[net.religion] Philosophy of science and Creationism

ln63fac@sdcc7.UUCP (Rick Frey) (10/29/85)

In article <799@cybvax0.UUCP>, mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes:
> 
> Even assuming the Bible is inspired by God, we cannot know God's purpose
> in giving it to us.  Because we cannot understand the purpose, we have no
> way of knowing if God intended us to accept/reject/believe/disbelieve the
> Bible.
> -- 
But what about what the Bible says about God's purpose in giving it to us?
"All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be 
perfect, furnished unto all good works."  (II Timothy 3:16,17)

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."  Psalm 119:105

David, a man after God's own heart, felt that the Bible served the purpose
of guiding his life in the direction God wanted it.  Paul says that the
message of the Bible, the gospel is the power of God for salvation.  And
last but not least, Christ Himself says, "The words that I have spoken to
you are Spirit and are Life." (John 6:63)  Christ in John 1:1 is called the
'word' of God and throughout the old testament (Isaiah 40:8) God makes it
clear that His word goes and that His word, as Isaiah says, "will last
forever."

Unless God is deliberatley lying to us in the Bible as some kind of test,
there's no way we can do anything else but take God at His word.  John
20:30,31 makes clear the intent of why God gave us the Bible.  "Many other
signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which
are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and in believing you may
have life in His name."

				Rick Frey

p.s.  If this happens to inspire any follow up or response, we probably
      ought to finish it off in net.religion.  This will be posted there
      also.

mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) (10/31/85)

In article <144@sdcc7.UUCP> ln63fac@sdcc7.UUCP (Rick Frey) writes:
> In article <799@cybvax0.UUCP>, mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes:
> > Even assuming the Bible is inspired by God, we cannot know God's purpose
> > in giving it to us.  Because we cannot understand the purpose, we have no
> > way of knowing if God intended us to accept/reject/believe/disbelieve the
> > Bible.
>
> But what about what the Bible says about God's purpose in giving it to us?
[Examples deleted... mrh]
> Unless God is deliberatley lying to us in the Bible as some kind of test,
> there's no way we can do anything else but take God at His word.  [....]

Because you could not know god's purpose, you could not tell if he is lying.
He may lie to further some selfish aim, to test, or whatever.  Whatever
the bible says about god's purposes might just as well be a lie as anything
else.
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh