How has science impacted your perspective on the Hebrew Bible?
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No one knows for sure how old the earth is, apart from God. No one can be sure that the speed of light has always been the same. Interpreting data depends on what assumptions are made. Personally, I take God at His word. "The fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God'". I'm not about to accept the word of fools if they contradict God's word.
Having said that, there is a plausible and biblically justifiable explanation for the apparent age of the earth. It is known as pre-Adamic creation. Some call it gap theory, a term I dislike.
It is obvious to me that oil and gas could not have been formed billions of years ago or whatever the most recent guess has become popular. It's not that long ago that oil was on the surface, pushed up by the pressure of the gas. That's how oil was discovered in the first place. If the oil had been formed aeons ago, how come the gas had not escaped?
Some of the earth is relatively soft soil, limestone, sandstone and such. Surely after millions of years, erosion would have washed it all into the sea? Also, the moon is moving measurably away from the earth's orbit. If the 4 billion years theory was correct, the moon should no longer be in earth's orbit.
There are explanations, by brilliant scientists, that do not conflict with the Genesis account.
The real question is where did life come from? The scientific world wants us to believe that we evolved. Origin of Life research has been going on for over 70 years. Researchers experiment in labs to try and create conditions for life to appear spontaneously. So far, no one has produced anything remotely resembling life. If there is no life, there is nothing to evolve.
There is a great deal of information available to debunk evolution. It won't be found in schools. Satan has seen to that. I would start with Professor James Tour with regards to Origin of Life and Stephen Meyer about evolution generally.
I have one argument that no evolutionist has responded to. It goes something like this: If I am a product of evolution, then I have evolved to be a Christian. I have evolved to doubt evolution. Therefore, I can no more be criticised for doubting evolution than for having blue eyes and 5'7 tall.
Another point is that evolutionists are using mental assessments of a brain that is the result of random, undirected and pitiless processes. How can anyone be certain that the results are correct?
It is simple enough for the Scientist to say "because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing" that is if one presupposes that the matter which the universe is created of already exist and the elements have already formed bodies and those preexisting elements are drawn towards those bodies by that gravity. But again to begin at the created universe and the gravity and proceed backward into the beginning of creation there must first be the simplest of atoms and from helium and hydrogen the matter antimatter of which they were formed. And for them to be formed there must be light shining in the darkness or else there will be no universe nor gravity. It's simple enough for the Scientist to begin at the gravity and the universe as long as the very elements and particles of light the universe are made from already exist the difficult portion is to explain it from nothing.
Yes, I remember Carl Sagan also personifying the cosmos.
As a naive teen I was disturbed by belief that Christians walked by blind faith but atheists had scientific proof
before I realized that everyone operates by faith, and scientific evidence supports belief in the NT God per the PP.
An insight I would like to share is what I call the “Propensity Principle” (PP). The PP points out that until proof is provided in the future at the eschaton, humanity’s existential need and desire for eternal life and ultimate justice (the duo of desirables or DOD) make it logical for truthseekers to have a propensity to hope and believe a God who provides the DOD exists, to determine the most credible revelation of God’s requirement for attaining heaven, and to cooperate with His revealed will.
IOW, it seems logical–given the existential facts of death and imperfect justice–that an unbiased truthseeker would have a propensity to hope the Christian view is correct, because there is no better (credible and desirable) way of attaining the DOD than NT theism. This PP restates Pascal’s wager in terms of comparison shopping (with all belief systems) instead of gambling (blind faith).
The PP employs linear logic (rather than circular reasoning) to propose faith in the NT God as the best belief that solves the maze of reality as follows:
1. Current scientific knowledge cannot explain how the universe came to exist by means of natural causes, thus it is possible that the cause of the universe is a supernatural Creator/God.
2. The most creative species is humanity, whose traits also include language, moral conscience and God consciousness (personality), so it is possible that these human traits reflect attributes of a God who created humanity in His image.
3. Existential reality indicates that humans are mortal and life is painful, but when life is happy, one wishes it would continue indefinitely. Thus, it is rational to seek ways to become immortal in a heavenly existence (where there is love and justice for all forever, the DOD).
4. Comparing all possible ways of achieving the DOD, the best or most credible way/hope at this point appears to be the God who resurrected Christ Jesus.
5. When words from God are sought, the NT teachings of Jesus and Paul seem to be the most highly inspired when compared with other scriptures (including the OT), because its concept of one God as the just and all-loving Judge (rationale for morality) is spiritually highest or most advanced, and the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus is most credible.
6. Thus, it is appropriate or wise to believe in the NT God and to accept Jesus as God’s Messiah/Way to be saved.
Atheists deny the validity of this argument, but in the absence of disproof, I find the decision to reject the biblical gospel of salvation from selfishness, spiritual death, and a miserable destiny to be illogical or foolish. This is why all truthseekers should agree on NT theism now rather than assume atheism is an unlucky (blind) guess.
