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I certainly see what you mean and I agree that parts of the Bible are chock full of violence that is represented as being endorsed by God. But, as you are no doubt aware, there are many different stances on how to understand the Bible. Jesus, certainly, was as about as pacifistic as one can get (at least if we take the New Testament at face value). I am open to the proposition that the violence we see ascribed to God in the Bible (in the Old Testament) was really a way for the Israelites to justify their own violent ways and that Jesus, by contrast, represents the "true" image of God.
Adam and Eve were real people but they are also a shadow and a type. Jesus teached using parables. He was clearly the greatest teacher that ever lived. We learn in this story how God does what He does. In this case the lesson is common ancestor and science can confirm it it true that we all come from a common ancestor. Abram was told: "you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations". That is exactly what happened. Abraham became the father or common ancestor of many nations.
There never seems to be an end to the strawman arguements around here. What you do not believe in is a product of your own mind. In fact I am right in there with you. I do not believe in your strawmen either. So we are in agreement there.
There were no weeds in the garden so there was no need for weed killer at that time.
According to Francis MacNutt that is a watershed issue. What they call a litmus test in science. So you can determine who does and who does NOT represent God. I am not saying this shows who is and who is NOT saved. Salvation is not by works. So those who do not serve God will not receive a reward. I have put up multiple posts about marriage and so far no one even understands what marriage is.
There is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and I receive understanding from them. You also can have the eyes of your understanding enlightened, but you do not seem to be willing to receive what God has for you. That is your choice. That is what this is all about is everyone making a decision and making a choice if they are with God or against Him. So everyone will be without excuse.
This is complex. My ancient history left Germany before the Holocaust. He lived to be 100. Like others he knew to get out and avoid trouble.
He does not. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I attended a church that did a serious of sermons on the mind of Christ. AT the time we talk about around 180 qualities that make up the mind of Christ. As Christians we are to be born again, that means we are to put on the mind of Christ. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," Phil2:5
God preserves a remnant for Himself. The Canaanites were descended from an ancestor called Canaan, the son of Ham and grandson of Noah.
Do you seriously think the events of Revelation that Jesus does is going to be done by a pacifist?
I think it is really quite clear that John of Patmos is repeating the well-established use of imagery in a specifically metaphorical mode. Many modern Christians are unaware that the colorful, often fantastic, kind of imagery we see in the book of Revelation was commonly deployed in Jewish writing as a means to speak about socio-political change.
