confused christian

[samanthaH]

Hi, im new here. I thought I would join so I can ask the questions I dont feel comfortable asking my divinity teacher at school.
I am 14 and I go to a christian school. My parents are christian and they and my teachers have bought me up with the bible and god. However im learning quite alot at school and im very confused.
My main question is dinosaurs, we have fossils of them from millions of years ago, however the bible says the earth is only 6000 years old.
People always tell me that we are here because of evolution not because of god, what evidence can I show them to get them to realise god is real?
thanks for your help

 

[EnVida Isaac]

Hi, im new here. I thought I would join so I can ask the questions I dont feel comfortable asking my divinity teacher at school.
I am 14 and I go to a christian school. My parents are christian and they and my teachers have bought me up with the bible and god. However im learning quite alot at school and im very confused.
My main question is dinosaurs, we have fossils of them from millions of years ago, however the bible says the earth is only 6000 years old.
People always tell me that we are here because of evolution not because of god, what evidence can I show them to get them to realise god is real?
thanks for your help

lotsa answers to this, but my fav is:

1. The conceit of knowledge one. This requires humility to really believe. When one studies history one often scorns the experts of the past and their consensual delusions they taught society to believe as "truth".

That scorn separates people from the present. So they do not go, "Wait, maybe this is the exact same kind of situation". Building up this lack of ability to do this, they start to pick at enemy groups and go, "Aha! They are like those scorned experts of old! So more evidence the society of experts I trust in are not!"

There may also be more points of evidence to believe your favorite group. College degrees. Affiliation with modern technology which really works and so proves their work... though if one steps back, one sees, because we have tvs and rockets does not therefore mean everything else calling itself "science" is the same thing... any more then the pharisees were prophets just because they clung to the reputation of Moses and the prophets.

With dinosaurs and theories about them, there are countless points of "evidence", but never mind no one actually has a time machine to go back and literally stand there seeing one. Science fiction itself helps for the gullible. There time machines and traveling back help prove this.

Worse, with this stuff, there is the constant, pervasive message that all outside "enemy" groups are gullible. Say it loudly enough, often enough, and with enough varied sophistication... and it is really compelling. But it may just be a way of reinforcing the delusion that 'as you judge, you are judged' and be the most gullible group of all.

All of this is super difficult to believe, however. People tend to not question reality, or even institutional, modern, expert opinions. They will say that is not the case, yet even while doing so they also point to just how many people believe they are right.

2. Ultimately, the Bible is metaphoric and vague. Ten billion years, sixty billion, whatever.

Even among those who literally try and take the Eden story, there are near countless possibilities as to ... what... it... really... means.

It ultimately should not effect one's faith in Jesus and what Jesus teaches through the Gospel. One should ask themself, "Do I believe in the teachings of Jesus", rather then, "Should I believe in the teachings of those I think are Christian".

There is a big difference. I can not find anywhere anymore consolidated and powerful collection of teachings to believe in then what Jesus teaches.

3. There can be a lack of other answers. How then did these dinosaur bones get there? We must have an answer and believe it, because we can never not know something.

There are a lot of other possibilities. And many, I am sure, I have never even run across myself. But, that is not the point.


Maybe I should not believe the scientific method is generally sound, because of people who abuse it throwing in ludicrous theory like theory in the "ether" or "phrenology" claiming it is "science". Why? If these were once accepted scientific beliefs, what does that mean to the scientific method? But just because they were accepted by a group of esteemed scientists does not mean, therefore, that it was really a "scientific belief" as if that vague phrase actually means something definitive.


I would advise studying language, culture, beliefs in general, if anything.

People always assume to know all sorts of things, but 'one never really knows anything as they should'.

 

[Criada]

There are a lot of questions that we don't know the answers to - and that is part of being human.
Many Christians - most even - don't believe that the world is only 6000 years old. Science is not evil - it tells us how things work... faith tells us why. I don't know how old the earth is, though personally I think the answer is in millions of years not thousands..
But what really matters is that God created it - whenever and however He did so are insignificant in comparison to the fact that He made it.. and yet He wants to have a relationship with us. That's an awesome concept!
God loves you, and that is what's important. Take time to get to know Him, and the rest will fall into place.

 

[Quasicentennial]

All I can say - after many years as a Christian - is to have faith that when Jesus returns, the truth would be revealed to all believers .:*:. There are so many questions that we want to ask God about creation .:*:. I can imagine what's it like to be transformed into our new perfect bodies where time cannot damage them .:*:. Our new minds of Christ would not suffer lack of knowledge, or poor memory loss .:*:. To have a mind like Christ is to know everyone without forgetfulness and mental illness .:*:. To have a new body like Christ is to stay slim, strong and healthy without aging and disease - the greatest gift or asset of all - so much more important than all the material gifts received from all your birthday party years from friends and families .:*:. I pray that Christianity would rise unceasingly and atheism would shrivel as our gospel is preached every inch of every city of every nation .:*:. Victory over Satan is assured - God knows our future and we are chosen to tell/warn about and believe in his Word .:*:. Praise Jesus, Raise us Lord to be conquerors of Christ .:*:.Amene

 

[Jonnley]

"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3:8)

Personal translation: One day in the heavenly realm, is 'thousands' of years in the earthly realm.

By the writing of the Bible, 'thousands' was the highest number scale. We do not know if it actually meant several thousands (The Secret things belong to the Lord our God... Deuteronomy 29:29), which we call today as 'millions' (probably even 'billions' or more) since these numbers are still divisions of thousands.

Humanly, This can be explained more by the theory of 'dimensions' (which if not allowed by God, would not have come up), which can be briefly explained like a book being the lower dimension and our living on earth as the higher dimension. Several days in the book (or more) can be read in just hours in our earthly time rate. Imagine the earthly realm as the book (lower dimension) and heavenly realm being the earth (higher dimension).

