If God Himself came down and personally told me that YEC was true...

[Gracchus]

Actually, you are not very far from the truth.

You noticed? Congratulations!

Those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ -- as revealed in the Bible -- have discovered that they are extremely important to God. They have also discovered that because they have put their faith in Christ and His atoning work on the Cross, they are regarded as PERFECT by God. And eventually they shall be perfected (body, soul, and spirit). That's a guarantee from God.

That is a guarantee from wishful thinking.

So before you scoff at believers you should try to get a grasp of the Gospel and its implications for those who believe, as well as for those who refuse to believe.

You can believe this: After twelve years on this forum, having read the Bible and numerous commentaries, and having passed two college courses on the Bible, I have a firm grasp on what believers believe.

Getting back to the title, God has ALREADY TOLD humanity what the age of the earth is. And He has embedded that in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11).

God, if he exists, wrote it in the rocks, and the stars. Men wrote the Bible.

So there is no need to speculate about God coming down personally to cater to unbelievers.

About God, there is only speculation. And there it is again: The religious insistence that only if you grovel and beg and publicly profess the ridiculous, will God love you and refrain from eternal torture.

 

[JacksBratt]

You have to understand: The "Bible" is a graven image, an idol, a simple god that simple-minded folks can hold and see. The "God" of the Bible makes no sense, and so believers can believe whatever they want to believe, picking and choosing. Of course they have to believe some incredible nonsense so they can differentiate themselves from those who aren't like them. By "faith" they can be superior to those who behave better, superior to those who are smarter and better educated. They can be "important".

If this is your true belief, you are to be pitied.
The Bible cannot be either an image or an idol as it is the living word. It is actually Christ. He is the word become flesh. in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. It is written so that the simple can understand it. This offends some who are arrogant enough to believe they are above it. This is why we must come as children to unthink the untruth we have been fed by the world. The Bible makes no sense to unbelievers as this is it's design. By faith we are not superior to anyone but , in fact humbled by the knowledge of our undeservedness. We, by faith, are not better than those who behave better, but intimately aware of our shortcomings. We are not superior to those who are smarter, or less intelligent, for all are equal in the eyes of God. We are important. However, we are all equally important, believers and non.

Your statement here is actually the prefect anti-Christian caricature.

Your type are so full of themselves that you need almost be killed in order to be reached. For it would almost kill you to believe you had erred.

 

[JacksBratt]

I'd believe Him. I might not understand, but if He clarified it to me I'd trust Him.

What about you, creationists? If God Himself appeared to you and told you that evolution and deep time were true, and Genesis was meant to be taken allegorically, would you believe Him?

Sure, I would. But He did tell us something. You don't believe Him now. You will only believe that which suits your desires. Until this attitude changes you are closed to anything that is not serving to your selfish understanding.

 

[sahjimira]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is YEC?

 

[Goonie]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is YEC?

Young earth creationism.

 

[crjmurray]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is YEC?

Young earth creationism.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Earth_creationism

 

[Gracchus]

The Bible cannot be either an image or an idol as it is the living word. It is actually Christ.

He is the word become flesh. in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. It is written so that the simple can understand it.

Maybe you have to be "simple" to think you understand it?

This offends some who are arrogant enough to believe they are above it.

I am not offended by the nonsense... dismayed, perhaps.

This is why we must come as children to unthink the untruth we have been fed by the world. The Bible makes no sense to unbelievers as this is it's design.

So, the Bible is designed to be unintelligible by anyone intelligent enough to actually read it? Got it!

By faith we are not superior to anyone but , in fact humbled by the knowledge of our undeservedness.

Undeservedness? I'll give you that!

We, by faith, are not better than those who behave better,...

Stipulated!

... but intimately aware of our shortcomings.

Not so much...!

We are not superior to those who are smarter, or less intelligent, ...

Stipulated!

... for all are equal in the eyes of God. We are important. However, we are all equally important, believers and non.

And you know this, because ...?

Your statement here is actually the prefect anti-Christian caricature.

It is impossible to caricature religious folks, because they come in all sorts of forms, mostly grotesque.

Your type are so full of themselves that you need almost be killed in order to be reached.

Almost? Christians have been killing each other over points of doctrine for thousands of years. I suspect this sudden moderation is the result of secular influence.

For it would almost kill you to believe you had erred.

Perhaps! But most Christians claim that they would rather die than admit they were wrong. Long ago and far away, some, we are told, actually did die. The rest just changed what they believed, and so they survived and passed on the new doctrines, which kept the same name as the old faith. Religion evolves and adapts in order to survive.

