Quote

Originally posted by letGodbetrue
"Am I really to believe that the sun stopped in the sky during the battle with the Amalekites (Joshua 10)? "

How did you make it all the way to Joshua before you found something you didn't believe? The first verse in the first book, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." If you believed that, why did you / do you doubt He could stop the sun from moving? If you didn't believe the first sentence, why did you continue past it?

Quote

Originally posted by letGodbetrue
Well, I suppose if you want to simply pick the most 'unscientific' examples, I would think that Genesis 1:1 is it, since most of modern science seems to be preoccupied with finding ways around it.

(RMG: Sure a man made of clay in one day is really scientific. So is a woman made from his rib. And God breathing life into him...)

I'm curious about the 'two different chronologies' statement that you've repeated here. The author of Genesis (apparently Moses) was following a standard convention, he wrote an overall account or history, then wrote it again, using more detail.

(RMG's reply: No, there are 2 conflicting accounts)

The Bible is the most accurate historical document in existence. 66 books by about 40 different authors written over a period of about 1500 years, all in agreement.

(RMG: Lloyd Graham's "Deceptions and Myths of the Bible" explodes the above 2 paragraphs of yours and shows many of the parallels in the Bible and where they originated in pagan myth. The God of the old Testament was a god of fury and
inconsistency. So is your Jesus, who is an extension of the God of the Old testament. Nevertheless, rejected by the Jews).

By the way, I am a 'BAC', and I do not hate you, although I will (or at least try to) follow the example of God and hate the sin in both of us.
(RMG: rejecting myth isn't sin. I post on this site because I've seen many people get hurt in the born again field and in the Jewish renewal movements. The average life expectancy in each is only a few years and then people move on. Usually after they've been juandiced and hurt.)


I appreciate your posts here and enjoy examining all of these elements of my faith.

Quote

Originally posted by letGodbetrue
Hmmm, ok, what does the word 'science' (or scientific) mean to you?
(RMG's reply: Scientific means to me something explainable or plausible by the laws of nature. And also something that could be duplicated if we knew how it could be done. Walking on water, creating men from clay etc., are not in my book scientific. If you believe otherwise, that's your perogative, but to me it's pure priest craft.)

The very term indicates the study and observation of phenomena ocurring in nature, or what is natural. Not supernatural. In other words, if you can't reproduce it in a laboratory, it has to be at best a theory. Have you ever seen a scientific study that examined whether an omnipotent God would be able to accomplish the things recorded in Genesis?
(RMG's reply: I don't believe in an omnipotent God in the sense that the monotheistic traditions believe he's able to abrogate the laws of nature and do just whatever pops up into his head to do. To me, the world has a definite order and rationale behind it and God may define the laws of nature, but once having done so is bound by them. But actually, I believe that God is really just part of the natural order.)

Of course not! He spoke all of creation into existence, how do we reproduce that in a laboratory?
(RMG's reply: You're making the assumption that God created something from nothing. My belief is that the material universe, its energies and God all existed since eternity. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed)


Again, can you be a little more specific what the conflict is in the 2 (supposedly) conflicting accounts?
(RMG's reply: I have to look it up. Give me some time.

Can you be a little more specific about the (supposed) 'inconsistencies' about the God of the OT and Jesus? I'd rather hear it right from you than read the book, although I will get the book.
RMG's reply: First of all even the Gospels conflict too and you can probably read about that at jewsforjudaism.org or other Jewish sites that combat missionary activity.

continued

Quote

Originally posted by letGodbetrue
I'm not suggesting that your sin is 'rejecting myth'. I have no idea what your sin is, and it's none of my business. I know that all have sinned, and that you are a sinner like me, no more, no less. Your sin is between you and God.
(RMG's reply: Christianity stresses the need for redemption because of sin. I was raised in the Conservative jewish tradition which stresses right living. As such my frame of reference is different from yours. That's not to say that I never did anything wrong, but I don't see myself as a sinner in need of Jesus "saving power". That's a Xian way of looking at things).


It seems to me that you are also hurting because of past experiences you've had. I want to be sure that you know that I do not think I am in any way better than you or anyone else. The God of the Bible loves you
(RMG's reply: If the God of the Bible loves me than why do I (and many others) get burned every time we get involved with Bible believing groups? Something doesn't add up to me.)

, me and everyone else on earth, believer or not, the same. My God is faithful and true, and all I can tell you is what I have seen Him do in my life. I have found that men will let me down pretty consistently, but that's why I need to keep my eyes on Jesus, "the Author and Finisher of my faith". (Hebrews 12:2) And thanks for your posts, I've had a pretty good time researching the verses and so forth.