Creation vs. Evolution (Earth, Eden, genesis, eternal, bible)

[Alaric]

Can you imagine Moses, Jesus or Mohammed saying its OK to believe that some of their teachings are wrong, or that the God they spent so much time getting people to love actually didn't do things quite the way they said? I mean, its not as if the theory of evolution requires a primer in biochemistry to be able to understand; people 2000 years ago would have got the general gist of it if that had been the official line. But it wasn't.

[Green Gaia]

Ok so say someone believes the story of Adam and Eve to be a nice metaphor for how the Earth and humanity was created, but they do not believe it to be literal, but they follow all the teachings of Christ and the New Testament, is that person a "real" Christian?

[Alaric]

Not as I see it. Then the Ressurection could be a metaphor, Pauls revelation could be a metaphor, and so on. It's a slippery slope argument, but we're arguing definitions here. A lot of Christianity relies on the Adam & Eve story of original sin; at the least it explains why mankind has to labour in the dirt and suffer childpains. If it was meant to be a metaphor, like Jesus' parables, it should have said so - people have been taking it literally for thousands of years, so its a bit rough for God to suddenly say He was kidding, or we 'weren't ready'. And if its not important, it wouldn't have been included. That's why if you want your religion to last, be vague.

[Green Gaia]

Why does believing a creation story to be a metaphor, invalidate all other important "stories" of the faith?

[Death]

Originally Posted by Maize

Ok so say someone believes the story of Adam and Eve to be a nice metaphor for how the Earth and humanity was created, but they do not believe it to be literal, but they follow all the teachings of Christ and the New Testament, is that person a "real" Christian?

Yes, because they believe in christianity's gods, if not it's mythology.

ok how about these UN stupoid directions!

BFEORE, BEHIND, LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, WITHIN,.....

They still exist no matter what direction you're facing, so again, these are superfluous, and the "within" direction musts a metaphor and not an actual direction, as within a person is merely an area defined by before and behind.

the 4 directions of wicca....with PERSON in the middle making UP DOWN and WITHIN.....

does this help death?

I understand it, it's just useless and somewhat egocentric, not objective in any sense whatsoever.

Draw a 3D cube on a piece of paper. Recognize that each side of the cube is a plane intersected by four other planes. Draw a dot in the middle of each plane. Connect each dot to the dot in the plane opposite of it. When you have done this, you will end up plotting a point in the MIDDLE of the cube.

That point is still only 3 coordinates. Say the cube is 4 measuring units, that point would be 2,2,2. Stargates just need loads of chevrons because of the dialing system.

[Master Hoomer]

good grief :shock: think what you like death...I merely pointed out the 7 driections as they are biblical...and the days of creation are also 7....

and also the 7 directions are a part of MANY religions.....

think what you like! :roll: :roll: :roll:

I take it you are an athiest death?

[Death]

I'm scientific pantheist.

Creationism is still bull and frankly i find it offensive.

[deahca2]

aleric,
Being Jewish I can't speak to the way that Christians believe the bible literally. However, even in Genesis my branch of Judaism does NOT take it literally. Cherry pick? nope. In fact, I can accuse Christianity of that with the "original sin" notion that is not found in Genesis.
ah well.
I suppose it's in how a certain religion interprets each others scriptures. I have just as much trouble when I read the Christian bible.
A friend of mine ( a Conservative Jew) who is married to a Chasidic gentleman also doesn't buy taking Genesis literally. For instance, she and I shared the thought with Christians that we believe that the story of Adam and Eve included the fact that others did live upon the earth at that point.
( remember Nod and the wife bit for Cain?
Still say to my branch of religion the "day" was the beginning of an action ( by G-d ) to the end of that action.
Even back then the first action was the splitting of the waters with the wind. that was before even light and darkness ( for the world). How long did that take? Before the first sunset and sunrise? SEe what I mean?
How long did that take with no sunrise or sunset? no way of knowing.

[Master Hoomer]

:lol: ok death....well personally I agree creationism is "bull"...

creation stories are POETIC....as you say "bull"...
I think only a silly billy takes them literally....

I only spoke of the 7 directions as it appears frequently in creation myths....and becaiuse I use them daily in meditation....

I think of myself as a penentheist...one who believes all is god ..like a pantheist...but also believes that god is more than everything....

I think some questions arte stupid...like creationism vs evolution...lol

[Master Hoomer]

panentheist sorry!