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Dark_Lite

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how much of the bible do you actually believe in?,apologies if this has been asked before

I'm assuming you are asking this of theistic evolutionists. I can guarantee you almost all of us will answer "all of it." Just because we disagree with a literal interpretation of the creation account does not mean we do not believe in the Bible.
 
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The Lady Kate

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I'm assuming you are asking this of theistic evolutionists. I can guarantee you almost all of us will answer "all of it." Just because we disagree with a literal interpretation of the creation account does not mean we do not believe in the Bible.

^^ that.

It's really not as simple as "This part's real, that one isn't"... The Bible as we know it is a compilation of centuries of history, literature, oral tradition, poetry, myth, wisdom literature, and so much more. It's not clearly broken down by genres, no matter how much we'd like it to be.
 
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Mallon

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how much of the bible do you actually believe in?
To your mind, what does it mean to "believe in" the Bible, IIL?

Job 37 describes the firmament as "hard as a mirror of cast bronze". Do you believe that?

The Bible says in many places (1 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, Job, Psalms) that the earth doesn't move. Do you believe that?

Matthew and Daniel tell us that the entire earth can be seen from the top of a tall mountain or tree. Do you believe that?
 
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philadiddle

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how much of the bible do you actually believe in?,apologies if this has been asked before
I believe in all of the intended truth claims of the bible.

If you want to know what I mean read the intro to this book. It's only 10 pages and well worth a few minutes of your time. You can read it online.
The Art of Biblical History
(2 of the pages of the intro aren't available online because it is a preview but you'll still get what it's saying.)
 
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thanks for your replies.Can you guys/gals explain this to me if its not a literal interpretation?
Genesis 1:27 And God proceeded to create the man in his image.In Gods image he made them male and female,he created them.

Lets look at genesis 2:7 which goes into more detail about how God made man.
And God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life.
Now im curious to see your interpretation of this please.
 
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To your mind, what does it mean to "believe in" the Bible, IIL?

Job 37 describes the firmament as "hard as a mirror of cast bronze". Do you believe that?

The Bible says in many places (1 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, Job, Psalms) that the earth doesn't move. Do you believe that?

Matthew and Daniel tell us that the entire earth can be seen from the top of a tall mountain or tree. Do you believe that?

What i believe is you have studied evolution far more than the bible.I could answer those,but not right now and maybe i wont bother.Not sure, lets see how the discussion pans out.
 
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Melethiel

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thanks for your replies.Can you guys/gals explain this to me if its not a literal interpretation?
Genesis 1:27 And God proceeded to create the man in his image.In Gods image he made them male and female,he created them.

Lets look at genesis 2:7 which goes into more detail about how God made man.
And God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life.
Now im curious to see your interpretation of this please.
Is the Image of God a physical thing? (For the record, I've studied the Bible far more than I've studied about evolution.)
 
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Is the Image of God a physical thing? (For the record, I've studied the Bible far more than I've studied about evolution.)

Well im open to being corrected,but i would say that man is a physical appearance of what God looks like.Not exactly of course as we all look different,and i think thats why the word image is used.Not an exact replica or clone.
And also man was created with the idea that woman would be created later.
So man and woman are hazy reflections of God in the material world.
Whats interesting is the affirmation in these verses.1;27 actually says it twice that God made the first man in his image.
 
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Mallon

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What i believe is you have studied evolution far more than the bible.I could answer those,but not right now and maybe i wont bother.Not sure, lets see how the discussion pans out.
Please answer the question, ILL, because I'm trying to understand what it means to your mind to "believe" the Bible. I reiterate:

Job 37 describes the firmament as "hard as a mirror of cast bronze". Do you believe that?

The Bible says in many places (1 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, Job, Psalms) that the earth doesn't move. Do you believe that?

Matthew and Daniel tell us that the entire earth can be seen from the top of a tall mountain or tree. Do you believe that?

What does it mean to you to believe the passages above? Please don't avoid the question again because it relates directly to your OP. I can't answer your question unless I know what it means to you to "believe".
 
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Melethiel

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Well im open to being corrected,but i would say that man is a physical appearance of what God looks like.Not exactly of course as we all look different,and i think thats why the word image is used.Not an exact replica or clone.
And also man was created with the idea that woman would be created later.
So man and woman are hazy reflections of God in the material world.
Whats interesting is the affirmation in these verses.1;27 actually says it twice that God made the first man in his image.
Is God physical? Doesn't the Bible say that God is a Spirit? That's why it was a big deal when the Son became incarnate as the man Jesus of Nazareth.

The image of God is therefore not physical, but spiritual - a reflection of the nature of God. That is why, when man sinned, this image was tarnished.
 
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philadiddle

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thanks for your replies.Can you guys/gals explain this to me if its not a literal interpretation?
Genesis 1:27 And God proceeded to create the man in his image.In Gods image he made them male and female,he created them.

Lets look at genesis 2:7 which goes into more detail about how God made man.
And God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life.
Now im curious to see your interpretation of this please.
Well since my first response got completely ignored, I'll try a simple question.

In Genesis 3:15 God says to the serpent "and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

In it's context, what does that verse mean to you? I'm just looking for what IIL has to say about it.

Thanks
 
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Willtor

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thanks for your replies.Can you guys/gals explain this to me if its not a literal interpretation?
Genesis 1:27 And God proceeded to create the man in his image.In Gods image he made them male and female,he created them.

Lets look at genesis 2:7 which goes into more detail about how God made man.
And God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life.
Now im curious to see your interpretation of this please.

Ah, yes! I completely agree with this post. In cases like the Imago Dei, the literal interpretation would lead someone straight into heresy. Along these lines, in my Fundamentalist days I actually had a teacher who said that God had two arms and two legs (context: before the Incarnation!).

I'll second a call for YEC interpretations of the idea being expressed, since this was one (albeit small) factor in leading me away from modern YEC-ism.
 
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Is God physical? Doesn't the Bible say that God is a Spirit? That's why it was a big deal when the Son became incarnate as the man Jesus of Nazareth.

The image of God is therefore not physical, but spiritual - a reflection of the nature of God. That is why, when man sinned, this image was tarnished.

Agree but you might want to read my post again please.Theres nowhere where i said that God wasnt a spirit.
 
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