Discussion about scientific issues as they relate to God and Christianity including archaeology, origins of life, the universe, intelligent design, evolution, etc.
What about things that are concrete, explicit and relate to things that could be examined? Like say if the Bible said that Egypt is north or Galilee, say.
One must always be cautious when reading into the bible for explicit and specific scientific views, especially since the bible not only was NOT written that way BUT also because it is a collection of books and letters and writings with very different literary genres.
EX:
A writer, in a poetic context, could state that Egypt is lower/south than Israel and not be meaning ANYTHING in the geographical sense at all, but be making a theological statement.
Numbers, for example, can be written in a way to mean completeness as opposed to an exact number count of something.
In short, the literary genre must be identified first and then the statements put into THAT context.
Considering the general elusiveness of meaning in the Bible, I guess I would only say basically what I have all along, that some interpretations are clearly ad variance with reality.
Actually, the bible is surprisingly clear in its meaning MOST of the time, prophetic writings aside of course.
Maybe not for us but since it was not written TO us then it falls on us to try and understand as the people it was written to would understand.
It is not that the bible can't be understand by everyone, it can BUT only the basic and most important parts, ie: the Gospel.
The rest is really for scholars and theologians and so forth, just like any other multi-level historical document.
Im not sure I want to pursue this with you further, but it does seem to say with great clarity that all was made in 6 days, A and E were the first people, flood, etc.
I've heard the written for us not to us, but then, I dont get that as the middle east and its writings are not my heritage, at all.
Last edited by Audie on Tue Mar 03, 2015 6:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I saw a video once about the secret church services they have in China and how they must stand so long during these secret church services and it made me feel bad that Christians here in America won't go to church unless they are comfortable,those Chinese Christians go in both cold and hot weather and nothing to sit on,no AC,no heat,etc.
Hebrews 12:2-3 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,despising the shame,and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2nd Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,lest the light of this glorious gospel of Christ,who is the image of God,should shine unto them.
abelcainsbrother wrote:I saw a video once about the secret church services they have in China and how they must stand so long during these secret church services and it made me feel bad that Christians here in America won't go to church unless they are comfortable,those Chinese Christians go in both cold and hot weather and nothing to sit on,no AC,no heat,etc.
What does this have to do with the price of tea in China topic at hand?
John 5:24 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
abelcainsbrother wrote:I saw a video once about the secret church services they have in China and how they must stand so long during these secret church services and it made me feel bad that Christians here in America won't go to church unless they are comfortable,those Chinese Christians go in both cold and hot weather and nothing to sit on,no AC,no heat,etc.
What does this have to do with the price of tea in China topic at hand?
I don't know,it just popped in my head,but it is off topic.Can I delete it?
Hebrews 12:2-3 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,despising the shame,and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2nd Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,lest the light of this glorious gospel of Christ,who is the image of God,should shine unto them.
abelcainsbrother wrote:I saw a video once about the secret church services they have in China and how they must stand so long during these secret church services and it made me feel bad that Christians here in America won't go to church unless they are comfortable,those Chinese Christians go in both cold and hot weather and nothing to sit on,no AC,no heat,etc.
What does this have to do with the price of tea in China topic at hand?
I don't know,it just popped in my head,but it is off topic.Can I delete it?
You can edit your post and leave a message for mods to delete the rest
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
-- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
-- Philippians 1:6
What about things that are concrete, explicit and relate to things that could be examined? Like say if the Bible said that Egypt is north or Galilee, say.
One must always be cautious when reading into the bible for explicit and specific scientific views, especially since the bible not only was NOT written that way BUT also because it is a collection of books and letters and writings with very different literary genres.
EX:
A writer, in a poetic context, could state that Egypt is lower/south than Israel and not be meaning ANYTHING in the geographical sense at all, but be making a theological statement.
Numbers, for example, can be written in a way to mean completeness as opposed to an exact number count of something.
In short, the literary genre must be identified first and then the statements put into THAT context.
Considering the general elusiveness of meaning in the Bible, I guess I would only say basically what I have all along, that some interpretations are clearly ad variance with reality.
Actually, the bible is surprisingly clear in its meaning MOST of the time, prophetic writings aside of course.
Maybe not for us but since it was not written TO us then it falls on us to try and understand as the people it was written to would understand.
It is not that the bible can't be understand by everyone, it can BUT only the basic and most important parts, ie: the Gospel.
The rest is really for scholars and theologians and so forth, just like any other multi-level historical document.
Im not sure I want to pursue this with you further, but it does seem to say with great clarity that all was made in 6 days, A and E were the first people, flood, etc.
I've heard the written for us not to us, but then, I dont get that as the middle east and its writings are not my heritage, at all.
Audie the Hebrew word for days used in the 6 day creation event is YOM.
YOM can mean literal day or indefinite time period. We still use the word today in my parents language (lebanese) in much the same way .So genesis isn't totally clear on day or time period . Probably because it's not essential for our salvation .
abelcainsbrother wrote:I saw a video once about the secret church services they have in China and how they must stand so long during these secret church services and it made me feel bad that Christians here in America won't go to church unless they are comfortable,those Chinese Christians go in both cold and hot weather and nothing to sit on,no AC,no heat,etc.
What does this have to do with the price of tea in China topic at hand?
I don't know,it just popped in my head,but it is off topic.Can I delete it?
You could. But then I'd probably have to delete my very clever and witty "price of tea in China" joke.
John 5:24 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
abelcainsbrother wrote:I saw a video once about the secret church services they have in China and how they must stand so long during these secret church services and it made me feel bad that Christians here in America won't go to church unless they are comfortable,those Chinese Christians go in both cold and hot weather and nothing to sit on,no AC,no heat,etc.
What does this have to do with the price of tea in China topic at hand?
I don't know,it just popped in my head,but it is off topic.Can I delete it?
You could. But then I'd probably have to delete my very clever and witty "price of tea in China" joke.
And then I wont be able to complain about people always picking on China.
I wonder, btw, if people dont have a habit of thinking that anything from an ostensibly
"Christian" source (creationist sites say) are reliable coz Christians would not be dishonest.
Last edited by Audie on Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
abelcainsbrother wrote:I saw a video once about the secret church services they have in China and how they must stand so long during these secret church services and it made me feel bad that Christians here in America won't go to church unless they are comfortable,those Chinese Christians go in both cold and hot weather and nothing to sit on,no AC,no heat,etc.
What does this have to do with the price of tea in China topic at hand?
I don't know,it just popped in my head,but it is off topic.Can I delete it?
You could. But then I'd probably have to delete my very clever and witty "price of tea in China" joke.
And then I wont be able to complain that people always picking on China.
I wonder, btw, if people dont have a habit of thinking that anything from an ostensibly
"Christian" source (creationist sites say) are reliable coz Christians would not be dishonest.
Audie,
If it's on the internet, it must be true. Peoplez on teh intranet r awl honest.
John 5:24 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
Err... no, not whiskey. Have you been hanging with FL?
YECs often say "day" is a literal "24 hour" day, but I didn't know that 24 hours was a literal day.
I know you don't really care much about interpretation, but you did make a statement about it.
So what do you say a "day" clearly is in Genesis 1?
"Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
Err... no, not whiskey. Have you been hanging with FL?
YECs often say "day" is a literal "24 hour" day, but I didn't know that 24 hours was a literal day.
I know you don't really care much about interpretation, but you did make a statement about it.
So what do you say a "day" clearly is in Genesis 1?
The story is just a story, so what difference does it make?
