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Sure it does. If the narrative is taken literally.
The explanation is right in the Book: He knows...we don't. The thoughts and ways of the Omnimax Powered God (that can do anything and knows everything), are above ours.
It's all totally cool and sensible...and He knows it...on the other hand, we don't, since we are working with our inferior thoughts & ways.
That's why it is "nonsensical" to you..."gibberish" even. Because your lower/lesser thoughts & ways are unable to understand such things.
It fully explains it...you just don't want to assess and accept those parts of the text. But if you are to critique it literally...you must accept those parts too.
Now...if you got hip to the fact that they are metaphorical and allegorical works...that would also clear it up for you as well.
Yes, I have noted that you have used this bailout button before.
Yes, the Bible is the word of god, but don't take it literally.
Not taking it literally renders it meaningless and pointless, while at the same time, gibberish.
Of course it is to be taken literally, There is no other rational way to take it
And under that proviso, as you have astutely pointed out, and in agreement with me, it is, in fact, GIBBERISH.
BTW, I don't have any "lower/lesser thoughts & ways". I leave that to others. However, it would be easy to take offense at that line, and damn hard not to. I thought we had an agreement. Did you forget. I'll let it pass this time.
Yes, I have noted that you have used this bailout button before.
Yes, the Bible is the word of god, but don't take it literally.
Not taking it literally renders it meaningless and pointless, while at the same time, gibberish.
Of course it is to be taken literally, There is no other rational way to take it
And under that proviso, as you have astutely pointed out, and in agreement with me, it is, in fact, GIBBERISH.
BTW, I don't have any "lower/lesser thoughts & ways". I leave that to others. However, it would be easy to take offense at that line, and damn hard not to. I thought we had an agreement. Did you forget. I'll let it pass this time.
There was no insult at all to let pass Salty.
I have noted that the explanation for how all those things that are oft questioned could be true/valid...is that The Book informs that humans are lower than Jehovah God in their "thoughts & ways".
I even quoted the Scripture it came from. (See Post #71)
ISAIAH 55
8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
This is the "bailout button" built into the text...but must be accepted if a literal critique is made.
It's actually slick, I must say. Especially for 2000 years ago.
There was no insult at all to let pass Salty.
I have noted that the explanation for how all those things that are oft questioned could be true/valid...is that The Book informs that humans are lower than Jehovah God in their "thoughts & ways".
I even quoted the Scripture it came from. (See Post #71)
ISAIAH 55
8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
This is the "bailout button" built into the text...but must be accepted if a literal critique is made.
It's actually slick, I must say. Especially for 2000 years ago.
You missed my point - ENTIRELY.
Your bailout button is saying that scriptures are not for literal interpretation
But noting from your above reliance on them (scriptures) you seem to be quite selective in your use of a literal/not literal bailout button. It appears that they are literal only when it suits your purposes, and not, otherwise.
I would offer one more bit of info for your review. Most of your explanations simply don't hold water, so you will forgive me, no doubt, for not taking them seriously, or at least not at face value.
I remain, as always,
Saltily Yours
Salty
Last edited by Salty Water; 10-05-2021 at 08:02 PM..
Your bailout button is saying that scriptures are not for literal interpretation
But noting from your above reliance on them (scriptures) you seem to be quite selective in your use of a literal/not literal bailout button. It appears that they are literal only when it suits your purposes, and not, otherwise.
I would offer one more bit of info for your review. Most of your explanations simply don't hold water, so you will forgive me, no doubt, for not taking them seriously, or at least not at face value.
I remain, as always,
Saltily Yours
Salty
Got it. I really do understand.
It's a failproof "bailout" either way Paisan.
***Literal Interpretation: No matter what it is...the Omnimax Powered God that thinks and operates above us dunnit!
***Metaphorical and Allegorical Interpretation: It's not meant to be a documentary & actual accounts of people and occurrences, it is representative literary art.
***Literal Interpretation: No matter what it is...the Omnimax Powered God that thinks and operates above us dunnit!
***Metaphorical and Allegorical Interpretation: It's not meant to be a documentary & actual accounts of people and occurrences, it is representative literary art.
