Human Authors Because the humans that wrote the bible had no concept of it at all. The science in the bible matches exactly the science of our species at the time the bible was written. If it was written by an all knowing god, you would expect a better understanding of the universe's workings. It makes perfect sense, though, for a book written entirely by humans to only included human understandings from the time, many of which we know are incorrect today.
This is all assuming evolution is true which I don't believe it s. I don't want to get in to an evolution debate so we will just leave it that.
Science You can't avoid the lousy science contained in the bible simply by claiming you don't believe in evolution. There are many, many other examples: the bat is a bird (Lev. 11:19, Deut. 14:11, 18); Some fowls are four-footed (Lev. 11:20-21); Some creeping insects have four legs. (Lev. 11:22-23); Hares chew the cud (Lev. 11:6); Conies chew the cud (Lev. 11:5); Camels don't divide the hoof (Lev. 11:4); The earth was formed out of and by means of water (2 Peter 3:5 RSV); The earth rest on pillars (1 Sam. 2:8); The earth won't be moved (1Chron. 16:30); A hare does not divide the hoof (Deut. 14:7); The rainbow is not as old as rain and sunshine (Gen. 9:13); A mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds and grows into the greatest of all shrubs (Matt. 13:31-32 RSV); Turtles have voices (Song of Sol. 2:12); The earth has ends or edges (Job 37:3); The earth has four corners (Isa. 11:12, Rev. 7:1); Some 4-legged animals fly (Lev. 11:21); The world's language didn't evolve but appeared suddenly (Gen. 11:6-9) A fetus can understand speech (Luke 1:44). The moon is a light source like the sun (Gen 1:16) The unscientific aspect of biblical teachings is also shown in the fact that many mythological creatures are spoken of as if they were, in fact, real. The manner in which they are described and the context within which this occurs show biblical writers felt they actually existed. Some of the prominent examples are: cockatrices (Jer. 8:17, Isa. 11:8 59:5), unicorns (Deut. 33:17, Psalms 22:21. 29:6, Job 39:9-10), satyrs (Isa. 34:14, 13:21) fiery serpents (Num. 21:6), and flying serpents (Isa. 14:29, 30:6). Why would a book written by god contain all of this inaccurate scientific information? You say you don't believe in evolution, but do you believe in flying serpents?
Evolution is NOT true until proven. Please learn your facts. God could have created the big bang and evolution. Even if evolution is proven, it does not disprove creationism, as there are many references in the Bible that may hint at evolution. Though at evolution the same, they are not fully documented or referenced so there are unclear things.
I read through these and i believe you take them out of context and twist them to your liking. I'll just give one example. The first one. Animals at the time were classified differently than they are now. They were sometimes classified by function. Our classification of animals has changed. Your looking at today's characteristics of a bird and comparing it to the name they gave it back then. The only error here is your time line.
Two Important Details to remember about the Bible... 1. It was written by humans 2009 years ago. 2. The Bible had to be rewritten for about 1,000 more years by hand. This means that the Bible can have been altered from what it was once. This leads me to believe that as long as we do Good and we have Faith God will accept us. Humans are all given different advantages in life, but that does not stop them from being good at heart, or having Faith...
I would actually like to see in depth responses to these: the bat is a bird (Lev. 11:19, Deut. 14:11, 18); Some fowls are four-footed (Lev. 11:20-21); Some creeping insects have four legs. (Lev. 11:22-23);
1. The Bible was written by humans with divine influence from God. It is God's word not man's word. 2. In the Bible being a good person is not enough. If God is who he says he is, then the Bible would not have been altered. He has all power and I strong faith that the Bible has and will stand the test of time and never become a lie. Humans are sinners. In our eyes a good person would be someone who does community service thinks of other. This are all great things and commanded by God, but until we repent and recognize that we are all sinners and not worthy to be in God's presence we will never be saved. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus paid the price so we don't have to. We need to accept His free gift. Until we accept that we are sinners and need Jesus to come into our lives we are never pure enough to be in the presence of God. sorry fixed that last sentance
Somehow, humans managed to be sinless while writing down God's word. In that miraculous moment in time, none of the writers lied; what they recorded was a word-for-word perfect rendition of what God told them. Quite amazing, my friends.
