Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Elsie

"MY problem is that if some parts of the Scripture can be shown to be 'inaccurate', then why, in GOD's name, should any of the REST of it be believed?"



Who said it was inaccurate, though? Certainly not me. My point is that a lot of the Biblical language can be understood in more than one way, and yet still comport with the literal language in each interpretation.

Of course, there is only one "truth," but what you consider to be the one and only authoritative interpretation may in fact be wrong. It's undeniably happened before. One example I gave was the priests' interpretation of the Messianic prophecies. They turned out to be completely wrong. When the "authoritative" interpretation has dealt with scientific issues, the record is particularly deplorable. Thus, because it conflicted with the traditional interpretation of scriptures, the Church continued to deny the theory of a sun-centered solar system until centuries after it became evident that the theory was true. Today, no one thinks that the sun-centered solar system is inconsistent with the Bible, despite the fact that medieval Church leaders were willing to kill, so certain were they that those who believed it were blasphemers.

So don't characterize my argument as an argument that the Bible is "inaccurate." That's not what I'm saying.

Of course, I do agree that the fundamental requirements of salvation cannot be subject to various meanings. If that were the case, then we'd be totally lost. But we're not talking about that. We are talking about details in the story that are not crucial to salvation. If you want, you can start with the notion that "I don't know how this can possibly be true, but I have faith that it is--that it must somehow be true." What I don't accept, though, is the notion that there is only one possible interpretation of Genesis, and anyone who does not acknowledge it cannot be a Christian.


140 posted on 01/08/2007 12:08:21 PM PST by Brilliant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies ]


To: Brilliant
Who said it was inaccurate, though? Certainly not me.

No, not you; but there are plently of folks, even on these threads, that say EXACTLY that.


If you want, you can start with the notion that "I don't know how this can possibly be true, but I have faith that it is--that it must somehow be true."

This is also "E's" starting point...


What I don't accept, though, is the notion that there is only one possible interpretation of Genesis, and anyone who does not acknowledge it cannot be a Christian.

(You'll note that I don't post much Genesis - but other Scripture.)

143 posted on 01/09/2007 5:46:10 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson