Think about it

[plowboy22]

Hi All,
I have been follow this particlar forum since I joined CF. In that time I have read just about everypost in every thread here and I must say that most of time what I read is very un-christian. Now I know that most regular posters to this forum would say that it is just lively debate. To them I would say that from an outside perspective it is just plain petty arguing. From my view it looks like Satan is getting exactly what he wants. We have christian against christian. Everyone is so keen on proving thier side that in the process they forget about acting like a true christian. Whether creationist or evolutionist everyone here does it and it appears to be creating a large divide between the two groups. Is this division really what God wants? I am all for debate but lets all think about how we do it and what we say. Lets be real for a moment, the question of our origins is one that will never be definitively answered until we stand before God.

Let me finish with a few questions for everyone to think about

1. Does anyone really feel any brotherhood here?

2. Does anyone really think that they are going to change the mind of the other side?

3. What christian good is really coming from this?

4. Could the amount of time that everyone puts into research and debate be used for more christian-like activities?


I am sure that I am going to get flamed, etc. for this post but I hope everyone realizes that I wrote this because I do care for ALL my fellow christians.

With Love and God Bless,

Eric

 

[pro_odeh]

Eric, you have some very good points, but let me try to point out to you why this question is so importaint...
Matthew 19:4 - And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Jesus said this. Now if you think that the 6 days in Genesis was actually millions of years, or that man evolved from animal, you are making Jesus a liar. And I think we all know what that has to say for our salvation!
(I don't mean to start a debate over it, just to point out why it is so importaint)

God bless!!

 

[plowboy22]

As I said in the OP I feel debate and discussion on this is good but lets do this in a christian manner.

 

[Critias]

Well Said!

 

[artybloke]

Now if you think that the 6 days in Genesis was actually millions of years, or that man evolved from animal, you are making Jesus a liar.

Two things: everything Jesus says in the Gospel is reported many years after he said them, and thus is unlikely to be his exact words, but is more likely to be his meaning expressed in an easily memorable form.

Secondly, Jesus, like every good speaker, was trained in the arts of rhetoric. That is, he knew how to speak in a memorable way, could use imagery and analogy and other literary tropes to express his thoughts, and doesn't have to speak literally.

Thirdly, why would Jesus be aware of evolution anyway? Methinks your Jesus isn't really human (which would be counter to the incarnation.)

 

[pro_odeh]

I don't want to discuss this in this thread, since that maybe goes against the very purpose of it, so I started a new one, where I adress your objections, artybloke:

Evolution makes Jesus a liar

God bless!!

 

[plowboy22]

I don't want to discuss this in this thread, since that maybe goes against the very purpose of it, so I started a new one, where I adress your objections, artybloke:

Thanks Pro!!!!

 

[shernren]

1. Does anyone really feel any brotherhood here?

Why not, I really admire gluadys and rmwilliams! but really, I think only those who come here to quarrel will find themselves feeling on edge. I believe that I'm here to offer my knowledge to those who have questions I might be able to answer, and to ask questions to others who might be able to answer me.

2. Does anyone really think that they are going to change the mind of the other side?

Not really. Then again, if you are here to learn and not to convert you will enjoy the thread anyway. And my mind was changed because of this forum so why not?

3. What christian good is really coming from this?

Well I just came here from another thread where a TE told a YEC "I agree with your response and it was edifying". I think that says enough. For me personally, I found blueletterbible, learnt quite a bit of Hebrew, came to appreciate the importance of philosophical thoroughness, and confirmed that God has indeed given me scientific inclinations. And all this by arguing!

4. Could the amount of time that everyone puts into research and debate be used for more christian-like activities?

What do you mean by "more Christian-like activities?" What we are doing here is a hallowed Christian tradition that began all the way back in Acts 15: we are considering the foundations of our faith.

Maybe you would think it unChristian to be engaged in active intellectualism and more Christian to kneel in church and pray 24/7 or be out in the streets pushing Jesus to people. But I believe that my research and my argument here is very Christian. It is as professional as I can help. It is thought-through and insightful. I push the point when I believe I am right, and I admit and apologize when I am proven wrong. I believe that my working hard at C&E discussion is just as Christlike as my working hard when I serve in my church.

Finally: I personally think that meet-the-foes forums like these are actually important. The devil would have us demonize the other side: forums like these help us engage the "other side" and realize that while we disagree, we are still brothers (and sisters). When I was a YEC, I used to think all TEs were half-atheists who had liberal life principles. And when I first became TEs I thought all YECs were mindless sycophants who swallowed AiG pabulum unthinkingly. Now I know better. It's better for me to have vented myself here than to have kept my discomfort bottled up and think to myself "Those contrarian crazies ... they must be false Christians."