Its their answer to everything, which they can't explain and isn't mentioned in the work of fiction they call The Bible.
There is a huge argument raging in the States now, with Creationism and Religion trying to gain the upper hand on the other. It ripping schools, families and life apart because some people are so blinded by their faith (either one) it is making things worse. Personally I'd bang both their heads together and tell them to question their belief, that way they may find the answers with their own minds.
It probably wont happen, but they could teach both in schools to older pupils, and let the children learning about both religion and creationism to make up their own minds, or in the case of some Christians (which I werent aware of) choose both, and pick how everything should be interpreted.
I dont think pushing either on young children, or families forcing religion onto very young children is right, If I was told how great Christianaty was by my parents since birth theres a good chance I would have a different attitude towards it. I was taught about lots of religions in school, and about the theory of evolution. Neither group should react with violence to the other, but obviously it does happen, which is a shame.
Well it really depends who you talk to. I have met people that believe the dinosaurs were created by satan to lead people astray and others that believe they were killed in the flood.
As for myself, I believe the earth is a lot more than 6000 years old. But then I don't agree that when the Bible says the earth was created in 6 days, the earliest versions of the bible actually meant 24hours=1 day. But more an unquantified period of time.
Besides Adam and Eve, I do believe the rest of the stories in the Bible are pretty literal accounts of what happened though.
In the end of the day, I have seen enough in my life to convince me that God exists, but there is a lot of evidence for things like evolution that can't be ignored. Which is why I try to reconcile both.
So when the Bible says God created the Earth in 6 days what it really means is God created the Earth but we've no idea when or how long it took so we just picked some arbitrary numbers?
Of course (taken in it basic form and instead of being literal and think of a God day as several billion Human years);
Nothing = Nothing
Day 1 - Light = Big Bang
Day 2 - Heavens & Earth = Formation of the Universe, Stars & Planets
Day 3 - Land & Sea = Earth cooled, crust formed, water from possible comet impact or internal chemicals
Day 4 - Sky & Moon = Atmosphere from internal chemicals moon formed from collision or impact event
Day 5 - Animals = From single cell bacteria all the way up to complex invertibrates and vertibrates including dinosaurs
Day 6 - Man = err Man
Day 7 - And rest
So lets say God exists…. and humans evolve to a level where God feels the need to shed a bit of light on the old “why are we here?” question and help instil a greater sense of right and wrong.
Does God begin by saying “Well actually the earth is several billion years old, you’ve been here but for the blink of an eye guys. It all started with tiny organisms that eventually developed into some big mofo’s, but they’re all gone now. You lot evolved from the ape’s but don’t let that worry you. Oh yeah, and the earth gets a bit hot, then a lot colder every so often – you’re going to have a real guilt trip over that in the future!”
Or does God just say “And on the 6th day God created Man, and on the 7th day God had a rest.”
So lets say God exists…. and humans evolve to a level where God feels the need to shed a bit of light on the old “why are we here?” question and help instil a greater sense of right and wrong.
Does God begin by saying “Well actually the earth is several billion years old, you’ve been here but for the blink of an eye guys. It all started with tiny organisms that eventually developed into some big mofo’s, but they’re all gone now. You lot evolved from the ape’s but don’t let that worry you. Oh yeah, and the earth gets a bit hot, then a lot colder every so often – you’re going to have a real guilt trip over that in the future!”
Or does God just say “And on the 6th day God created Man, and on the 7th day God had a rest.”
He says the latter. Because he wants to test us apparently. Must be something to do with Human Test league tables in the cosmos?
So when the Bible says God created the Earth in 6 days what it really means is God created the Earth but we've no idea when or how long it took so we just picked some arbitrary numbers?
6 God days, there a bit like Dog years in reverse!
Im no religious bloke, nor is Abi but if I was and I was questioned about something like this I would respond confidently. Yeah dinosaurs existed and were made by God, just like cats and dogs. There's no denying their existence right? Humans came first though and dinosaurs were made with the rest of the animals before they got killed out. Simple as. But I'm not religious so I know better anyway and don't need any excuses.
