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Author
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Topic: Why read the Bible literally: take two
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 8 of 306 (220217)
06-27-2005 7:44 PM
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Reply to: Message 7 by GDR
06-27-2005 7:26 PM
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The question is, if you are anything but an Atheist, did God choose to perform these miracles in this fashion or not. As a Christian I see no reason to consider them more than educational fables, the same as the Story of Hamelin.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 7 by GDR, posted 06-27-2005 7:26 PM | | GDR has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 10 by GDR, posted 06-27-2005 8:56 PM | | jar has replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 15 of 306 (220433)
06-28-2005 12:01 PM
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Reply to: Message 10 by GDR
06-27-2005 8:56 PM
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On the value of Fairy Tales
or what's in a word. One of the most influential books (after 1066 and All That) I ran across in my admitedly limited education was a slim volume called Language in Thought and Action by SI Hayakawa. It was required reading back in the 8 th. or 9 th. grade. It started me thinking about the weight of words and the hidden contexts that they carry. If you look at Fairy Tales, in most cases they carry some moral lesson. But the term bothers you and many others because of the additional weight and meaning that YOU apply to the term. If I use Fable, or Morality Play, or Historical Teaching, you will probably be more comfortable, but the tale, the story is still the same.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 10 by GDR, posted 06-27-2005 8:56 PM | | GDR has not replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 22 by lfen, posted 06-29-2005 12:29 AM | | jar has not replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 32 of 306 (220929)
06-30-2005 9:58 AM
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Reply to: Message 31 by Percy
06-30-2005 9:43 AM
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There is no reason to read the Bible literally.
The Bible is something more than a slim volume so almost any comments on its content will be simply an overview. But so far I and many other Christians have found no reason that a literal interpretation is necessary or even possible. The very first books of the Bible contain so many contradictory and mutually exclusive statements that a literal reading is impossible. Did GOD create man first and women later? Depends on which chapter of Genesis you're reading. Did GOD create the animals first and then man? Depends on which chapter of Genesis your reading. My Christian faith does not rest on whether or not the Bible is lietrally true or whether much of it is symbolic in nature. The stories of the great fish, or Sodom, or the Exodus, or the Garden of Eden or the Flood seem pure allegory, folk tales, and certainly not likely to be historical.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 31 by Percy, posted 06-30-2005 9:43 AM | | Percy has not replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 40 by Faith, posted 07-01-2005 12:53 AM | | jar has replied | | | Message 52 by Phat, posted 07-01-2005 7:39 AM | | jar has replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 55 of 306 (221118)
07-01-2005 10:21 AM
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Reply to: Message 40 by Faith
07-01-2005 12:53 AM
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Re: There is no reason to read the Bible literally.
No I haven't missed such assertions.
Reading these as two separate chronological accounts is simply illiterate if you don't mind my saying so. No I don't mind you saying that at all.
The one account is chronological, the other is focused on specifics of the creation for a particular purpose. Sorry but they are both chronological. They each lay out a progression, each act leading to the next act. And they are mutually exclusive. If one happened then the other is wrong. But Faith, you are free to interpret them anyway you want. It's your faith, Faith.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 40 by Faith, posted 07-01-2005 12:53 AM | | Faith has not replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 57 of 306 (221120)
07-01-2005 10:35 AM
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Reply to: Message 52 by Phat
07-01-2005 7:39 AM
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Re: There is no reason to read the Bible literally.
1)Would you agree that the universe was formed at Gods command, or do you see Him as a disinterested bystander? That depends on what you mean by "the universe was formed at Gods{sic} command"? I believe that GOD created the universe. But I don't believe that includes predtermining every subsequent event. He did not create man IMHO as a desired end product.
2) Was the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ a necessary literal event? Do I think that it has to be literal to have meaning? No. The third question would make an interesting discussion but I think it's OT here.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 52 by Phat, posted 07-01-2005 7:39 AM | | Phat has not replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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CK in Heaven
Not only does Charles have a chance, he has a better chance than 99.999999999% of all Christians. And a heaven without the CK and Froggie would be a far diminished shadow of perfection. But back towards the topic. How does a figurative GOE and Adam and Steve diminish the Christian message? Does anyone actually believe the description of creation as found in Genesis 2?
18: And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
19: And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
20: And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. "Hey Adam, try the sheep on for size." "Well, GOD, at least they don't scratch like that Bengal Tiger but somehow it still doesn't feel right. And she's great at mowing the grass but I can't get her to fix dinner or darn my socks." Can anyone believe GOD created elephants and dinosaurs and Lions and Tigers and Bears and OhMys as a help meet? What a dork!
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 84 by robinrohan, posted 07-01-2005 4:13 PM | | robinrohan has not replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 149 of 306 (241046)
09-07-2005 12:48 PM
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Reply to: Message 148 by Rahvin
09-07-2005 12:26 PM
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Even Funnier.
steve8 writes: It has been proven (most recently in last Christmas' tsunami) that animals will tend to flee from areas where inclement weather is coming before the effects of weather can be felt by us. So this notion that at least two of each of the animals could not congregate in the same area of their own accord is a little ungenerous to animals. This just gets funnier and funnier. Now we have the Kolas humping their way from Australia all the way to the middles east, carting along their supply of Eucalyptus leaves, queuing up to get on the boat only to see all but two of the little critters turned away, standing by the railing waving fond farewell to those left weeping on the shore. After the Ark lands they say farewell to all the friends they made on the voyage, give an interview to the reporters on how extreme the storm was and how they are thankful for salvation, then begin the long journey back to Oz. If that don't make a movie to set Titanic boxoffice nothing will. I can see the lead male Koala now, on the prow of the boat leaning out into the maelstrom.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 148 by Rahvin, posted 09-07-2005 12:26 PM | | Rahvin has not replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Re: Even Funnier.
Yeah. And you can probably hear them call out to the other survivors as they stagger away, "Be sure to knock me up sometime!" 
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 150 by cavediver, posted 09-07-2005 1:06 PM | | cavediver has replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 196 of 306 (242319)
09-11-2005 7:06 PM
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Reply to: Message 195 by Steve8
09-11-2005 6:49 PM
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Re: Quite possible?
Of course it is. Did you ever read the story of the Pied Piper?
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 195 by Steve8, posted 09-11-2005 6:49 PM | | Steve8 has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 198 by Steve8, posted 09-11-2005 7:11 PM | | jar has replied |
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jar
Member (Idle past 421 days) Posts: 34026 From: Texas!! Joined: 04-20-2004
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Message 199 of 306 (242328)
09-11-2005 7:22 PM
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Reply to: Message 198 by Steve8
09-11-2005 7:11 PM
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Re: Quite possible?
steve8 writes: So what is your worldview anyway??? Ah. The question that always comes up. Sure sign that the person asking the question has a very limited imagination and capability. But to answer the question I'm a lifelong Christian.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 198 by Steve8, posted 09-11-2005 7:11 PM | | Steve8 has not replied |
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