Why read the Bible literally?

I'm sorry, but in the case of Genesis, that's simply incorrect. The clues are there, such as in the poetic repetition of phrases, the appearance of mythologically significant figures (seven creation days), etc.The clues are there, and they would be obvious to anyone raised within a tradition of Hebrew/Greek culture. They're just hidden to you because Western culture largely derives its mythology from Germanic/Nordic sources (though, obviously, the classical mythologies are represented as well.)

No, Faith, it doesn't. Just like a nursery rhyme doesn't read like "factual narrative", Genesis doesn't either. The recurring poetical devices are characteristic of mythological poetry, not "straight factual narrative." What real events? Only mythology has been passed down this way. C'mon, Faith. Numerology is the province of mythology, not "straight factual reporting." What other straight factual narratives have you ever read that supported that level of numerologic legerdemain?Your quote supports my contention, not your own. What did you expect - Genesis to have a big "NOT TRUE!" sticker on the front? The book is beating you over the head with clear indications that it's mythology, and your perverted intellect takes that as evidence that it must be factual.

Here's the power of "faith", right here. It's the scalpel that performs the lobotomy.

I gotta ask - what isn't true when you approach it like that? The problem with circular reasoning is that you can "prove" anything with it.

Great. You can say anything is true. How does that help you determine what is true and what is not?

Clearly, you haven't. You've simply decided to jump to whatever conclusions you like best, because actual thinking and inquiry is simply too hard for you.You haven't abandoned a desire for truth at all, Faith. You've simply abandonded any defensible means of obtaining it. What I'm trying to do, if you'd read in context, is understand why this is so. To all intents and purposes you seem a bright and reasonable person - unless the subject is God, then reason and logic go right out the window.

I sincerely apologize for referring to you as "bright and reasonable". It was not my intent to offend you.

For what? Seriously, the only personal comment I made about you was that you seemed bright and reasonable.Jesus christ. Kill me for being nice, I guess.Oh, well. Just your latest dodge to avoid discussion. That's never stopped you before:

quote:

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You are the anti-intellectual kneejerk mindless accuser of people who has no respect for anything decent, you and most others here. Anyone who can say that it could possibly be objective fact that Bush is a war criminal has no respect for true intellect, for clear thought, no respect for the majority of decent Americans who voted for him, no respect for human beings, period, no respect for truth, for reason, for reality, no mind, no heart, no human decency. No respect for the American values of tolerance and giving the benefit of the doubt and treating your opponent with respect. No respect for American freedoms. The Leftist propaganda juggernaut is destroying everything true and good in this country and you and most others here are just riding along on it, blindly, unthinkingly, having NO idea of the true source of its evil anti-American smear campaign, while a very few of us have the guts to look it in the face and call it what it is. It's insanity, it's lies, it's evil. Get an education in what matters.

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This message has been edited by crashfrog, 06-22-2005 06:38 PM

But, apparently, it is your place to pass judgement on all the rest of us.How about you drop the sickening double standard and entirely invented and ficticious charges and answer the question, if you can?

Very Christian, Phillip. I'm sure your god is proud.

Oh? Did you?

How do you figure? I don't recall the admins saying "apologize or you're suspended."I'm not inclined to grant you anymore courtesy than I have recieved from you. The admins will do what they want, assuming they can actually locate some pretense. You might have to help them with that.But being suspended didn't absolve you of a need to apologize for your statements to me. I didn't suspend you, after all.

Could you show me that rule? So don't accept them. God, who cares? If you don't accept them, then ignore them, and answer the questions.Or, don't. Last I checked you were an adult. Although when you carry on like this I'm not so sure. (That's literally a true statement. Your age is not known to me.)

For telling you that I don't know your age? I don't know your age. Have you ever told me your age? No, you haven't.You're clutching at straws, anything to shirk real debate. If you keep making up these "offenses" and slandering me with them, I'm gonna take it personally soon.

This post is off-topic. Please, no replies. --AdminC'mon Faith. Drop the act. We both know nothing I could say would mollify you, you'd simply feign offense to that, too.This message has been edited by Admin, 06-23-2005 08:43 AM