I never asked for Jesus to do that. Thats like if I go and pay for all of your phone bills, but then end up in debt, bankrupt and on the streets. You didn't ask for that. I never asked for your opinion. Now I come to you and say, I did that for you, now love me, accept that you couldn't do that on your own and then you may be awesome enough to go on a vacation. Otherwise, you can end up like me, rotting on the streets, because you didnt accept a gift you didn't ask for/may not have wanted. And you said we aren't worthy to be in Gods presence. If I don't want to be in his presence, why do I have to instead end up in Hell?
That is pretty heartless... So you do not ask for our opinions yet you want us to listen to yours?... You will only end up in hell for not having faith in him, which I see you don't. Believe, your life will not be altered. I still act stupid outside these forums and around the world, believing in God is wonderful, to imagine a fabulous afterlife for doing good, the feeling that your loved ones are enjoying life after death... Why do you reject that. I'm not saying your cold-hearted, but don't you want your parents, your family to live on in an afterlife in which they will enjoy life for an eternity, don't you want to ask someone for help when you are lost. I am a teenager, and I am not all religion, I feel like I have a regular life, I don't feel any different from an Atheist, in fact, I feel like I have more to look forward in life then an atheist.
I am not going to quote anybody, but if you all are admitting that the bible is figurative, then why not the whole idea of GOD be figurative. Something that is inside all of us, not our soul, but US. Our conscience, the decisions we make, everything. The bible talks a lot about what god says and does, but never really talks about HIM. This is something that I am just thinking about. Maybe the bible wasnt written to start a religion, but a doctrine, a way of thinking.
The simple answer is wanting is not enough. Of course I don't want to believe that when I die I will cease to exist. Of course I want to imagine that everyone I loved that has died, including pets, are all existing happily together somewhere. The problem is my inability to convince myself of something that seems so flawed, and illogical, something that goes against so many scientific facts about our origins. It is not for lack of wanting these things to be true, it is not being able to fool myself into something so ridiculous just because I am afraid to die. Also, when envisioning my loved ones afterlives, most of them would be burning in hell right now in your warped definition of this life, as a test, a test to see if a logical person can go against every fiber of their brain power to accept that a 2,000 year old carpenter is the savior of humanity.
Im not being heartless, sorry if it came off that way, Im saying, no one was born asking to be born, asking for Jesus to have died for our sins, or asking for the responsibilities life brings. This isnt a reason I dont believe, but I know I didnt ask or want Jesus to die for our sins. That gives such a burden to all who are born, to have to accept him and God, or go to hell, despite what they want to believe. Obviously it isnt forced, but its like, you can choose. Pick whichever you want, but know that this one leads to eternal torture. I dont think my life won't be altered. Besides having to follow the traditions and customs of Christianity, in my eyes, are lying to myself, believing in something I dont believe in because theres a chance that in the long run, I could get to spend an eternity with God. And I think you nailed the hammer on the head there. Imagine Awesome, imagining is great and all, but your imagination has to have a line drawn between reality and fantasy imo. And imo, going from the reality of life to sprititual fantasy land seems weird. You go from a grounded life of reality, to suddenly existing in an invisible super wonderland in the sky with God, all of the greatest people in history... or at least the ones who believed in this like you, and other people, for the rest of eternity. Going from a finite life where doing something means something. Experiencing emotion is possible and meaningful, to an infinite life where you are alive but dead, and its not like you can accomplish anything in heaven. You are dead on earth, so that means its not like you have this eternity to do anything productive. And as said a lot of times in this thread, emotions and feelings like happiness, sadness, excitement, fear... etc... all possible because life is finite, and so are those feelings. And the fact you have opposite feelings to counteract each other, balance your feelings and keep you from flat-lining on a feeling. Which is what