As someone has said, heaven is like a vision of water in the desert: the scoffer will surely die where he/she is, while the believer will live if right. Again, however, this analogy should be viewed in terms of comparison shopping and logic rather than of blind faith and fear. True love for God is evoked by His love for humanity and is a reflection of His loving Holy Spirit (1John 4:7-12); it cannot be coerced, although it can be imitated (2Cor. 11:14 calls Satan an “angel of light”). Heaven may not be a mirage!
A biblical illustration of the PP is the OT story about Naaman being told to bathe in the dirty Jordan River to cure his leprosy (2Kings 5:10-14). The Naaman Example teaches us not to let sinful pride prevent us from being cured of spiritual sickness by methods we think are silly or do not fully understand.
Some people might not understand why God ordained Messiah to atone for humanity’s sins, so they think the Gospel seems foolish or silly (cf. 1Cor. 1:18-25). However, they accept physical reality without necessarily understanding very well how it works (cf. John 3:8), and Jesus said that those who seek salvation will find it, which indicates that God graces every sinful soul with the ability or opportunity to understand how to be saved (Matt. 7:7, cf. 1Tim. 2:3-4).
Those who reject the PP (and Naaman Example) apparently employ a logical fallacy that might be called non praecedere (comparable to non sequitur), making an unwarranted conclusion which precedes unknown facts, namely the cause for the universe “banging bigly”. Atheists assume a natural cause will be discovered, but their assumption is premature and thus inappropriate, i.e., foolish.
that's funny.
I am thinking at the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior, His blood enter into us, we are reborn, born again.
Or when holy spirit blow the wind to us, we repent and accept Jesus, then holy spirit enter into us, we are born again, a new person.
In quantum physics, object can enter into another object, superimposed.
Funny, but true. Kant couldn't either, nor can we imagine alternative reality (heaven) other than in terms of known reality (Eden).
Jesus described the HS as spiritual water rather than blood, so let us not have a RC view of the Lord's Supper.
Also, let us remember that the HS/GW was revealed by a whisper rather than in a wind to Elijah.
Quantum physics is weird.
Yes, creation is an ongoing divine miracle, and the bookend will be recreation/resurrection to judgment.
Another real question is where is life going to?
Transhumanists are busily playing God in labs trying to create immortal life, making the evolution debate moot.
Of course, Christians are confident the end will come before this man-made miracle is achieved.
That seems to be a logical point of view that goes deep in the psychology of human reasoning.
My point was that the foolishness of the religion/philosophy of scientism, (science falsely so called), is subsidized incredibly heavily as the state religion. Property taxes go to make sure that every child is brainwashed from their normal natural/supernatural God consciousness. There's not been a lot of teaching to counter this in some churches that I've attended. The children are sitting ducks for the Devil's deception.
The librarians push the gay agenda and invite perverts to convert the innocent preschoolers. Then the schools take over and teach a false religion that they call science. None of the macro evolutionary teachings follow the scientific method. The kids are lucky if they can tell you what the scientific method is by graduation in spite of chemistry and physics classes.
There is certainly a spiritual war for the souls of every generation. We have our work cut out for us as do every Christian parent. The pastors need to start addressing this issue as well. The churches tend to lose the college aged adults. I've led ministries to that age group and have a perspective that might be rare about why that happens consistently.
And they fully well know that it is misleading for them to use the Big Bang as a beginning point of their explanation of creation and avoid the first three Scriptures which begins at the correct beginning point. They begin at a point where matter is already in existence because they hope no one spots them doing this. If they were to begin at the pre-singlularity point prior to the Big Bang then neither space time nor gravity existed at that point and they are at their limits of understanding in physics. https://physics.mit.edu/news/it-all...the-mystery-behind-the-birth-of-the-universe/
Not RC kind of bread and wine view.
But blood covenant view of the scripture. As Jesus says, his body, his blood, we need to drink and eat, so it is Christ in us, literally.
I believe spiritual and physical is highly related. Jesus and Holy spirit are in one, trinity are one. So blood covenant can be the seal of holy spirit enter into us. We become God's temple.
Hence no more building a 3rd physical temple in modern day middle east. No more looking for a red heifer.
Scientists have yet to explain how matter and antimatter did not cancel themselves out at the supposed big bang.
Scientists have yet to explain how matter and antimatter did not cancel themselves out at the supposed big bang
The third temple will be built. Red Heifers have been found and sacrificed. The priesthood has been reestablished and trained. The ark of the covenant, the altar and all the other artifacts required have been reproduced. The third temple will be rebuilt because it is where the Antichrist will enter the holiest place to proclaim himself God.
The fundamental hold up is the temple site. Even that is beginning to change. Jews are beginning to challenge Muslim control of the temple mount. Some archaeologists believe that what is called the temple mount is not the true location of Herod's temple. If the people pushing for a new temple agree, then there will be no obstacle left.
