An unorthodox member

[knowledge]

Hi. I am looking for a community where I can discuss my ideas and opinions on Christianity.

I am interested in religion, in particular Christianity and its origins. I want to know the truth about the Bible. Who wrote it? Did Moses really write all the books of the Pentateuch? Was there a flood? Did Jesus rise from the dead?

So I have spent about 6-7 years digging into the origins of the Bible. With books. With documentaries. And I actually began sorting out pro-Christian or pro-Jewish or other pro-religious documentaries and books, and only got interested in the Atheist-scholars and other sceptics version of the Bible origins.

At first I began to lose my faith. But then, as I watched more documentaries and read more about Christianity (from a sceptic's point of view) I actually felt more religious. Not because I didn't believe in the sceptic's point of view, but more because I felt that there is more to the Bible than just the history of the world or otherwise taking the Bible literally. There seem to be an entire masterpiece of art and writing going on to explain moral/ethical lessons that are either difficult to explain by modern methods of expression, or simply because they (the Bible-writers) didn't have enough technology like we do, to have such an advanced culture we live in, to explain the dilemmas properly to our modern understanding, yet they knew about them and tried to explain them and interpret the meanings and lessons of it.

For that reason, I think that the Bible can probably tell us a lot about how to handle ie. robots with highly advanced Artificial Intelligence to avoid human mass extinction or at least to preserve humanity and embetter it. In general, I see the Bible lessons to explain our modernized society all the time. Not that I think the Bible predicted our world. But the Bible DID predict, that no matter how far into the future of humanity, no matter how advanced our society is, we still need to solve the same dilemmas and issues they faced in the ancient world. In other words, the Bible is timeless. That is why the Bible still matters today.

I believe in Evolution, and I believe the world was created through natural causes. I see no conflict with God here.
I do however believe that Satan and God are equally real. They are amongst us. They are both in us. They both shape our world. Right now. God and Satan are contained in our world. They are part of our world. They are part of ourselves.
Even though a neurologist might eventually figure out where "God" or "Satan" resides in our brain, and explain it "away" with neuro-chemistry, they're still there. There are the same dilemmas. There are the same issues. There are the same moral lessons to be learned. You could explain anything, by saying that everything consists of Atoms. That doesn't make nuclear scientists good psychologists, road builders or any other professional outside their scope of profession. Like Theology.

And btw. the world may have been created in 6 days. But creationists claiming it was 6 "long days" (a day equal to billions of years) I find it too vague. I prefer to say that the world was created in 6 days of 24 hours. They were, however, not six consecutive days.

I hope I am still welcome in your Christian community, though I may have some unorthodox views and opinions.

 

[knowledge]

You could explain anything, by saying that everything consists of Atoms.

Before anyone comment and nitpick on this, I would like to say that of course there are smaller things than atoms.
But that is outside the point of my thread which is to say that for each profession, there is a scientific field, although they are all somehow woven together, one must differentiate between one's approaches according to each field of science.

And btw. the world may have been created in 6 days. But creationists claiming it was 6 "long days" (a day equal to billions of years) I find it too vague. I prefer to say that the world was created in 6 days of 24 hours. They were, however, not six consecutive days.

This is not to be misunderstood as a new type or the same creationist idea.
My point was that Genesis does not try and explain how the world came into being. Genesis, from my point of view, is merely an attempt at making a beginning for this masterpiece of a book, only to move on to the more relevant topics in the
Bible, like morals and ethics.

I believe natural science and the bible should be kept away from each other. Just like you don't have a nuclear physicist repairing roads (unless he/she also has a education and profession in making roads too).

 

[Chad]

Hello welcome to the forums. Glad you're here.

You have a lot of questions, so we won't discuss this in the introduction thread here to avoid steering off it's purpose.

But, here's some useful links. If you're truly looking for answers they are found here.

The Evidence & Prophecy

Skeptic's Instructions for Reading
Messianic Prophecies (list)

Some other useful sites:
CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry
Answers in Genesis

Some considerations also, without the complexity

1. It is 2015. The global calendar began based on the birth of Jesus Christ. Very, very significant.
2. Miracles He performs, worldwide today. You don't hear this on the secular news media, but plenty of it in Church, Christian media.
3. Fulfilled prophecies. Hundreds of them. Read the link above I shared.
4. Artifacts. Far more than any of the other historical books. Proof of the validity of the Bible.
5. Space. Science has claimed billions of stars, planets, galaxies, asteroids, this and that trillions of miles away and no life except on planet earth. Lines up with Scripture.
6. Unbelievers and skeptics cringe at the name of Jesus, but not any other religious name. Lines up with the "sinful nature" that naturally hates GOD until transformed by the Holy Spirit.
7. No other religion or religious figure has come down to earth, taken the punishment for sin upon Himself, shown grace, not condemnation and not by works. Only Jesus. Only Christianity is there a relationship with GOD who paid for our sins and desires, has a relationship with it's believers. You don't find that in any other belief system.

Combine all these basic facts. It's undeniable.

 

[JohnP]

Hi, and Welcome to Talk Jesus! As per Chad's wishes, I won't dissect anything you said here, just want to say hello.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Welcome to Talk Jesus @knowledge

I don't know if you'll find what you're seeking here at Talk Jesus, but you've found a Christian Community that has a Love of Christ Jesus first and foremost.

We might occasionally "gnaw " on a few bones of scripture (bible) to sharpen the understanding we have, but for the most part rejoice with each other in the knowledge that we were lost and now are found.

A searching person without preconceived ideas as you have found, will even find a sort of light from the "skeptics" or "atheists" speculations.

I do find it interesting that you mention "At first I began to lose my faith." Would you care to share when you first came by this faith and in what was it based?

Until you answer. Here are a few links in case you really do see yourself more in line with the "atheist" perspective.

Dear Atheist

Why believe in Christianity?

Does God Exist - Six Reasons to Believe that God is Really There - Is There a God

C4E

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And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Psalm 9:10

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Glad you decided to join us.
I look forward to any discussion you care to generate.

 

[Shutterbug]

The Bible isn't meant to be a history book nor a book for moral guidelines. It is a book which tells us about our Creator, and how we relate to Him in past, present, and future tense. It is a book about faith and redemption, not so much about fact. While the various Sciences can tell us much, there is also much they can't tell us. Our five senses do not directly tell us about God. In the end, one either accept through faith the Bible's message of salvation or we reject it.

The central message is that in all that we do, seek God's will first.