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How exactly am I supposed to trust a book that has notoriously been tampered with several times throughout history?
Finn Jarber, show me something in the bible that is not already in ourselves.
TRUTH is within ourselves; it takes no rise
From outward things, whate’er you may believe.
There is an inmost centre in us all,
Where truth abides in fullness; and around,
Wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in,
This perfect, clear perception—which is truth.
A baffling and perverting carnal mesh
Binds it, and makes all error: and, to KNOW,
Rather consists in opening out a way
Whence the imprisoned splendour may escape,
Than in effecting entry for a light
Supposed to be without.
Well of course you guys have to change the interpretation of the bible to make it match the gaps discovered by science. This is what is problematic with theologians trying to fill in the gaps that science has made…the effort to find a rational excuse for something can work… but this does not make it right.
Why would anyone oppose of cultivating love and compassion towards yourself and others?
Even if there was no religion love and compassion would still exist. You even see this among other species that clearly have no religion. As well as among those who are completely against religion.
You are comparing apples to atoms here. Empirical evidence is a central process to the scientific method...it has nothing to do with religion or how we go about cultivating love and compassion for others.
Scientific evidence is not cherry picked by anyone who seeks the truth about understanding the Universe we live in...only by pseudo-scientists. The thing that you guys don't get with respect to science is that it that they are always looking for ways to disprove what they have discovered. This is a good thing. As technology improves and better experiments are designed this will of course lead to tweaking of the previous observations...at least in the 21 Century. These changes are not major overhauls of a theory...mostly just minor based on better technology.
The point of science and the reason it works is because you don’t try and prove something that you like to be true…you also try and prove it to be false…and that is what is really important. You don’t just find a way to say the rainbows are caused by this or that…you actually try and see if your ideas are wrong and ask what is more plausible based on evidence and inquiry.
Religious faith is dangerous and has resulted in great harm against others since the invention of religion. Religion is faith based period. Religion especially Christianity and Islam has stifled spiritual development. How long have these religions been around? Humanity is no better today than the dark ages...goes to show how much of a failure organized religion is. It stifles spiritual development by claiming that there is only one way for spiritual development.
Religion forces you into a very constrained way of thinking and believing. It's their way or the highway...or even death.
Thank you this has been my main point.
The numbers suggest otherwise so I am unclear what science you understand. You pitting, or forcing a fight, science against religion is a huge cherry picking problem. Science doesn't have a problem with religion anymore than religion has a problem with science. That's like saying emotion has a problem with logic.
I mostly agree with your assessment. The Bible is still extremely valuable despite some flaws. Terms like "Word of God" can be very nebulous things though. Are the controversial last parts of the Gospel of Mark legit or should they be disregarded? Is the Johannine Comma likewise to be ignored? Are those words still God's Word? Which parts are 100% reliable and which are not? Those uncomfortable question must be confronted head-on.
As to the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, I think there is much truth to be had there. It's just very intermixed with fables and falsehoods. There is also significant list of works are missing from the Bible. Some got lost along the way. (See 1 & 2 Chronicles if you doubt this.) Some almost certainly offended certain people's sense of theological orthodoxy, but were probably genuine works by men of God. I believe that the original Gospel of Peter (which is an entirely lost text) is a clear example of this, for example. Some of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha are corrupted versions of true works. Some of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha borrow names of lost scriptural works to make them seem legit.
The Bible as we have it isn't perfect, but it can and does guide us to find God in our lives. It doesn't need to be flawless to do that and God himself can compensate for the fact that the Bible falls short of absolute perfection.
Even the word perfection has shades of meaning. A wedding ring might Not be perfect in the absolute sense, but a wedding ring is perfect for a marriage ceremony. Bible is perfect in the advice of 2nd Timothy 3: 16-17.
What is preserved between Genesis and Revelation is for us.
The ancient manuscripts support Bible canon. Mark chapter 16 ends at verse 8
The Sinaitc and the Vatican 1209 show Mark 16 ending at verse 8.
