Is the Old Testment full of stories and myths - just stories to teach us God's will?

Davep · Veteran Joined: 02 Apr 2002 Posts: 463

How many people believe the stories in the Old Testment? Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, Jonah and the Whale, etc.

Do you believe them completely or are they just moral stories to teach us about God's nature and his will?

sydney · Newbie Joined: 04 Mar 2001 Posts: 10

I do think there is value to the stories, whether the illustration is factual or not.

Can't list an example, but I have read credible evidence [scientific evidence, archaeological evidence, etc.) about some 'stories' that were thought to be just parables or myths.

That's what sets the bible apart from other 'religious' books (e.g. the Book of Mormon, the Koran, etc.). The bible stands up to close examination.

For example, when the bible describes geography, it's accurate. When it talks about science, it's reasonable. etc., etc. Also, the textual evidence is amazing -- copies of original
manuscripts far exceeds any other ancient writing.

What do you think? :rolleyes:

chelle35 · Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2002 6:36 am Post subject:

I believe they are real.

kelly · Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2002 8:49 am Post subject:

I used to believe they were maybe not so real, but as I got closer to the Lord, He showed me they were real. I started to read the bible with open eyes and could often clearly see in my mind the miracles taking place. I believe they are real now. It was a different time then, they had not had Jesus to show them the way, God was very active in the people's lives in a big way. Nowadays we are called upon to have faith b/c God sent us His son to die for us. That was a big sacrifice for us and we are to love and have faith b/c of what He did. Jesus taught us God's ways and set down His rules. God no longer needs to have whales swallow us to get our attention. It is up to us to have faith since Jesus came and died for us. :inlove:

Davep · Veteran Joined: 02 Apr 2002 Posts: 463

First and for most the Bible is the word of God.

It is also the word of Jesus Christ. In the bible many times Jesus refers to the events in the bible, while they may be stories they are not parables, like Jesus used.

If Jesus believes them to be true, then they are true. How many times does Jesus refer to Old Testment events. Also the writers of the Old testment, were writing history. They stated them as such.

Don't be fooled by what scientist say. Science can only describe what God has created Romans 1:20. Science does not create, it only describe what it sees.

Also how many of us base our conclusions on whether the bible stories are real, on what science we were exposed to in High School Science class, or what we hear/read/see in the media?

As far as evolution goes, do you know that:
1. Charles Darwin, didn't published his book/theory for over 20 years after he was done with his research.
2. Charles Darwin, was troubled by the lack of evidence to support his theory.
3. Charles Darwins "survial of the fittist", and "natural selection" were know to the Greeks long before Charles Darwin.
4. It is Charles Darwins theory of the orgin of man that created all the controversy.
5. 90% of all fossils found, occured after Dawrin published his book.
6. There are no "transitional" fossils in all the thousands and thousands that man has extracted.

Remember, Micro-evolution; the adaptation of species into to new animals is biblical. It is Macro-evolution that all life started from a one cell animal that is at the heart of the debate. That all life came from a process of plants changing into fish. fish changing into reptiles. Reptiles changing into Birds. Fish changing into Whales. Fish changing into land animals. Apes changing into Man. These changes are what the whole evolution issue is all about.

God created all the animals, what happen to them after is a matter of the chemical and biological processes that God place them in.

Noah's Ark - Could it hold all the animals?
Do you know how big the ark was? It was 569 railroad cars. Also back in Noah's time there weren't many forms/variations of animals. For example, today we have many forms of dogs, back in Noah's time he would only need one orginal copy. When you eliminate all the extra variations, the number of animals needed in the ark drops dramatically.

Once one discounts the bible to make it somehow comform to a world view, you have now a weakness in your faith, a small crack. Satan loves those small cracks.

Without the Bible there is no Christian faith. Cool

webacus · Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2002 10:20 am Post subject:

Dave, thanks. Good stuff.

I think also it was Darwin that admitted (paraphrasing), "To believe that life occurred by random chance would be foolishness in the highest degree..."

Yes, we need to remember that God is way above science. Yet, for someone exploring Christianity, he needs to know Christianity is not a blind faith -- there are reasons to believe.

For example... As sydney said, there are many "proofs" that show the bible to be credible. If a person is intellectually honest with herself, she will see that the bible stands on it’s own through scientific, archaeological, legal, textual and historical evidence. The bible is a unique book.

True, some aspects need to be taken on faith. But I think a person, having done due diligence, will discover Christianity (and the bible) to be credible. Then after she has that head knowledge, hopefully can take that ‘faith step’ toward God and receive Jesus into her life. Very Happy

GIC · Full Member Joined: 02 Mar 2001 Posts: 102 Location: IL.

I believe they are real. If our God is so AWESOME ~ why couldn't He make a fish swallow a man and then spit him out? I can 't believe people have issues with this. I have somewhere in my abyss of papers all the inspirations of people who created things like, anasethetic, and other science discoveries. the man who created eather was inspired by God putting Adam to sleep to take his rib. He felt if God could do it, why couldn't he? Therefore, the Bible and science co exsist. They go hand and hand. Off topic I know, but got off on the Darwin thing. Got to go to sg. see you. Growing in Christ!

Davep · Veteran Joined: 02 Apr 2002 Posts: 463

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