Excitement is growing in the Northern England town of Huddlesfield following the news that a local man saw an image of the big-bang in a piece of toast. atheist donald chapman, 36, told local newspaper, "the huddlesfield express" that he was sitting down to eat breakfast when an unusual toast pattern caught his eye
Of course (taken in it basic form and instead of being literal and think of a God day as several billion Human years);
Nothing = Nothing
Day 1 - Light = Big Bang
Day 2 - Heavens & Earth = Formation of the Universe, Stars & Planets
Day 3 - Land & Sea = Earth cooled, crust formed, water from possible comet impact or internal chemicals
Day 4 - Sky & Moon = Atmosphere from internal chemicals moon formed from collision or impact event
Day 5 - Animals = From single cell bacteria all the way up to complex invertibrates and vertibrates including dinosaurs
Day 6 - Man = err Man
Day 7 - And rest
This is quite a bit of topic but i read an argument the other day for Chrisitanity being a monthestic religion when Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, so does this make it paganism in terms of the belief in a pantheon of gods? Just wondering what Christians would think of this idea?
Of course (taken in it basic form and instead of being literal and think of a God day as several billion Human years);
Nothing = Nothing
Day 1 - Light = Big Bang
Day 2 - Heavens & Earth = Formation of the Universe, Stars & Planets
Day 3 - Land & Sea = Earth cooled, crust formed, water from possible comet impact or internal chemicals
Day 4 - Sky & Moon = Atmosphere from internal chemicals moon formed from collision or impact event
Day 5 - Animals = From single cell bacteria all the way up to complex invertibrates and vertibrates including dinosaurs
Day 6 - Man = err Man
Day 7 - And rest
that would be my take on it, if i was a practicing Christian, and had that issue to resolve.
especially with big clues elsewhere in the Bible, like :
Most Christians know the bible is to be taken as a metaphor.
The Earth wasn't actually created in days of course. But the word "day" could quite easliy be used to denote a specific time period which would therefore allow people to acknowledge things like dinosours or evolution along with the Bible.
Most Christians know the bible is to be taken as a metaphor.
The Earth wasn't actually created in days of course. But the word "day" could quite easliy be used to denote a specific time period which would therefore allow people to acknowledge things like dinosours or evolution along with the Bible.
The bashing on here is pathetic.
I dont think this thread is pathetic, I had a genuine question to ask, and got it answered, I then asked follow up questions, which have also been interpreted as answers. How any FM's interpret these answers, and question them is entirely down to them.
I would find it pathetic however if these sorts of debates werent allowed, or were frowned upon.
I don't there are many progressive Christians (or Jews) who believe that God created adam and eve. I mean, the fact that we have different races instantly disproves the theory we all came from 2 white people (im not sure why theyre always depicted as white when they would be Arab or something).
I personally beleive in the big bang theory, but i believe that something must have put the particles there to begin with. Nothing just appears in a vacuum, there must be a catalyst and i believe that was God.
I'd like to make it clear for anyone who hasnt read the whole thread, or my OP.
That I started this thread to understand how Dinosaurs fitted into Christianity, and Christian's answer to this question. Its obvious to me now that many think differently, they did exist, they didnt exist, scientists placed them there etc.. And also to question whether the entire bible, including God and Jesus are to be taken as merely stories, to help live your life by, not to question whether God actually "exists" as a living/benevolent being or not.. as I posted in my OP, im sorry if it offends/has offended anyone.
The question should actually be "What caused the Big Bang?"
"Let their be light" anyone?
Anyway, I really don't understand the use of "Christian" in this thread. Were none of you baptised?
Not bloody likely - the Catholic Church excommunicated my mum in the sixties for getting a divorce, so the chances of her indoctrinating me into it before I knew better was highly unlikely.
Not bloody likely - the Catholic Church excommunicated my mum in the sixties for getting a divorce, so the chances of her indoctrinating me into it before I knew better was highly unlikely.
Hope that helps.
My mother was divorced in the 80s and they never did that her.
My mother was divorced in the 80s and they never did that her.