 

[Johnnz]

An old issue. Many Christians don't believe the earth is only around 6000 years old. That is but one view amongst several.

More fundamentally there is an accumulating body of Christians who understand the creation story in terms of its cultural context. The account in Genesis is not about the creation of matter but of assigning order and purpose. Thus, there is no issue with time, as the Bible does not give us an account of when and how the earth was made but why it was.

John
NZ

 

[metal pedal]

After reading this I'd be more confused.

Here some points of interest to check out

1) Granite polonium signature - I believe the isotope stayes in this state for around 20 seconds and is present in all the worlds granite.

2) Ratio of hydrogen to helium in space - when stars burn they transform hydrogen to helium - planetary physicist estimate we are only at 1% helium 99% hydrogen suggesting a new universe.

3) Carbon dating methods where changed when they did not produce an old enough earth to justify evolution. In fact over the years the earth has become older for the same reason.

Many top level scientist are now Christions due to their cutting edge research and have abandon evolution and the like.

 

[razeontherock]

Hi, im new here. I thought I would join so I can ask the questions I dont feel comfortable asking my divinity teacher at school.
I am 14 and I go to a christian school. My parents are christian and they and my teachers have bought me up with the bible and god. However im learning quite alot at school and im very confused.
My main question is dinosaurs, we have fossils of them from millions of years ago, however the bible says the earth is only 6000 years old.
People always tell me that we are here because of evolution not because of god, what evidence can I show them to get them to realise god is real?
thanks for your help

hopefully others have pointed this out already:

the Bible doesn't say the Earth is 6,000 years old.

You're not going to come up with naturalistic evidence that somehow "proves" G-d is real.

It's entirely possible that the meaning of Genesis 1 is in line with an Earth sheathed in dust from the impact from the meteor thought to have wiped out the dinosaurs, and that the creation of man came much later. This also fits in beautifully with the Cambrian explosion.

The best evidence for G-d is your own life, lived according to His Word and overflowing with His Love!

 

[wonderwaleye]

Hi, im new here. I thought I would join so I can ask the questions I dont feel comfortable asking my divinity teacher at school.
I am 14 and I go to a christian school. My parents are christian and they and my teachers have bought me up with the bible and god. However im learning quite alot at school and im very confused.
My main question is dinosaurs, we have fossils of them from millions of years ago, however the bible says the earth is only 6000 years old.
People always tell me that we are here because of evolution not because of god, what evidence can I show them to get them to realise god is real?
thanks for your help

​

1 Corinthians
Chapter 1​

​

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.18 The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside."

20 Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?

21 For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith.

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

24 but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.26 Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

27 Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,

28 and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something,

29 so that no human being might boast before God.

30 It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,

31 so that, as it is written, "Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."

2 Timothy
Chapter 2:​

22 So turn from youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith,love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord with purity of heart. 23 Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels. 24 A slave of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant, 25 correcting opponents with kindness. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they may return to their senses out of the devil's snare, where they are entrapped by him, for his will.

Titus
Chapter 3​

9 Avoid foolish arguments, genealogies, rivalries, and quarrels about the law, for they are useless and futile. 10 After a first and second warning, break off contact with a heretic, 11 realizing that such a person is perverted and sinful and stands self-condemned. steven

 

[laconicstudent]

Hi, im new here. I thought I would join so I can ask the questions I dont feel comfortable asking my divinity teacher at school.
I am 14 and I go to a christian school. My parents are christian and they and my teachers have bought me up with the bible and god. However im learning quite alot at school and im very confused.

Believing in God and the Bible is good, confusion can be rectified through education.

My main question is dinosaurs, we have fossils of them from millions of years ago, however the bible says the earth is only 6000 years old.

Because the Earth actually isn't 6,000 years old. Genesis isn't literally true any more than Song of Songs with its calling breasts "towers of silver" is literally true.

People always tell me that we are here because of evolution not because of god, what evidence can I show them to get them to realise god is real?
thanks for your help

There isn't any. God isn't scientific. Neither is there any scientific proof of Young Earth Creationism (YEC). Your teacher is correct, this evidence of science contradicting YEC will only grow more prevalent with more life experience.

 

[wonderwaleye]

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

steven

 

[laconicstudent]

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

steven

This is a brain. God gave it to be used.

 

[wonderwaleye]

This is a brain. God gave it to be used.

It is a GREAT thing you do recognize GOD, now the next thing to work on is accepting GOD'S WORD in faith. This is a part of the word BELIEVE in which we must in order to be SAVED. You don't really think accepting JESUS will SAVE you do you? satan accepts the fact that GOD'S SON is named JESUS.

There are those that think they are smarter than GOD and HE covered this in HIS WORD.

steven

 

[wayfaring man]

Along the lines of " one day with The Lord is as a thousand of our years ". (2nd Peter 3:8 + Psalm 90:4 )

Thousand = thou sand = as numerable as the grains of sand = [ practically ] innumerable .

That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; <-----> Genesis 22:17

And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. <-----> Genesis 32:12

wm

 

[bsd31]

I was in the Navy with a guy who swore up and down that the Dinosaurs never existed. He said that their bones are tricks of Satan. His opinion is based on the fact that they are never explicitly mentioned in the Bible.

Ok, fine but as you know there are a LOT of things that aren't explicitly mentioned in the Scriptures. Point is that the Bible isn't meant to catalog every single thing in all of God's creation. It speaks volumes that God has absolutely nothing to say about dinosaurs, creatures that seemed to have such and impact on our world. But to God they don't even get lip service. Why? Because the story of God's love and redemption has nothing to do with dinosaurs and everything to do with Jesus and us.