Some students of prophecy believe that the Antichrist will win over Jews by promising to rebuild the temple. I don't know for sure. But don't dismiss the rebuilding of the temple. It must happen sooner or later. And no, it is not God's will. It is rank rebellion against the true Messiah, Lord Jesus. Israel will once more pay a terrible price before they finally learn not to defy God.
The fundamental hold up is the temple site. Even that is beginning to change. Jews are beginning to challenge Muslim control of the temple mount. Some archaeologists believe that what is called the temple mount is not the true location of Herod's temple. If the people pushing for a new temple agree, then there will be no obstacle left.
Some students of prophecy believe that the Antichrist will win over Jews by promising to rebuild the temple. I don't know for sure. But don't dismiss the rebuilding of the temple. It must happen sooner or later. And no, it is not God's will. It is rank rebellion against the true Messiah, Lord Jesus. Israel will once more pay a terrible price before they finally learn not to defy God.
Science is a carnal minded interpretation of how God created all things.In Colossians 1 it says that he is before all things, and by him all things consist.When the verse goes on about how he reconciles all things through the blood of his cross you receive the revelation that God spoke everything into existence through spirit,water,blood.
Science is mans way of trying to understand how God created things.
I don't know how to explain it really.Think of how God made man from the dust of the ground,or dirt.Dirt itself has a process that it has to go through in order for it to become dirt.I don't know how but it probably starts on a molecular level in the right conditions.
The only way that is possible is because God has made a way for it through his Living Word.
Dirt itself doesn't become dirt without other environmental factors.Man tries to explain it,God created it to work that way through spirit,water,blood.All things are held together by it and they're as one like the covenants are as one.
However God made all things to work together,or how they work in general on a singular level is layered like an onion but they're held the same way.
That's what science tries to understand,but with God out of the equation.
The 3rd temple, is not really God's temple. It will be a pagan thing. If that's what you mean.
The red heifer also pagan.
You are correct about this being a spiritual war that has been going on for generations. Here is a summary I gleaned from various sources:
How We Got Here: A Summary of USA History
After declaring independence from England in 1776, winning it in the Revolutionary War and defending it in the War of 1812, slavery caused the Civil War in 1860 and then struggles for equality and the right for all citizens to vote threatened our unity. In the 1900s, dictators attacked freedom, provoking World War I in 1914, WWII in 1940 and the Korean War in 1950. Then the high cost and eventual loss of both the Vietnam War in 1973 and the War on Islamic Terrorists from 9-11-91 until 2019 divided and damaged our country. Today (2022) our nation that began as a republic established by the U.S. Constitution appears to be in danger of becoming an authoritarian socialist state.
While the history of wars against external threats to our liberty is fairly well known, what is only recently becoming apparent is the threat our disunity will end in socialism, which now governs most of the world and almost every aspect of our society–education, entertainment, news, social media, banking and monopolistic businesses–corrupting politicians and elections.
The main cause of this corruption is that following WWII America allowed subversive educators to infiltrate universities, including Herbert Marcuse and Marxist Saul Alinsky, whose book Rules for Radicals was dedicated to Satan and whose rules included deception and violence (the end justifies the means). The teachings of such radical professors has influenced many college students (including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama) to favor socialist policies. (See The War for America’s Soul by Gorka, p. 59-65.) Many Americans are oblivious to the slow disintegration of the Constitutional consensus, because the owners of most news media were similarly educated and sympathetic.
A main financier of the socialist movement has been George Soros, who became a billionaire, established a network called the Open Society Foundation to promote a global government, and since 2003 has been financing numerous socialist groups in the U.S. (See "The Shadow Party" by Horowitz & Poe, p. 78-95 & 177-82.) Another leader of the globalist cabal or “new world order” is Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum in 1971, which meets annually in Davos, Switzerland. He envisions a technological revolution that transforms the world (including America), converting humans who freely worship God into drones coerced by a fascist-communist state as in China. A prominent American participant in the WEF is Bill Gates. (See "The Great Reset" by A. Jones, p. 4-7, 28 & 95.)
The globalists began to conspire with communist China (the CCP) in 1978, when the Trilateral Commission befriended Chinese leaders and sought a New International Economic Order. Since then the CCP has pursued a clever strategy that has steadily weakened the U.S. as China gained power, currently on display as its military buildup, the COVID-19 pandemic, aggression against Taiwan and the “One Road One Belt” policy. It aims to surpass the U.S. and dominate Eurasia by the year 2049. (See "Reset", p. 40-44 & War, p. 136.)
Recently, authoritative Biden administration dictates weakened the U.S. and attempted to banish conservative Constitutionalist opposition. Much of the news media fail to report this truth, so that many people remain ignorant of the dissolution of the American dream of liberty for all (like frogs being boiled alive because the water temperature is raised slowly). President Trump and the MAGA party are trying to reverse the destructive tide, but Dems continue to be financed by Marxist billionaires, so the war continues.
Where will we go from here?