What does "dunnit" mean? Done it?
I know you don't believe a word of what you are saying, but I thank you for saying it.
BTW, the words are "fool proof" or "fail safe", not failproof. You mixed your carrots and peas.
I do believe The Bible to be a great metaphorical and allegorical literary work.
And I do believe literal arguments against it are defeated by the text itself. As God's described Omnimax abilities cover any issues one could come up with.
I do believe The Bible to be a great metaphorical and allegorical literary work.
And I do believe literal arguments against it are defeated by the text itself. As God's described Omnimax abilities cover any issues one could come up with.
Unfortunately, the "words" of the bible, are defeated by the "facts" of nature, and simple logic. May be a great literary work, but that is neither here, nor there.
Unfortunately, the "words" of the bible, are defeated by the "facts" of nature, and simple logic. May be a great literary work, but that is neither here, nor there.
Of course it is.
If the scenarios in The Bible are being critiqued/questioned on a literal interpretation basis...the "words" that provide for a Omnimax Powered God that knows everything and can do anything, and that cannot be constrained or "defeated" by what we know as "nature", or "logic", or physics, or anything else...is the whole "here & there" of that failproof argument.
Anything whatsoever that is questioned...all they have to say is "Jehovah God did it through his unlimited Omnimax Powers".
That's it...done deal! And that is why literal interpretation critiques, questioning, and arguments fail every time.
Some religionists have conveniently forgotten history. In some cases, their own history.
Have we not all experienced ministers and priests and everyday people who preach that the bible is the exact word of god?
Have we not all experienced ministers and priests and everyday people who preach that the bible is an historical record? That Adam and Eve were 2 real and exact people...that the Garden Of Eden was a real place...that Noah's flood really did wipe out all life on earth except for what was in that one little ark, that Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt...and on and on. Those things and many more have been taught by some christians for well over 2,000 years.
And now, as we are more and more aware of reality, some religionists want to say, "Wait a minute. The bible is the exact word of god; it was written by humans who were just interpreting what they saw and tried to explain what they saw". And, "Wait a minute, it's not exactly an historical record, because much of it's written in fictional stories so that not too knowledgeable people can understand". And, "No, there wasn't really actual people named Adam and Eve, and there really wasn't a Garden Of Eden, and the story of Noah's ark didn't actually happen, and no Lot's wife didn't turn into salt"...and so on.
It's the big lie. All of it...the big lie with ever shifting sands. It's the biggest con job in history.
As a victim of the expectations (or more accurately, lack of expectations in my case) about God as an atheist for over 30 years, I am well aware of the receptivity issue, LearnMe. Admittedly, your engagement of the God issue evolves from a very different set of experiences considering your earlier acceptance of religion and involves dashed expectations. Nonetheless, there is no need to FUBAR to detect its symptoms.
I wouldn't call them "dashed expectations." Didn't seem like that to me anyway...
I simply came around to separating what I could believe with some level of reasonable certainty versus what otherwise seemed beliefs no longer as well justified as I once thought, or assumed. That's all. Seemed more like enlightenment to me rather than any sort of disappointment.
I got to thinking about this dynamic yesterday in the context of something a little different. Something like the placebo effect and how our minds all render us different notions about what we think is reality. Our reality as opposed to universal reality, truth. Think about how taking drugs of any sort or all sorts can produce very different feelings, visions and experiences for all of us. So very differently. How everyone can "trip" very differently as a result of whatever causes us to experience these drugs very differently. In our brain.
I see the myriad of different feelings, visions and experiences that we all describe very differently as much the same sort of thing. All produced in our brain in different ways that are very real for us personally of course, but real in the truest sense of the word? Obviously not.
Maybe meditation is your "drug" of choice and of course mediation is not a drug, but I think whatever goes on in our brains as induced by whatever we might like to use for inducement is all for the most part a personal reality. Certainly not universal and certainly not necessarily real. No matter how real a "trip" might feel to us.
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