The style of writing changes after verse 8
There are No corresponding cross-reference verses as there is with the rest of Mark.
Jerome and Eusebius believed Mark 16 ended at verse 8
Also, Jesus did NOT ascend to heaven the day of Mark 16:19
The ' 66' have corresponding or parallel cross-reference passages or verses that verify each other.
The apocryphal books exclude themselves being out of harmony with the ' 66'
For example : Adam is blamed for sin entering the world. Adam did Not have to listen to Eve.
Yet the apocryphal book of Sirach blames Eve at Sirach 25:23
Mat everyone spiritual journey differs, mine happens to start with God, yours obviously has not or did and you now have rejected what you once believed. Some (few) enter into the kingdom of God via the strait gate, others enter into the kingdom of God via the wide gate, but all will get there eventually.
[COLOR="rgb(0, 100, 0)"]And it amazes me that people always lump all Christian in the same basket. True most believe what you say here, but not all of us agree with the fundy understanding of things. For instance I already showed that I believe two different ways of entering into the kingdom of God, the strait gate and the broad gate. And I do not believe in a holy text as you put it. I already told you people write what they believed about God, that does not make what they wrote true.[/color]
Who said the other gods do not exist? They do exist, but for me there is only 1 God the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh and by the way your belief in science is based of faith also.
How can ALL get there when Jesus was plain about the wide gate or broad way leads to: destruction ? Mt. 7:13
If ALL get there, then there would be No need for Matthew 20:28 to say Jesus' ransom covers MANY. Does Not say all.
What happens to the wicked according to Psalm 92:7 ?_______________ Aren't they destroyed forever ?
Who destroys wicked Satan according to Hebrews 2:14 B but Jesus.
False gods exist in religious teachings, but like the god Baal, they are helpless and lifeless and did Not create the Universe.
How can ALL get there when Jesus was plain about the wide gate or broad way leads to: destruction ? Mt. 7:13
Everyone just assumes that destruction refers to the entire person. But we are a composite of ALL of our experiences throughout our entire life. Only those parts of our lives that fail to attain the cover of Christ's perfect life (the broad path) will be destroyed. But we will be "saved as by fire."
How can ALL get there when Jesus was plain about the wide gate or broad way leads to: destruction ? Mt. 7:13
If ALL get there, then there would be No need for Matthew 20:28 to say Jesus' ransom covers MANY. Does Not say all.
What happens to the wicked according to Psalm 92:7 ?_______________ Aren't they destroyed forever ?
Who destroys wicked Satan according to Hebrews 2:14 B but Jesus.
False gods exist in religious teachings, but like the god Baal, they are helpless and lifeless and did Not create the Universe.
literal bible is false. "Jesus" is a perspective and that perspective is independent of the words used to describe it. "LOVE" in any langue is good. Think of lenses. No matter where you are from or what you use, it either focuses to form an image or it does not. It doesn't matter if you didn't use "glass". It only matters what you are doing.
The numbers suggest otherwise so I am unclear what science you understand.
What numbers are you talking about? What point are you trying to make or is this just another one of your posts simply based on not understanding what you read?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arach Angle
You pitting, or forcing a fight, science against religion is a huge cherry picking problem.
As usual you can't follow or understand what you read.
When I stated..."You are comparing apples to atoms here".
What I am saying is that there is no comparison. One is based on faith and myths the other on empirical evidence.
Get it now?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arach Angle
Science doesn't have a problem with religion anymore than religion has a problem with science. That's like saying emotion has a problem with logic.
LOL you don't speak or represent science in any way.
Science has a problem with foolish Creationists blabbing pseudoscience and trying to dilute science at schools in order to make it fit their theological myths.
Takes a lot of faith, don't you think?
Or, are we missing something?
We? No it's clearly you who is missing the education and understanding of evolution.
There is no faith involved in evolution...only evidence.
Don't confuse the Creation Myth found in the bible with Evolution.
Creation Myth = Faith
Evolution = Facts based on empirical evidence.
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