has actually had the opportunity to see such a resurrection, then it is a fallacious comparison.  Your insinuation could only apply if I were first given the opportunity to actually see a Lazarus-like resurrection, and only then if I denied what I saw!  I am not someone who is out to deny you the glory of your God (if indeed your god is real and the one and only true god); rather, I am simply asking to be present to see just one such resurrection being performd by your god (or one of his believing sheep) in order that my skepticism may be satisfied.  If this should happen, then, per my promise, I will make it my purpose in life to be Jesus' greatest disciple!

Why should I be denied that which your Jesus apparently saw the need to provide to those people living two thousand years ago; people who needed to see "in order that they may believe"?  And especially since, according to you, Amanda, Jesus continues to perform miraculous resurrections from the dead even today! 

Bruce Monson