Not if they are a, Christian that accepts evolution. I'm sure this has been pointed out to you before.
No, for example the flood myth was refuted much earlier.Was Genesis not read literally before Darwin? I thought biblical criticism is post evolutionary theory?
Mythical people cannot plant tares.My guess is that Nimrod planted the initial tares.
After all, the Antichrist, who is going to demonstrate evolution to the satisfaction of academia, is going to revive the Babylonian Empire.
Not if they are a Christian that accepts evolution.
more than 1600 years ago, someone was decrying the literalist approach.
Unusual, but they exist.What about an athiest that accepts evolution? Are there any athiests who don't accept evolution?
We give Plato the credit for the Allegorical Method of Bible interpretation.Conversely, you can find examples of non-literalism going back much further (for example, the works of Origen of Alexandira, circa 3rd century AD).
We give Plato the credit for the Allegorical Method of Bible interpretation.
Not true -- Biblical criticism existed before and completely independent of evolution.Was Genesis not read literally before Darwin? I thought biblical criticism is post evolutionary theory?
Origen said:20. Since, therefore, as will be clear to those who read, the connection taken literally is impossible, while the sense preferred is not impossible, but even the true one, it must be our object to grasp the whole meaning, which connects the account of what is literally impossible in an intelligible manner with what is not only not impossible, but also historically true, and which is allegorically understood, in respect of its not having literally occurred. For, with respect to holy Scripture, our opinion is that the whole of it has a spiritual, but not the whole a bodily meaning, because the bodily meaning is in many places proved to be impossible.
The Entropy of the BibleDo you think that the whole wheat and tares thing deals with communication (information)?
Not true -- Biblical criticism existed before and completely independent of evolution.
Long before, in fact -- Origen of Alexandria (184-253) in his Treatise on First Principles mentions how some parts of the Bible would be quite simply absurd if interpreted literally.
For example:
So what parts do you believe are literal/nonliteral?
These people experienced... something, but that "something" isn't easy to put into words
They're the ones who would've gotten the message -- for the rest of us, trying to read the Bible without understanding Jewish culture, history, theology, and poetry
I know first hand.
Yet, this message is sounding now...keeping us intrigued.
If that is so, then there's no way you could possibly explain it to me and do the experience any justice.
If God is what He is supposed to be, then the experience simply cannot be properly encapsulated within human language, because human language is limited... and "God" is not.
If you tried to explain it to me, it would be like trying to play Beethoven's Fifth Symphony on a kazoo. Sure, I'd get the general idea, but would I really be getting the full experience?
Of course not -- I'd had to have been there, and I wasn't.
Why are you a Christian?
Have you ever felt like a photosynthesizing tree...and have looked around at nature and understood that believing the Message (good news) is as natural as a plant going through the Calvin Cycle...have you ever had thoughts of hope and love and peace well up from inside you, knowing that they did not originate from the darkness that is you?
You are right,my words cannot do His Holy Breath any justice, but we do have His Words:
2 Peter 1:20-21
"20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. 21For no prophecy was ever brought about through human initiative, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
It is Written:
Romans 10:16-18
"16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
He Who created us gave us consciousness that we may read, write, and comprehend, so it is fitting that He has communicated to us through books.
All I can give is my own testimony (Why are you a Christian?) and I can pray that the Father Breathe His Holy Breath into every aspect of your being; heart,soul,will,emotions, imagination,physical body--meeting you Person to person...that He may raise you up...and Speak His Life unto you. Amen.
Again it is Written:
John 6:39-40
"39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 11:23-27
"23“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her. 24Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies. 26And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
Revelation 1:7-8
"7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 8“I am the Alpha [aleph] and the Omega [tav],” says the Lord God [Yahuah], who is and was and is to come— the Almighty."
He is ever-present and when you meet His Word, you are in His Presence even now. Do you believe? He is waiting for you to say "Yes".
So... in order to understand God, I would have to be a tree?
No, of course not -- but you just did a wonderful job using figurative language in order to help illustrate a point.
My contention is that the authors of the Bible has to do this quite a bit.
Ok... you say we have His words, so by His, you mean God.
However, the Second Epistle of Peter was, at best, written by St. Peter, or it was, as most scholars believe, pseudepigraphical.
In either case, it was written by a mere mortal, who would've faced the same limitations of language that you or I would.
Again, this epistle was written by Paul, not God, who was also a mere mortal.
(and Paul's issues with the other apostles -- those who heard the word of Christ in the flesh -- would make for high drama... but I digress)
And do those books firmly and completely encapsulate Who He is? Can He be contained by words?
I think not -- and I'd be skeptical of anyone who says otherwise.
And your story is an inspiring one, and I wish you the best of luck as you continue down your path.
But your path will not be the same as mine.
Ah, John... remember when I said all the NT authors but one identified as Jewish? Bingo.
John's non-synoptic Gospel has always been interesting -- I keep meaning to study it in more detail.
Ah, ah, ah... "Word" as in Divine Logos, or "word" as in Bible?
Language can be a harsh mistress...
And I wish you all the best on your path.
I not so sure. I find gravitational ethics quite attractive, especially when you are dealing with weighty matters.
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