Holy Hades, TEC: you mean being wrong on interpetation for 2,500 yrs (and counting) doesn't present just a teensie-weensie problem for you?
Hmm. Who said people were supposed to INTERPRET anything?
There is no interpretation of truth. There is simply truth.
Man interpreting something based upon his own reasoning and limited information... is nothing that God has ever asked or told man to do. All man has to do NOW to understand anything written... is listen and look at the One God sent. Even if you just start with what He is written to have said and done.
That's a problem: if the Bible passages are open to interpretative errors and changes in language and human knowledge that happens over time (and YES, there ARE), then what's the point of bothering to claim any Divine inspiration on the front end (i.e. in the writing process), if God cannot be bothered to assure "Divine Interpretation" on the other end?
Divine interpretation... would be from the divine explaining/teaching the meaning to the man doing the reading, right?
Not man interpreting on his own.
How do you know you're not wrong TODAY on ANY interpretation, just like the past believers were?
I'm not interpreting. I cannot. I would not have a clue how to interpret anything, especially in Revelation, on my own. I know this about myself, because if there was ever anyone who was horrible at finding the meaning in poetry, it is me. I HATED poetry in school for that reason, lol.
I cannot say that I have never interpreted. Of course I have... and sometimes I will consider and say, 'I think, I guess, I believe'... but when I have gone with my own reasoning, I have also been wrong. There are things written that I do not understand because I have not heard from the truth, and there are things that I do understand because I have heard them from the truth.
I am not telling you to believe based on who I hear from. But I simply will not take credit for what is not mine. You can simply test the message, against Christ (for those who can), against love, and against what is written (though this is not a perfect means of testing, it is something that everyone can SEE).
And how do you know the interpretation won't change again in the future (like it has many times in the past), after science makes the current interpretation silly or incredible, or believers try to insert modern concepts from science anachronistically (just as Darwin's evolution theory was fought for centuries by believers, but only NOW believers are trying to insert it into Genesis, since the evidence supporting evolution is so overwhelming)?
I am sure that man's interpretation will change again and again. But the truth itself does not change. Even the literal fundamnetalist view of 24 hour creation days is a change from previous interpretations.
Such history of misunderstanding and interpretative FUBARs is a sign of an uninterested deity, at the very least. If any Gods exist, they clearly don't want to have a personal and intimate relationship with individual humans, or a desire to make their will for humanity known in a non-confusing unambiguous manner: the existence of 35k flavors of Xianity alone should confirm that.
Actually, it is the exact opposite. Learning about God via the many books of the bible (or other sources) is impersonal. Knowing God, by knowing His Son, IS personal and intimate. (you dilegently study the scriptures because you think that by them you have eternal life, yet you refuse to come to ME for life... and... if you know ME, you know my Father as well...)
Absurd and classic excusiology for prophecies: "Don't worry, you just need to give it more time!" Yes, and THAT'S an effective line of reasoning to use on an ex-JW message board, where all participants KNOW the history of failed prophecies (Armageddon dating for 1914, 1975, before the end of the 20th century, etc). As usual, mere mortals take for fall for the prophetic failure, and of course, it's NOT like God or Jesus were wrong: humans simply misunderstood!
Not at all. I have not said just give it more time. I just said the truth... that some things have come and some have not.
So simply writing that someone did something (eg "I just leaped 400 ft in the air, and flew around! I really DID! Honest!!") proves it? TEC, you cannot be THAT gullible and/or dense, can you?
Of course not. Just stating something that is true. I cannot personally prove that to you though, so I will move on from that point.
What a missed opportunity for Jesus to explain that leprosy DOESN'T occur due to sin, but instead is caused by tiny 'animals' that are too small to see, but that settle into the skin and cause the disfiguring skin condition. Sure, they'd laugh, but he'd present compelling evidence of having been sent from Heaven when modern people learned the truth. Remember, THAT is the entire basis of the gift of prophecy, being able to foretell future events. Jesus didn't even have to predict Louis Pasteur by name, but only the concept of diseases caused by micro-organisms (tiny animals; Greek would be 'microzoa').
I was responding to this. I doubt that would have made it into any writing, for the reason that i listed.
At the same time, Christ spoke the truth. We're still behind on the scientific ins and outs, or just not seeing what is before us (yet). Sin does cause the flesh to become ill, to age, to die. That is the sin IN the flesh. (this is not the same as sins we choose to commit) Think about how genetics determine what diseases we might have; what kinds of things are written on our DNA. In a similar way as those codes are in the flesh, sin and death are in the flesh.
So, here's your chance to explain: what do YOU believe "according to their kind" means?
Does it matter what I believe, or rather, interpret? I don't know exactly. I would be guessing. I don't know where on the line that would mean (species perhaps, or family, or whatever... and I CAN use those words, because I know them, whereas someone from long ago who is not aware of those words would have to use a description that they understand. Same with describing some things in Revelation, as was my point with the example about John describing modern or near modern things, with the language ability of a man two thousand years ago)
In any case, the means of creating them according to their kind is not described, so to be dogmatic that it means God created them 'poof' as a finished work, is not justified.
Peace to you,
tammy (who is off to work, so won't be back to respond until probably tomorrow)
