The Bible: Symbolic or Literal?

[EnemyPartyII]

God's mind has been changed before. The fact is that he wants us to try.

God's mind changes??? What happened to God being eternal and unchanging???

 

[Dannager]

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer"

Would Jesus lie?

There are, again, literally millions of people praying for divine healing every single day. If the above statement is true, why aren't they receiving healing? What, none of them believe?

This is nonsense theology.

Prayer is not a 'wishlist', but God does listen to our prayers and take them into consideration. That's an amazing priveledge, to talk to the Creator of the Universe and know that He hears!!

The quotation you provided claims that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer as long as you believe. Why, then, do the millions of believers who ask for healing in prayer not receive it?

 

[Dannager]

Wow would you rather believe that?

It's not a matter of what I'd rather believe. It's a matter of what probably happened.

What if the cancer only went into remission because of the prayers?

Then it would be a miracle. But miracles are exceedingly rare, to the point where the tiny handful that people claim occur are uniformly shown to be fake or natural.

...oki, well I believe He does

And I believe that's rubbish, and awful theology.

 

[Dannager]

Can I just ask why you even want to be a Christian or even be associated with God? From all your posts all over this forum, I have yet to see anything that you agree with or think positively about God.

Because I'm not here to agree with or think positively about God. I do those things on my own time. God doesn't need my agreement or positive thought here. I'm here to challenge people's way of thinking.

You think that most of the stories in the Bible are fables and legends.

Most? Some, certainly.

You think that, for the most part, the Bible was written by men and is therefore FULL of errors.

Not "for the most part". The Bible was written by men. Entirely. And yes, it contains errors. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's "FULL" of them, but it sure has a few.

You are against several Christian teachings about morality, including pre-marital sex, pornography, homosexual behavior, etc.

Several fundamentalist Christian teachings, yes. But then again, fundamentalist Christianity is not, in my opinion, worth adhering to in any way.

You think prayer is completely useless.

I really wish you'd start speaking for yourself. I've never said that prayer is completely useless. I've said that prayer is useless for healing, but that was just healing I was talking about.

The witch hunt you've been stalking me on for the last couple of weeks stops now, DMagoh. I'm pretty sick of it.

What is it that makes you want to be considered a Christian, or be associated with God?

My faith, and my love for God.

What basic concepts of Christianity do you actually agree with?

Love thy neighbor.

Search for truth.

Give praise to God.

I could go on, but I'm not on trial here, DMagoh. I always find it funny when fundamentalists begin to cry "Oh no! Christians being persecuted!" and then turn around and start interrogating their fellow Christians like you do. Start doing some good for your faith.

 

[Brennin]

Can I just ask why you even want to be a Christian or even be associated with God? From all your posts all over this forum, I have yet to see anything that you agree with or think positively about God.

• You think that most of the stories in the Bible are fables and legends.
• You think that, for the most part, the Bible was written by men and is therefore FULL of errors.
• You are against several Christian teachings about morality, including pre-marital sex, pornography, homosexual behavior, etc.
• You think prayer is completely useless.

What is it that makes you want to be considered a Christian, or be associated with God?

What basic concepts of Christianity do you actually agree with?

Matthew 7

21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” 23Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.”

 

[Brennin]

God's mind changes???

No, the other poster was incorrect on that point of doctrine.

 

[AllForJesus]

The Bible: symbolic, historic, poetic, literal... we just need to read each part as it is

 

[Dannager]

Matthew 7

21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” 23Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.”

I can't tell here...are you calling DMagoh or myself the evildoer?

 

[Noxot]

Congratulations on your first post, and welcome to CF
If you don't mind me asking, how can something be both symbolic and literal? Or, could you give an example of a simultaneously literal and symbolic part of the Bible?

Thanks for the welcome.

Im sorry that it has taken me a while to respond.

How can something be both symbolic and literal? Its had to explain because I am of such a weak mind. Look at an apple. its color is red or green or some other color. It has a plesent smell. It taste good. so if an apple can do all of this, and if there really is a God that made everything including the apple. and if God really had his words written in a book. then I see all of what he has made, the tree, the animals, humans. and I say, we are complex, compsed of different amino acids, apples are complex, because they have a skin, a taste, a smell, ect. so I think if He wrote the bible, that it is most wonderful and complex also.

