The Bible: Symbolic or Literal?

[Wiccan_Child]

Umm it was Abraham that pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah, not Lot. LOL nice job with all the jabs of "not reading your Bible", you guys.

I stand corrected. I wonder if david_x, with his hypocritical insults, will be as forthcoming.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

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.

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, the 'above statement' happens to be something that Jesus said. I don't know why not everyone is healed, but I know that He never lies. If you really want to know the answer to your question, I suggest that you pray about it.

God bless.

monica

 

[MoNiCa4316]

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.

Instead of saying that miracles aren't real because they are rare, why don't we ask why they are rare? maybe it's because our faith is weak? I don't know.
And miracles are not 'uniformly shown to be fake or natural', I don't know what you're basing this on.

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

That God answers prayer?

 

[MoNiCa4316]

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?

Because not enough people are going there to feed the children? God doesn't force us to do anything like that, but if we choose to obey Him we just might be the answer to someone's prayer.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

If that was the plan all along, God never changed his mind. He just went through the motions to make us beg. Sounds a little conceited to me.

It's only conceited if you assume that God's motives are like our own.

 

[Dannager]

Dannager, the 'above statement' happens to be something that Jesus said. I don't know why not everyone is healed, but I know that He never lies.

Then perhaps the reasonable course to take would be that Jesus' words weren't properly recorded in this instance.

 

[Dannager]

Instead of saying that miracles aren't real because they are rare, why don't we ask why they are rare? maybe it's because our faith is weak? I don't know.
And miracles are not 'uniformly shown to be fake or natural', I don't know what you're basing this on.

Every miracle that has been studied has been shown to be natural or fake. The only ones that haven't are the ones we haven't been allowed to study, or the ones that don't lend themselves to study.

That God answers prayer?

That God does what we ask.

 

[Dannager]

It's only conceited if you assume that God's motives are like our own.

Can you imagine a possible motive for it?

I'm having a really hard time coming up with one using your line of reasoning that doesn't end in "God is a jerk."

 

[AllForJesus]

I haven't heard a response about Jonah... it says very clearly..."God changed his mind".

His plan was to distroy the nation if they do not repent. Now they repented so He used His other plan... Like He chose the other plan to go with this people... It's like when we have a war and God knows it and we pray so God come to help us...

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Dannager, the 'above statement' happens to be something that Jesus said. I don't know why not everyone is healed, but I know that He never lies.

Without delving into the epsitomological nightmare of your claim, it is still upon you (or someone who shares your beliefs) to reconcile this blatant contradiction.

If you really want to know the answer to your question, I suggest that you pray about it.

This question has dogged Christians since the early Church. Why does your god refuse to answer?

 

[DMagoh]

He doesn't want sacrifice, creeds, oaths, he doesn't want offerings, he doesn't want membership or attendance... just do the right thing.

Yep, and it's pretty clear that pre-marital sex/fornication, homosexual behavior, and pronography (lust AND enjoying watching others sin by fornicating), are NOT the right things.

 

[KCDAD]

Yep, and it's pretty clear that pre-marital sex/fornication, homosexual behavior, and pronography (lust AND enjoying watching others sin by fornicating), are NOT the right things.

When are two people married in the "eyes of God"? When the government says so? When their judge, ship captain or minister says so? Or when they say so?

 

[DMagoh]

When are two people married in the "eyes of God"? When the government says so? When their judge, ship captain or minister says so? Or when they say so?

Well, you tell me. Romans 13:1-7 says...

1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

 

[Brennin]

None of the things DMagoh mentioned could even be considered close to core doctrines. What were you referring to?

Doctrines concerning permissible expression of human sexuality are core doctrines.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Because not enough people are going there to feed the children? God doesn't force us to do anything like that, but if we choose to obey Him we just might be the answer to someone's prayer.

But that's just the problem: there are Christians the world over who submit, yet their prayers go unanswered. There are people who lose thier faith because God abandons them. There are people who die becuase God abandons them.

 

[david_x]

I haven't heard a response about Jonah... it says very clearly..."God changed his mind".

Yeah they decided to blow my missnaming way out of proportion rather than deal with the topic.

 

[david_x]

I stand corrected. I wonder if david_x, with his hypocritical insults, will be as forthcoming.

Yes i was wrong. (dang I had a perfect record to. )
I watched a dumb movie that screwed the whole thing up.

This question has dogged Christians since the early Church. Why does your god refuse to answer?

It has confused them because they think that God is like all the other gods that make your life "better." God will make our lives better but we have to be honest, belive completly, and just trust his plan.

 

[KCDAD]

Well, you tell me. Romans 13:1-7 says...

1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

And this says what... Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, The Ayatolla Khomeini, Pol Pot, King George and all their like are "authorities that exist have been established by God" And George Washington, John Hancock, and all those who fight against tyranny are " rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves"?

You believe that nonsense is what Paul was writing about? You go ahead and pay your taxes to support a corrupt and evil government and don't question authority or stand up against injustice and see if God will hold you accountable.

So marriage is what the government says it is. That's your bottom line. And when the US passes a law allowing homosexual marriage you will be just fine with that. And when the US government passed a law legalizing abortion you were just fine with that. And when the government gave our country to a small handful of bankers called the Federal Reserve and gave these private businessmen the authority to create money, and regulate the value there of, this was all good and blessed by God... right?

Submit ! Submit ! I submit you do not deserve the freedom you don't have.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

It has confused them because they think that God is like all the other gods that make your life "better." God will make our lives better but we have to be honest, belive completly, and just trust his plan.

I was referring to Christians in their totality. Unless you think that there are no True Christians™, you have a problem on your hands: there are Christians who's prayers go unanswered. There are people who deconvert, who die, because their prayers are unanswered.

What say you to the starving Christian who begs for food? Who pleads for his family's survival? Why do the vast majority call on deaf ears?

 

[Gukkor]

I fail to see what all of this has to do with the Bible being symbolic or literal.