Twenty years is a long time. The Pope didn't pardon Galileo for saying the earth goes round the sun until 1992. Also, the Singaporean Catholic church may have had different ideas to yours.
I bet you still put up Christmas trees don't you.
You'd lose that bet. Why the hell would I want to?
Blooming militant Christians - whatever happened to "turn the other cheek"?
Comments
It probably wont happen, but they could teach both in schools to older pupils, and let the children learning about both religion and creationism to make up their own minds, or in the case of some Christians (which I werent aware of) choose both, and pick how everything should be interpreted.
I dont think pushing either on young children, or families forcing religion onto very young children is right, If I was told how great Christianaty was by my parents since birth theres a good chance I would have a different attitude towards it. I was taught about lots of religions in school, and about the theory of evolution. Neither group should react with violence to the other, but obviously it does happen, which is a shame.
So when the Bible says God created the Earth in 6 days what it really means is God created the Earth but we've no idea when or how long it took so we just picked some arbitrary numbers?
Of course (taken in it basic form and instead of being literal and think of a God day as several billion Human years);
Nothing = Nothing
Day 1 - Light = Big Bang
Day 2 - Heavens & Earth = Formation of the Universe, Stars & Planets
Day 3 - Land & Sea = Earth cooled, crust formed, water from possible comet impact or internal chemicals
Day 4 - Sky & Moon = Atmosphere from internal chemicals moon formed from collision or impact event
Day 5 - Animals = From single cell bacteria all the way up to complex invertibrates and vertibrates including dinosaurs
Day 6 - Man = err Man
Day 7 - And rest
Does God begin by saying “Well actually the earth is several billion years old, you’ve been here but for the blink of an eye guys. It all started with tiny organisms that eventually developed into some big mofo’s, but they’re all gone now. You lot evolved from the ape’s but don’t let that worry you. Oh yeah, and the earth gets a bit hot, then a lot colder every so often – you’re going to have a real guilt trip over that in the future!”
Or does God just say “And on the 6th day God created Man, and on the 7th day God had a rest.”
He says the latter. Because he wants to test us apparently. Must be something to do with Human Test league tables in the cosmos?
6 God days, there a bit like Dog years in reverse!
full story
Have you been reading Ovid's Metamorphoses?
With soft boobies.:D
Why do they persist with their nonsense? :rolleyes:
Very insecure.
that would be my take on it, if i was a practicing Christian, and had that issue to resolve.
especially with big clues elsewhere in the Bible, like :
'a day is a thousand years to the Lord.'
Iain
Most Christians know the bible is to be taken as a metaphor.
The Earth wasn't actually created in days of course. But the word "day" could quite easliy be used to denote a specific time period which would therefore allow people to acknowledge things like dinosours or evolution along with the Bible.
The bashing on here is pathetic.
I dont think this thread is pathetic, I had a genuine question to ask, and got it answered, I then asked follow up questions, which have also been interpreted as answers. How any FM's interpret these answers, and question them is entirely down to them.
I would find it pathetic however if these sorts of debates werent allowed, or were frowned upon.
So who created God?
The question should actually be "What caused the Big Bang?"
"Let their be light" anyone?
Anyway, I really don't understand the use of "Christian" in this thread. Were none of you baptised?
That I started this thread to understand how Dinosaurs fitted into Christianity, and Christian's answer to this question. Its obvious to me now that many think differently, they did exist, they didnt exist, scientists placed them there etc.. And also to question whether the entire bible, including God and Jesus are to be taken as merely stories, to help live your life by, not to question whether God actually "exists" as a living/benevolent being or not.. as I posted in my OP, im sorry if it offends/has offended anyone.
Hope that helps.
Ste
My mother was divorced in the 80s and they never did that her.
I bet you still put up Christmas trees don't you.
Eep! Not the Christmas tree debate again :eek:
I thought we established that they are pretty much pagan affairs during the discussions over the yuletide season
You'd lose that bet. Why the hell would I want to?
Blooming militant Christians - whatever happened to "turn the other cheek"?
http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/C/cutting_edge/baby_bible_bashers/index.html