 

[Noxot]

The Bible: symbolic, historic, poetic, literal... we just need to read each part as it is

Yes I agree. but we will never understand what is what unless God has us to understand.

Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights...


1ki 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.

so God really does give us good things, what a perfect gift! to understand Gods word, to understand how he created everything. God gave us science, but God gave us perfect science, with no errors in it. man and lesser beings are the ones that lie and corrupt the truth. but the true things of science are from God.

 

[Noxot]

God's mind changes??? What happened to God being eternal and unchanging???

God never changed His mind. but he has set forth his judgments. if God punishes me for hitting an innocent person, and I do that several times, God keeps punishing me. but then I repent of that, I stop hitting that innocent person. O wow look, God stoped punishing me for hitting an innocent person. He would have changed if he punished me for not hurting the innocent.

do you understand? he did not change, he was exercising his nature and character that does not change. he never changed from being "just" to "unjust".Do you see that he punished when I did something bad and He stoped punishing me when I stoped hurting the innocent? Gods justice never changed. I was the one that changed, God never changes, God rewards the good and punishes the bad.

I hope someone understands what I am trying to say. maybe someone can explain it abit better?

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Sometimes God decides to use people to answer prayers, so if someone goes and gives a starving child some food, their prayer is being answered and God is being glorified. Jesus told us to do this. He gave us the opportunity to serve Him by doing what is in our power to do, and pray for what we can not do.

So why isn't Africa flocked with people giving food to starving children? Why does God single out a few kids to recieve special treatment?

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Again you are assuming you know the whole picture. If God knowes everything then his plan obviously is in motion the correct way. This is were faith kicks in. It is not going to be a walk in the park. To be quit frank it is going to suck. But in the end you can be happier from the toil.

If your answer is 'I don't know', then fine, but at least come out and say it.

 

[AllForJesus]

Yes I agree. but we will never understand what is what unless God has us to understand.

Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights...


1ki 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore.

so God really does give us good things, what a perfect gift! to understand Gods word, to understand how he created everything. God gave us science, but God gave us perfect science, with no errors in it. man and lesser beings are the ones that lie and corrupt the truth. but the true things of science are from God.

I agree but i think you forgot that now we have the Holy Spirit of God that works in us and help us to understand more God's words

 

[david_x]

That's interesting. I've never heard of a theology that purports to allow men to change God's mind.

What about Noah? Noah begged God to allow sodom and Gamorah to be saved. It started out that Noah would have to find many righteouss people but Noah got God to go down to just ten people.

 

[david_x]

God's mind changes??? What happened to God being eternal and unchanging???

He is eternal and unchanging. It is a rather complicated subject.

God has his plan and that will never ever change. He may ask us to do something. We can beg and beg not to do it, and God may grant this desire. That was however still part of his plan.

No, the other poster was incorrect on that point of doctrine.

Way to know the bible there. One name for you "Noah."

 

[david_x]

If your answer is 'I don't know', then fine, but at least come out and say it.

Oh, but i do know. I know that God has a plan and that he has only revealed the parts of his plan that I need to know.

 

[Robert the Pilegrim]

What about Noah? Noah begged God to allow sodom and Gamorah to be saved. It started out that Noah would have to find many righteouss people but Noah got God to go down to just ten people.

Abraham.

 

[Brennin]

I can't tell here...are you calling DMagoh or myself the evildoer?

The scripture was directed at anyone who denies core doctrines but still claims to be a Christian.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

What about Noah? Noah begged God to allow sodom and Gamorah to be saved. It started out that Noah would have to find many righteouss people but Noah got God to go down to just ten people.

That was Lot, I believe.

He is eternal and unchanging. It is a rather complicated subject.

God has his plan and that will never ever change. He may ask us to do something. We can beg and beg not to do it, and God may grant this desire. That was however still part of his plan.

Then God's mind didn't change: he never reconsidered his actions, and knew full well what action he would ultimately take.

Way to know the bible there. One name for you "Noah."

The irony is incredible. You realise that Noah never changed God's mind, right? That the principle negotiator for Sodom was Lot, right?
Way to know your Bible.