Achristian
As you have already said, you would not believe in God if Jesus Christ Himself appeared right in front of you and allowed you to examine the holes in His hands and in His side, as He allowed Thomas to do.
I said 'probably'. That line was little tongue in cheek too...in case you hadn't noticed...
So then, why are you so interested in understanding how every passage of scripture should be understood.
Because it seems to me that your here preaching and pushing your ideas...like you always do when the flood topic comes up...trying to create as much FUZZ as possible and have the last word. I dont see why you should have a free ride.
After all, you believe the Bible is entirely the work of a bunch of not too bright men and nothing more.
As a whole the bible is a man-made work. I can find good pieces in it, little pieces of wisdom...and I can find bad. But I would never let my life rest on it soley. That would be foolish.
Aren't you just doing as Joseph does, trying to find what you think might be inconsistencies and contradictions in either the Bible, my understanding of the Bible or both,
Well it does seem that you are rather inconsistent in your interpretation of the bible as it pertains to the word earth. The way you view the verses above tells me that.
in order to make either the Bible, my understanding of the Bible or both look foolish?
Well, your trying to make it look better than what it really is
You referred to several passages of Genesis in which the Hebrew word 'eres is used. You asked when that word should be understood to mean "the land," in the sense of a limited geographical area occupied by a particular group of people, and when it should be understood as meaning "the earth," in the sense of our entire planet.
Yeah...we should strive for some kind of consistency here, shouldn't we. It seems you just pick and choose to suit your theory, because you want to believe.
On the small chance that your questions might have been sincere,
Oh well thanks. I'm sincere in the sense that I dont like BS being dress up as anything more than that.
You asked about Gen. 1:22, 28. I would translate 'eres in these two verses as "the earth," as in our entire planet. You asked about Gen. 8:17 and 9:1,18,19. I would translate 'eres in these four verses as "the land," as in the limited geographical area Noah and his immediate descendants lived in. I would spend more time telling you why I believe this way, but I suspect I would only be giving you more to criticize.
So basically you just pick and choose when it means Earth in some larger sense, and when it means the land of Noah. I really dont see how you can be so inconsistent. It seems your thinking goes like this: The bible is true, and God is real. A global flood is not possible. Yet the bible talks of a flood. So, this flood must have been local because the bible isn't wrong, a flood did happen. You therefore interpret earth to mean the land of Noah when it suits you...to suit your beliefs. Which is fine. Even though to most people it would make more sense to be a bit more consistent...which your not. Your intpretation is based on faith...but you often try and make it sound as if it is based on more, either for other peoples benefit, or your own. It's 'quite possible' this and that you say...as if your interpretation of earth to mean land of Noah is on an equal footing with the general consensus. Well, your view may be possible...but it is hardly on an equal footing with general view that earth above means just THAT...and not some specific land of Noah. You are a little inconsistent..just a little. I also notice you tried to fuzz the topic again when you said this:
The fact of the matter is that Bible scholars and Bible translators are sometimes not sure when 'erers in a particular passage, such as those you cited, should be translated as "the land" and when it should be translated as "the earth." In fact, the translators of the New American Standard Bible were so confused over this issue when translating the Bible's flood account contained in Genesis chapters 6, 7 and 8, that they there translated 'eres several times as "the land" and several times as "the earth," going back and forth between the two in the story of Noah's flood. This should certainly show you that even the world's foremost Bible scholars and experts in the ancient Hebrew language cannot now answer the questions you posed to me with any degree of certainty. So, as I said, I can only give you my opinion.
Your trying to cloud the issue again and thereby make your view seem just as worthy as any other. But it aint...it's a more obscure view of things, and its based on your faith in God. Which is fine...more power to you.
Thats how I'm seeing it
