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Question About Matthew 2:9

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
I'm all in favor of global peace, equality of opportunity, many good and important things, but I think we'd better get on with doing it ourselves instead of waiting for a guy who's already running two thousand years late.
I think the point of Jesus showing self-sacrificing love for others is to ' get on with doing it ourselves...'
It was ' get on with doing it ourselves...' when Jesus taught about the neighborly good Samaritan - Luke 10:30-37
Notice to show mercy and we are to do likewise.
Even if everyone on Earth obeyed the Golden Rule there would be the ' get on with doing it ourselves...'
Plus, when a person hears the good news about God's kingdom of Daniel 2:44 through Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8
then, if a person does listen and obey the good news they will cultivate the fruit of God's spirit at Galatians 5:22-23
So, the people who do respond will ' get on with doing it oneself ...'
Since God gifted earth to us (Psalms 115:16) then we are responsible to be earth's caretakers - Genesis 1:28
Because most mankind won't apply the Golden Rule is why God is going to have Jesus step in to come to our rescue.
Just think if Jesus' 1,000-year day started 2,000 years ago we would never have been born.
The time frame has allowed for us to be born and think who we would like as Sovereign over us.
The time frame has also allowed all in heaven and on earth to see man can't successfully govern himself.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
As you probably know, rigid literal inerrancy in matters outside of faith arose in reaction to the geologists who from the latter 18th century on proposed ages for the earth incompatible with Ussher's chronology, and from other scientific advances in the 19th century, not least evolution, which cast serious doubt on a range of bible stories. .....

Ussher being in error does Not make the Bible as wrong.
Even as the corrupted Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day were wrong doesNot make Scripture as wrong.
There is nothing in Scripture that shows that God could Not have used evolution in lower life forms.
What we can learn from the Bible is that evolution was Not used in the fashioning of Adam.
Think of yourself as a potter. You take clay and fashion a figure, however you can't bring that figure to life.
Adam had No life in him before his 'Potter' breathed the ' breath of life ' into lifeless Adam.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I think the point of Jesus showing self-sacrificing love for others is to ' get on with doing it ourselves...'
It was ' get on with doing it ourselves...' when Jesus taught about the neighborly good Samaritan - Luke 10:30-37
Notice to show mercy and we are to do likewise.
Even if everyone on Earth obeyed the Golden Rule there would be the ' get on with doing it ourselves...'
The point is that humans have evolved a set of moral tendencies, plus mirror neurons plus a conscience, so that with or without gods they've always tended to act out the golden rule anyway.
Plus, when a person hears the good news about God's kingdom of Daniel 2:44 through Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8
then, if a person does listen and obey the good news they will cultivate the fruit of God's spirit at Galatians 5:22-23
Hasn't made a lot of difference so far ─ Crusades, the Thirty Years War, Colonial conquests, two world wars and a lot of local ones last century. And the Abrahamic religions have been in the thick of it. My money's on social and economic equality of opportunity, for individuals and for nations, something that's rarely been given a serious try.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Ussher being in error does Not make the Bible as wrong.
Don't forget that Yahweh doesn't appear in history till c. 1500 BCE, millennia after the gods of Çatal Höyük, Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus valley and possibly China; and he kicks off as one more tribal god in the Canaanite pantheon, with a consort as was usual. The bible is full of errors, historical, scientific, mathematical &c ─ exactly as you'd expect from documents written at those times and places. It's also full of contradictions. and disgusting Bronze Age morality ─ human sacrifice is at the center of Christianity, f' cryin' out loud!
There is nothing in Scripture that shows that God could Not have used evolution in lower life forms.
There is nothing in science that requires a god, a soul, or magical intervention, for H sap sap to have evolved exactly as we are. We're just one more species, albeit the smartest, most versatile one. Or at least we think we are.
 
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leov

Well-Known Member
Consider:

Matthew 2:1-11 (RSV)
1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:

6
‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will govern my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; 8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Question: In as much as Herod's temple in Jerusalem is only about 5 miles from Bethlehem

a) Exactly how could a star, which would be at least 4.22 light-years* from Earth be seen to move five miles

b) and then stop?




* the closest star to earth, Proxima Centauri.

.
allegory = star is zoroASTER
 
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