happens when you have a specific feeling for a long time, like sitting on your leg til it goes numb. Being happy for that long will just flatline. I showed a video a little before... I dont want to go lookin for that vid again, so Ill just summarize it. It shows squidward from spongebob, its an episode where he moves to "Squidville", aka, his basic paradise place. His perfect utopia. So it goes through a montage in which he starts his first day doing all his favorite things. As days go on you can see him clearly getting sadder and sadder, as the thrill of such awesome happiness wears off... The point of the vid, besides a laugh or two lol... is to show the idea that being happy that long cant last, not without the ability to feel sadness to have something to be happier about. Personally, I have no interest in spending an eternity after I die in total misery. Nor would I wish that on my worst enemy, let alone my family and friends. I rather know that when I die I live on through memory and achievement, and that dying is the end. If there is never an end, then there is no point to begin. "All good things come to an end" "Nothing gold can last" I like, nay, Love knowing my life is finite, and that I've accepted THAT, and that when I die, I think it'll be just like when I wasn't born. That, in my opinion, is eternal happiness. Free of consciousness, thinking and problems, free of the burdens of life and pains and sadness, like a veil has been lifted from me. I found the idea that its just like before you were born to be 1Million times more comforting than heaven and hell and purgatory and whatever afterlife there is. ... Unless the afterlife is anything like ending up like Danny Phantom. Then Im Ok with it. ;P
The Bible is simply a love letter. A message from God given to His to people to show how and why we live our lives. The Bible uses figurative language, but that doesn't mean the entire thing is figurative. For example when Jesus says to take up yoru cross. Does He actually want you to take a big wooden cross and carry it around all day? No of course not he means follow His ways. When He says that the bread is his body, is it His body? No it uses figurative language to give the message. There are many points in the Bible that are not figurative such as the ten commandments. These are a very straight forward. You have to look at the Bible as a whole. It was not written to start a religion, is was written for God to inform people of His love.
Indeed God is all powerful. I am amazed by His power every day. I see it everywhere. The tree outside my window is the beautiful creation of my Lord and Savior.
Like I have been saying over and over. Hell is not a punishment. Hell is complete separation from God. You are allowed to choose your path. You have 100% control over what you do. Jesus didn't pay those phone bills yet. He is offering to pay for them. You just have to accept. Jesus paid my phone bill. I accepted his offer. You can do the same, but its 100% your choice. We must accept that we are in debt (sinner). We sin daily. I sin. No one on this planet is perfect. But Jesus is offering us that perfection, that salvation. He really really wants you to accept. He doesn't want you to be separated from God. He is knocking on your door every day every second. He loves His people.
I think it's the wrong message for a Christian to be telling a non-Christian that we act the same way they do. We may do it, but as a Christian we should hold ourselves up to the high standard that God has set for us. There is a bumper sticker that I really don't like. It reads "not perfect, just forgiven". We shouldn't settle for anything less than perfection. We know were never going to reach it, but we must strive for it daily. This is the example that we need to set for non-christians. We need to display God's love in our lives to others. This is in my opinion probably the most powerful way to spread God's love. Every Christian should be a minister everywhere they go. You don't have to go to China and risk your life to spread the word (God bless called to do this though). You can do it even here on these forums. You can talk to your neighbor. One on one personal talks are always the best. Always talk with love.
So if all hell is, is a seperation from God, then why do you care if I dont want to be with him? Thats my personal choice. In fact, I see almost no incentive to convert when you say that Hell is only a seperation from God.... Also, you didnt reply to the rest of my post... EDIT: 2 more things. One being, the edit post button. (Quad post much lol) 2 being, that sounded sort of conceited really, when you said "The High standards..." YOu make it sound like we non believers arent as good of people because we dont believe in God...