To address some questions about the Bible as literal history and science....... Thomas Paine On Biblical Anachronism Biblical Anachronism http://www.deism.com/paine_essay_biblicalanachronism.htm In addition to the judicious remarks in your twelfth number, on the absurd story of Noah's Flood, in Genesis vii, I send you the following: The second verse makes God to say unto Noah, Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female, and of every beast that are not clean, by two, the male and his female." Now, there was no such thing as beasts clean and unclean in the time of Noah. Neither were there any such people as Jews or Israelites at that time, to whom that distinction was a law. The law, called the Law of Moses, by which a distinction is made, beasts clean and unclean, was not until several hundred years after the time that Noah is said to have lived. The story, therefore, detects itself, because the inventor forgot himself, by making God make use of an expression that could not be used at the time. The blunder is of the same kind, as if a man in telling a story about America a hundred years ago, should quote an expression from Mr. Jefferson's inaugural speech as if spoken by him at that time. My opinion of this story is the same as what a man once said to another, who asked him in a drawling tone of voice, "Do you believe the account about No-ah?" The other replied in the same tone of voice, ah-no.
So then from the Deist site that you referenced and did avow, you are in fact a Deist and not a Christian?! Cant be both! For you would have to believe that God is not involved with the Christian believer's life and that when you say that you 'pray,' you are merely meditating from your soul and to your soul. You seem to go beyond not being a 'literalist' into self-reasoning, ergo self-trust. Now all your postings do make sense....
Obviously there were no Jewish dietary laws at the time of Noah... no clean and unclean animals... another indication that the stories are didactic literature not history.
As YOU know, I am not a scriptural 'literalist' on 'some' of the OT stories, which I see as metaphorical in many respects; however, I dont go 'out of my way' to bash them and thereby group them all, discrediting the sum total of the OT scriptures such as Isaiah & Daniel, as you continually do, and go 'out-of-your-way' to do! Your posting record shows you to be more of a Deist, acknowledging a God, but not as a 'personal' God, since you talk about scripture as an outsider looking in. As in not having any personal experiences that relate to them. But often this can also be the sign of a Christian who has lost the 'joy of their salvation' and forgotten the day of their salvation. They have become hardened having experienced disappointment with God not meeting their expectations or possibly the perceived needs in their life. I also have experienced some disappointments in my 30+ year walk; but, I still can remember the joy of my salvation, as it often becomes afresh to me even today. I also like to study the scriptures, but I dont let men (such as 'your' Scofield) be my primary influence as to what the scriptures say, but I will 'listen' to all that comes B4 my cognizance. I am an "information junky," but I dont occupy my Christianity with much speculative info that brings up vain questions, but rather focus on the spiritual truths that I know.
Not vanity, but interest & concern. I dont see the joy of your following Christ.....your postings seem to be of mental assent only. You say that you keep your faith 'close & personal,' but that is not the commandment of Jesus Christ, as in "Go ye into all the world and proclaim......" All said, Margot, not to offend you, but to hopefully encourage you back to your '1st love.'
From your past postings, sounds like you were raised by a Godly father, and so have been around 'religion' all your life. Am glad that you have friends & family of 'like faith'....the Christian walk is really a long-distance marathon where we have to 'pace' ourselves, as in not running it as a 'sprint,' and thereby falling to the wayside and possibly even out of the race. Maybe you have found the 'pace' that works for you..?!<wink>
Yes... my parents and their families were also people of faith so I have been involved all my life.. I think it just means more to me now.. The really difficult period for me were the fantastic tales that go against God's law or the way He made the universe operate. I had made three two week trips to the Holy Lands before 1967.. and of course was touched by that opportunity.. Some years later I read History Begins at Sumer.. and then on a trip to Arabia I was standing in front of an ancient map with Tema and Dedan marked on it... and it all clicked... that the message was NOT dependent on the the fantastic aspects of the stories.
Yes, I look for 'the Spirit' behind the scriptures, as in cover-to-cover, and have settled them in my mind in that respect.
Margot, you attack Christianity constantly and at the same time defend even the most obnoxious of Muslim customs, like the law against women driving in Saudi Arabia. Please stop telling us you are Christian, unless you want to be called a liar yourself.
