Zone1 Belief in God drops to 81 percent

[Meriweather]

The embodiment of human fears, emotions and superstitions.

That's precisely what humans put into the gods they create.

Many people of faith seek to know God as best as humanly possible.

We don't "create" a God. We observe, we seek to know and understand God.

 

[Donald H]

Study with someone who knows the original Hebrew, and then there might be a meaningful conversation about the English translation.

You mean the ancient Greek.
Your rejection of "Answers in Genesis" and the young earth theory leaves us wanting an issue on which to disagree.
Maybe we'll get support for our mutual agreement but I think it's more likely that most Christians won't voice an opinion.

 

[Donald H]

Do you wish to point out where Jesus said one has to believe in the young earth to follow him? Who first said--or has anyone ever said--that one has to believe in young earth to be a Christian?

I doubt if jesus said anything about the young earth theory. Whoever wrote the bibles are responsible for inventing it. It was obviously out of ignorance and the reason why we both reject it.

Christians can believe whatever nonsense they choose to believe but educated people have a responsibility to teach the truth.

 

[Donald H]

Lied about what? See, you are a viscous angry person because you lost the Spirit of God and now are filled with the spirit of Satan. Please explain what I lied about? Churches are businesses as well. Ministers have to eat too. Good grief this anger is clouding your common sense. What did the Evangelists do to you that has your undies all wadded up in a bunch?

Are you a young earth believer? Pointing out the fact along with Meriweather doesn't make me angry, it brings a feeling of satisfaction on reaching common ground between atheism and his amended belief system. We may work together to find more agreement.

You mean 'vicious' but viscous was good for a chuckle.
I don't want there to be any angry feelings between us. I accept that many Xtians accept the young earth theory.

 

[Hollie]

Many people of faith seek to know God as best as humanly possible.

We don't "create" a God. We observe, we seek to know and understand God.

We know of gods only what humans have written about them. No gods have written any bibles, korans, Bhagavad Gitas or any other holy texts. No gods have ever had any conversations with humans.

How does anyone know or understand a supernatural entity that refuses to make itself known in any meaningful way?

 

[Meriweather]

You mean the ancient Greek.

No, I mean the Hebrew. The Old Testament written first in Hebrew, then translated into ancient Greek.

 

[surada]

No, I mean the Hebrew. The Old Testament written first in Hebrew, then translated into ancient Greek.

Hebrew and Aramaic

What are the Languages of Biblical Times? (with pictures)

There were four main languages spoken in Biblical times: Latin, Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. The language spoken by common people...

www.languagehumanities.org

 

[Meriweather]

Your rejection of "Answers in Genesis" and the young earth theory leaves us wanting an issue on which to disagree.
Maybe we'll get support for our mutual agreement but I think it's more likely that most Christians won't voice an opinion.

When it comes to their faith, everyone should be able to decide to their own satisfaction when and how long it took for the Earth to come into existence. How old the Earth is has nothing to do with how people of faith live their daily lives or relate to God and one another.

When it comes to faith, the age of the Earth is a moot point.

 

[Meriweather]

Whoever wrote the bibles are responsible for inventing it.

I disagree anyone "invented" anything. The author(s) of Genesis were brilliant. The problem may be that their original intent was confused or misunderstood.

 

[surada]

I disagree anyone "invented" anything. The author(s) of Genesis were brilliant. The problem may be that their original intent was confused or misunderstood.

What was their original intent? Snake cults existed all over Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Levant, Arabia and the Indus valley long before Genesis.

 

[Meriweather]

Christians can believe whatever nonsense they choose to believe but educated people have a responsibility to teach the truth.

I teach science, and I teach it without apology. That being said, when a concerned student tells me they can't get behind the science, but they are still worried about their grade, I help them out. They can answer a question by saying, "The text teaches that the Earth was formed by.....However, I believe...." I tell them as long as they show me they have absorbed the scientific theories/data on the Earth, it does not trouble me in the least they do not accept it.

When it comes to State tests (multiple choice) I tell them they have a decision to make. Do they answer by what the State calls correct, or do they answer by what they believe is correct. Up to them.

 

[Donald H]

I disagree anyone "invented" anything. The author(s) of Genesis were brilliant. The problem may be that their original intent was confused or misunderstood.

I certainly don't agree with the supposed authors being brilliant by I could agree that it was so poorly written that it caused confusion and misunderstanding.

Essentially we agree that the young earth theory is nonsense. Can we move on and encourage other Christians to face the question honestly?

Here's another quote from "Answers in Genesis".

Does the Earth Look Old?​

Most people, including Christians, still claim dogmatically that the earth looks old. If we look at the earth through the “glasses” of human reasoning—that only snail-paced present geological processes can explain the past—then the earth does indeed look old. However, that autonomous human reasoning blatantly denies what God’s Word clearly tells us.

Are we together on denouncing that too as biblical nonsense?

The question is, can the god's word cause us to look and see a young earth in our minds?

 

[surada]

I certainly don't agree with the supposed authors being brilliant by I could agree that it was so poorly written that it caused confusion and misunderstanding.

Essentially we agree that the young earth theory is nonsense. Can we move on and encourage other Christians to face the question honestly?

Here's another quote from "Answers in Genesis".



Are we together on denouncing that too as biblical nonsense?

The question is, can the god's word cause us to look and see a young earth in our minds?

Judah and Israel had different creation stories. They were cobbled together during the reign of King Omri.

 

[Donald H]

I teach science, and I teach it without apology. That being said, when a concerned student tells me they can't get behind the science, but they are still worried about their grade, I help them out. They can answer a question by saying, "The text teaches that the Earth was formed by.....However, I believe...." I tell them as long as they show me they have absorbed the scientific theories/data on the Earth, it does not trouble me in the least they do not accept it.

When it comes to State tests (multiple choice) I tell them they have a decision to make. Do they answer by what the State calls correct, or do they answer by what they believe is correct. Up to them.

I understand your reluctance to tell a student the truth as we know it. I will just say that I couldn't allow the student going off in life believing a lie for which I was responsible.

And I suggest that you are breaking the law by allowing religion to negate your responsibility to teach the truth. You can't claim to not know the truth anymore!

You're deliberately teaching that which you know to be a lie!

In my opinion, organized religion needs to come clean by stating the facts as they pertain to the age of the earth. Their guilt lies in them knowing the truth as well as we know it. That would free teachers like you of the need to uphold the big young earth lies.

I'm much more interested in hearing what our audience is thinking now?

 

[Meriweather]

We know of gods only what humans have written about them

Not me.

 

[Donald H]

Judah and Israel had different creation stories. They were cobbled together during the reign of King Omri.

Most modern Christian authorities reject Genesis completely now. In fact, Meriweather has himself rejected the very basis of it.
He can go on about misinterpretations in translation to English but it doesn't change the fact that we agree that it's fatally flawed, as he notes.

 

[Meriweather]

How does anyone know or understand a supernatural entity that refuses to make itself known in any meaningful way?

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament teach, Seek and you will find."

Have you been actively seeking?

 

[Meriweather]

What was their original intent?

Specifically, which verses?

 

[Hollie]

Not me.

Oh, OK. You won the God lottery and they bestowed you with unique communications.

 

[Meriweather]

Are we together on denouncing that too as biblical nonsense?

There is no need to denounce anything in the Bible. Again, go back to the original Hebrew for the Hebrew Bible; to the Greek and Latin for much of the New Testament.

My position is that we have to stop looking at the Bible through the lenses of the modern Western world and modern English. Bible study must include study of languages, cultures, histories. We need to see the account through they eyes of the original author to his original audience.