Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

i've never heard of a sun like ours outside of our own.

?

Epsilon Eridani (see also here) and Tau Ceti (and here) are two stars that are nearly identical to our sun that are also quite near to us - in astronomical terms.

Epsilon Eridani even has a clearly visible Kuiper Belt - this is the source from which comets are replenished. Young Earth Creationists have denied the existence of such a "belt" or "cloud" of icy objects around our solar system, yet when we find a fairly close sun much like our own we find a similar Kuiper Belt. Go figure.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

While it is true that there are FAR fewer planets like ours then good old SOL, our Sun is rather rare as well based on it's size, the fact that it is a 2nd generation star (created from the remnants of 1st gen ones which have already gone nova), and most importantly it's current age about 5-6 billion years giving us the needed spectrum for human life to survive.

You are right. I should have worded that better. The problem isn't the sons like ours or the planets like ours. The problem is the combination of the two.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by jfrog

You are right. I should have worded that better. The problem isn't the sons like ours or the planets like ours. The problem is the combination of the two.

We do appear to have a whole set of beneficial circumstances that have enabled life to develop, evolve and to thrive in this little "neglected" corner of the cosmos.

I think that adds to the wonder of it all.

I guess I should say "thrive" - unless you're a member of the blue-green algae race things do get a little tough at times and most species have to get a day job just to get by.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Twisp

Picked up this book at the library this past weekend. Was perusing the shelves and happened upon it. Anyone else read it?

http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Bible-...5648973&sr=1-1

I am up to page 100 or so, and the gist of it so far is that the Bible is simply the human response to God rather than a divinely inspired book. The author defines miracles as the spectacular, or as paranormal events. He states that miracles, such as the water parting during the Exodus and the Virgin Birth, were really just metaphors of the truth. They were true in that they are describing a real event, but they are not factually true as described. He reasons this out by saying that the Lord does not do great Biblical miracles in today's world like He did in the Biblical days. He believes that the Lord would not change the way He does things, therefore, if it is not happening today, the Lord probably never worked in that way.

Again, I am only a 1/3 of the way through, but that is what it is so far.

I meant to point this out earlier - if you haven't seen it - Marcus Borg contributes regularly to beliefnet.com. I don't like to try and read that site because of the nuisance ads and pop ups, but Borg is pretty good. He's also got a couple of newsletters: marcusjborg.com.

I haven't read this book, but I've read other stuff from the Jesus Seminar writers and columns by Borg. Their approach is usefully very careful and respectful to the beliefs of others - with a few notable acerbic exceptions.

Borg has published a couple of books now with Jesus Seminar founder John Dominic Crossan. Borg is a former Lutheran priest and Crossan a former Roman Catholic priest.

[Michael The Disciple]

Obviously the Sun is a Star and every Star is a Sun. Thats what I meant. Not that they all have Planets. I just mean if the Bible is not true theres no point. To me its the Bible over science. Science changes its mind about things.

The Bible says the Earth was made before the Sun. The things that seem impossible to men are possible with God.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Obviously the Sun is a Star and every Star is a Sun. Thats what I meant. Not that they all have Planets. I just mean if the Bible is not true theres no point. To me its the Bible over science. Science changes its mind about things.

The Bible says the Earth was made before the Sun. The things that seem impossible to men are possible with God.

Then I guess that even if it seems impossible that science could be right, maybe thats one of those things that is possible with God

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Dedicated Mind

I don't have a problem with miracles. Only Noah's ark is a little difficult for me. There was a tv show trying to rebuild the ark with ancient tools and they couldn't make it waterproof. imagine the seal a wood log would have to make to keep the water out. Then the size of the ark to carry elephants and giraffes and hippos, just incredible.

Did they use tar? BTW if the flood was not global they would not have needed to put giraffes or hippos on it.

Even if so, it would be just 2 of each

[Praxeas]

BTW Ive seen shows where they could not figure out how they got those statues on Easter island there of how they build the pyramids or cut and raised the oblisks

[Digging4Truth]

I would find it hard to believe that in the estimated hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe that God only created man on one planet.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

BTW Ive seen shows where they could not figure out how they got those statues on Easter island there of how they build the pyramids or cut and raised the oblisks

There are megalithic stones which man still does not have the technology to move.