Creation & EvolutionForum for the discussion of this important topic. This forum is open to non-believers. There is a Christians-only forum in the Christians-only section too.
I'm sure Aaron wished Nadab and Abihu would have taken God's Word literally.
My point is that you need to recognize that you are NOT defending God's Word, per se, but YOUR INTERPRETATION of God's Word, and you should express your positions accordingly. When you describe your interpretation as "what God said" without a qualification somewhere in your overall argument, you are not only being incredibly prideful, but also potentially doing damage to Scripture.
__________________ In matters that are obscure and far beyond our vision, even in such as we may find treated in Holy Scripture, different Interpretations are sometimes possible without prejudice to the faith we have received. - St. Augustine, in his analysis of Genesis.
My point is that you need to recognize that you are NOT defending God's Word, per se, but YOUR INTERPRETATION of God's Word, and you should express your positions accordingly. When you describe your interpretation as "what God said" without a qualification somewhere in your overall argument, you are not only being incredibly prideful, but also potentially doing damage to Scripture.
I happen to know what my Father says and thinks --- do you?
I grew up with an earthly father, and had no qualms about what he expected of me; and I sure never felt funny saying, "Dad said this," or "Dad said that." Especially if he put it in writing.
I have also grown up with a heavenly Father now, and feel the same way about Him.
I happen to know what my Father says and thinks --- do you?
I grew up with an earthly father, and had no qualms about what he expected of me; and I sure never felt funny saying, "Dad said this," or "Dad said that." Especially if he put it in writing.
I have also grown up with a heavenly Father now, and feel the same way about Him.
If you think everything God told us in Scripture is entirely clear, then you believe something that VERY few Christians have believed from the beginning. My gosh, Peter even said he had a hard time understanding Paul, and that is right in Scripture itself! From the Church founders like Augustine, to the Reformers in the Westminster Confession, we see devout and Godly men recognizes that much of what we have in Scripture is obscure and difficult to understand.
And that is why we have so many different beliefs in Christianity about exactly what Scripture says on some points. They can't all be right, and I am confident that NO ONE is right on all points. Even one of our greatest theological minds today, NT Wright, admitted that he is sure that a third of what he thinks about Scripture could be wrong.
Do you think you are the one person on this planet who has gotten it all right?
__________________ In matters that are obscure and far beyond our vision, even in such as we may find treated in Holy Scripture, different Interpretations are sometimes possible without prejudice to the faith we have received. - St. Augustine, in his analysis of Genesis.
By stating its antithesis, Scripture says plenty against evolution.
Is the Bible against Evolution?
Here are my Four Biblical Refutations Against Evolution:
1. NOT ENOUGH TIME.
* The Bible portrays this universe as having been in existence for approximately 6100 years. This is much too short a time for evolution to work.
Not enough time is correct... for the Dr. Seuss version of Genesis, that is. 4,000 years for the variation and diversity of animal populations that we see today is not enough time to evolve from a single mating pair.
Originally Posted by AV1611VET
2. GOD'S CREATION LEFT NO ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
* Six times in Genesis 1, God pronounces his Creation "good". Then He steps back and pronounces the whole thing "very good".
* Evolution, on the other hand, demands room for improvement.
Another example of creationist reading more into scripture then there is. Neither "good" nor "very good" is equivalent to "perfect."
Evolution does not demand improvement, just adaptation to changing environments and new ecological niches.
Originally Posted by AV1611VET
3. THERE WAS NO DEATH IN GENESIS ONE.
* The Bible portrays death as an enemy of God.
*
1 Corinthians 15:26
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
* Evolution, on the other hand, works by leaving a trail of death behind.
It still does today, and you all claim that micro-evolution is real. Make up your mind.
In any case, the idea that there was no death before The Fall is another made up creationist fable. In Genesis God claims Adam must be expelled from the Garden after gaining knowledge from the Tree of Knowledge, to prevent him from eating from the Tree of Life and becoming immortal. Therefore, there was death before The Fall. If there wasn't, why did Adam need to eat (and kill) plants?
Originally Posted by AV1611VET
4. JESUS TAUGHT CREATION.
*
Mark 10:6
But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
Mark 13:19
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
* Jesus takes Genesis One literally --- in fact --- He wrote it.
This is what Mark taught. But, let's assume Mark was accurate in his recollection of Jesus' words in this case. This reference to Adam may well be figurative. And no, He did not write Genesis.
__________________ “The biblical story of the perfect and finished creation from which human beings fell into sin is pre-Darwinian mythology and post-Darwinian nonsense." -Bishop John Shelby Spong
"It is not the obligation of the State to reconcile various faiths with reality. Do it yourself." -Atomweaver
"We have designed our civilization based on science and technology and at the same time arranged things so that almost no one understands anything at all about science and technology. This is a clear prescription for disaster."
- Carl Sagan (Demon Haunted World)
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