ptl@fluke.UUCP (Mike Andrews) (01/28/86)
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*** isn't modern science wonderful !? ***
Hi,
It is obvious from the very start of the Bible that it was not intended
to be taken literally in every instance. Just look at the first book,
Genesis. Chapter 1 provides us with one account of Creation, Chapter 2
provides us with a second, and different, account. But the meanings are
the same: God created us, and loves us - as He showed by giving us all
He created for free.
Likewise, it is obvious that there are instances in which the Bible is to
be taken literally. Looking especially at the New Testament, there are
numerous places where Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. And looking at
the Old Testament, you can find where the life and death of Jesus
were foretold, in quite a bit of detail: virgin birth, where He'd come
from (family-line and area), that He would be killed, describing how His
body would look then and how He would be treated (fitting Jesus' crucifixion
to a tee - Ps 22). Jesus even foretold that His own resurrection from death
would take place 3 days later (Jn 2:19-22).
One of the exciting things about our Christian faith is that we can each
see and hear something different from God's Word, yet a Truth runs through
it all. The hard to understand and accept fact that God Loves each of
us - He showed that again after we first chose to turn from His free Love
for us, by giving us Jesus as our Savior, giving us another chance to choose
to accept His free and undeserved Love.
As for literal interpretations - what each of us choses to believe literally is
guaranteed to be different from everyone else's in at least one, but more
likely many areas. As for creation in particular - I personally don't care
if God chose to do it in 7 seconds or 7 billion years. I just care that He did
it, and He did it out of His Love for us. It is interesting that the validity
of carbon dating is based on the *belief* that carbon dating is accurate. It
is also interesting that it wasn't too many years ago (5 to 10?) that science
determined that a baby has a natural protection from infection that peaks on
the 8th day after birth - the Isrealites were commanded by God thousands of
years ago to wait until the 8th day after birth to circumsize their male
babies (Genesis 17:12).
God Bless,
Mike Andrews
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God says He is always with us, and will not leave us.
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