 

[JacksBratt]

You could ask him your pine trees question.

Personally, I'd take His word for it whatever He told me.

This answer, from an atheist, intrigued me.

I believe the Bible is God's message to all humans and is, therefore, Him telling us.

If you do not believe the credibility of the Bible, I would encourage you to watch "Patterns of Evidence: the Exodus" directed by Tim Mahoney. Keep in mind that one of the investigators who is most thorough in putting the puzzle together is Atheist.

 

[JacksBratt]

.. but intimately aware of our shortcomings.

Not so much...!

What right do you have to make that comment? You have no knowledge of my awareness or that of others

 

[Not_By_Chance]

No, the people who wrote the bible claiming it to be god's word told you. And the OP literally states "what if god came down and told you that it's metaphorical and thus not literally true and that evolution theory is correct?". Your response was clearly that you wouldn't simply believe god, you would actually question him.



I just think it is incredibly hilarious that you would put the word of men (the bible) above the word of god himself, would he come down and downright tell you that you're wrong. You'ld still be tempted to go with the bible anyway (well.... your particular interpretation of it anyway...).

I think this is something you need to reflect on.

You might think it is the words of men, but Christians don't. And if God came down again and spoke to you and then you wrote down what He said, what do you think future generations would say about it? Something along the lines of "That man DogmaHunter from ancient times claimed to have spoken to God, but we all know that what he wrote down were just the words of a man. Now if God were to really come down and speak to us..."

 

[Gracchus]

What right do you have to make that comment? You have no knowledge of my awareness or that of others

I have only your posts to evaluate, to be sure, but those reveal much.

 

[KWCrazy]

I understand how absurd your response is. As well as your fundamentalist interpretation of the bible.

As an atheist, your interpretation of the Bible has no value whatever.

 

[KWCrazy]

It may be as science tells us, that this globe existed millions of years ago; that it has been the habitation of numerous and varied races of animated beings; and that it has undergone many great destruction's and creations before it was brought into its present state: none of these views are in the least discordant with the statement of the inspired historian, that “in beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

"For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."- Exodus, 20:11

 

[Jimmy D]

This answer, from an atheist, intrigued me.

I believe the Bible is God's message to all humans and is, therefore, Him telling us.

If you do not believe the credibility of the Bible, I would encourage you to watch "Patterns of Evidence: the Exodus" directed by Tim Mahoney. Keep in mind that one of the investigators who is most thorough in putting the puzzle together is Atheist.

Hi JacksBratt

The reason I'm an atheist is because Christianity just hasn't convinced me, I went to church as a child but I couldn't accept anything they said as factual, it seemed too far fetched and contrived. As an adult I've encountered nothing to change my mind, I've got no problem with religion as such, I'm just in no way convinced, it all seems so illogical.

As my answer indicated though if God did show himself to me in any way shape or form I'd have no reason to doubt would I? Mind you, I'd still take most of the Bible with a pinch of salt unless He told me otherwise.

Thanks for pointing me towards the film, I'm not sure if I'll have time to watch it but I appreciate the gesture, I do find the subject fascinating even if I can't believe it all.

 

[JacksBratt]

Hi JacksBratt

The reason I'm an atheist is because Christianity just hasn't convinced me, I went to church as a child but I couldn't accept anything they said as factual, it seemed too far fetched and contrived. As an adult I've encountered nothing to change my mind, I've got no problem with religion as such, I'm just in no way convinced, it all seems so illogical.

As my answer indicated though if God did show himself to me in any way shape or form I'd have no reason to doubt would I? Mind you, I'd still take most of the Bible with a pinch of salt unless He told me otherwise.

Thanks for pointing me towards the film, I'm not sure if I'll have time to watch it but I appreciate the gesture, I do find the subject fascinating even if I can't believe it all.

Your very welcome. Maybe God will show Himself in a way you will be open to.

 

[DerelictJunction]

As an atheist, your interpretation of the Bible has no value whatever.

Logically, then your interpretation of the Bible had no value before you became a believer. Therefore the Bible could not be used to convince you that you needed to be a believer.
Since the Bible was not used to instill your belief, what was?

Since the Bible cannot be used to convince unbelievers, why do Christians quote the Bible at unbelievers as if It had any value to convert them?

 

[JacksBratt]

I have only your posts to evaluate, to be sure, but those reveal much.

When dogs bark at people it's because they don't know them.