If you don't take the books literally, they can be enjoyed as allegorical tales.
Absolutely, Jgnat! As early as St.Augustine (PDF), the Bible (including Genesis) was understood to be more than a literal history.
There is no doubt that Adam wasn't the first man. How do believers get around that small fact?
by jam 74 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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GLTirebiter
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Phizzy
This is the usual response when a bit of the bible is shown to be false or nonsense or both "Oh that bit is only metaphorical !"
Where does metaphor stop and truth start, who is to adjudicate on that ?
Most of the Bible has been proved to be false to some degree, so all that must be mataphor a ?
If most of it is metaphor it doesn't really mean anything or have any power.
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MrFreeze
Well where did sin come into play if you don't look at it literally? Did god create us perfect? If not, why would we need Jesus' sacrifice?
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Phizzy
Did we inherit sin from Neanderthals ? How come we are descended from them and Adam was not ?
Did a big hairy neanderthal man get to Eve before Adam did ? We need to know.
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Room 215
tough questions, these, for believers.
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konceptual99
Believers don't care. Neanderthals were something else. Every other fossil is a type of ape. What scientists say changes over time so who is to say their view of the relationship to man won't change. I doesn't matter what the world says. They are wrong. The bible is right. God dun it. Got it?
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Phizzy
That same believer that tells me Goddunit has a percentage of neanderthal DNA in his/her DNA, howdit happen ?
Neanderthals died out how long ago ?
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Finkelstein
Beliefs are created through acquired knowledge and information through human social interactions.
Did the ancient Hebrews know anything of prehistoric and extinct dinosaurs/animals or did they know anything about many of the
other things of the world of which they lived in, such lightening, thunder, earthquakes etc. ???
No, They surmised what they came across through their assuming knowledge of that time and era , which mostly
cultivated around a greater spiritual world, thats why there were so many gods idolized and believed in the many various ancient civilization.
The ancient Hebrew civilization was just as subjected to their own human ignorance as all of the other civilization of that time.
For that reason the bible and its textual writings should logically and only be referenced as an example of the historical expression of
humanity's ignorance. For that reason one could say that its an example of prehistoric human knowledge.
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wasblind
Help me out here to restore my faith._____Jam
((((((( Jam,))))))) you are one of my favorite posters
I like you no matter what you choose not to believe
and it feels good to be able to have the freedom to do so
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Phizzy
What exactly do you want your faith restored in dear Jam ?
That the Bible is literal truth ? That it is the word of God, or inspired in some way, perhaps some of it not all of it ?
I cannot help you with either of those, there is simply no support for either.
I no longer have faith or religion, I do not consider that I have "lost"anything, I do not feel a hole where my faith or religion was, nor a God shaped hole where he was.
Some do, some are reluctant Atheists or Agnostics, they wish it were true. I do not, except for some sort of lovely Afterlife, I do wish that were true, I don't think it is though.
I love the idea of Faeries too, but despite the protestations of Mrs Phizzy that they really do exist, I don't think so, apart from the Beer Fairy of course, I've seen her picture , Whoorrrr !!!
I am complete without god, faith or religion.