Bible discussions

[spunkloaf]

You're building up your wall right now by taking offense to my comments, when none is intended. I do not dislike Christians, but I disagree with the way many (but not all) Christians insincerely, unquestionably and sometimes hypocritically embrace their tradition. I'm also sick of them turning around and taking outside criticism of their insincerity as an attack on their religion. I'm sick of the prejudice that is also displayed. That's not a Christ-like way of behaving. I do have grounds for saying it because I'm more Christian than I care to admit. I was raised by the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, and I experienced it first hand.

[Mister D]

Can we get back to discussing the bible? Thanks. Not singling any of you out. Please stay on topic out of respect.

[spunkloaf]

Sorry D when somebody takes my posts out of context, it simply must be addressed. I cannot contain myself.

We were discussing...?


I forgot and I'm not going to page back and lose what I've already typed here.

K new discussion then.

How much of the Bible do you take literally? Which parts? Why, why not?

[wingrider]

it seems I may be the culprit in this derailing so I will butt out of the conversation.. sorry

[Mister D]

Sorry D when somebody takes my posts out of context, it simply must be addressed. I cannot contain myself.

We were discussing...?


I forgot and I'm not going to page back and lose what I've already typed here.

K new discussion then.

How much of the Bible do you take literally? Which parts? Why, why not?

It's a large work, Spunkloaf. Did you have any specific books or stories in mind?

[Mister D]

it seems I may be the culprit in this derailing so I will butt out of the conversation.. sorry

The "conversation" you were all having is thankfully over. No need to butt out.

[spunkloaf]

It's a large work, Spunkloaf. Did you have any specific books or stories in mind?

What comes to mind as something you've read that makes no practical real-world sense, but that you can absorb as a metaphoric lesson?

For me, the story of Noah's Ark makes little sense to me, even metaphorically. Why would God kill all his creatures, except for one family and a pair of every animal? Seems harsh.

[Mister D]

What comes to mind as something you've read that makes no practical real-world sense, but that you can absorb as a metaphoric lesson?

For me, the story of Noah's Ark makes little sense to me, even metaphorically. Why would God kill all his creatures, except for one family and a pair of every animal? Seems harsh.

Considering the depths of utter depravity to which humankind descends it doesn't seem harsh to me at all. God is merciful and gives Man plenty of opportunities/time to repent and turn from his ways but the God of the bible is also a God of justice. The two are not incompatible.

[wingrider]

also on the Noahs ark thing.. God gave man an additional 120 years from the time he told noah he was going to send a flood, and instead of repenting and turning back to God, the human race went further and further into depravity

also consider this Genesis tells us that fallen angels were having intercourse with humans and producing offsprng that changed the dna basically creating mutants,,

"When men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair; and they took to wife such of them as they chose. Then the LORD said, 'My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for he is flesh, but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.'

"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown. The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.'

"But Noah found favor [grace] in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

"Now the earth was [thoroughly] corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled [continually] with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth." (Genesis 6:1-12)

http://www.ldolphin.org/flood.shtml

[spunkloaf]

Considering the depths of utter depravity to which humankind descends it doesn't seem harsh to me at all. God is merciful and gives Man plenty of opportunities/time to repent and turn from his ways but the God of the bible is also a God of justice. The two are not incompatible.

Fairly stated. But then a paradox comes into play. I hear from everybody who believes in the biblical God that he is perfect, all-knowing and justified in his ways. For God to create a human race which is imperfect enough so that he has to wipe them out with a worldly flood and start over, it seems to defy that claim completely.

On a side note, it's interesting that a global flood is mentioned. Historically, floods have engulfed the entire planet as suggested by science. However those were caused by fluctuations in climate, and they happened long before humans became part of the picture.