Results 521 - 540 of 701
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Sir Pent Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
521 | How to know God just from seeing nature? | Rom 1:20 | Sir Pent | 22388 | ||
Finding God in Nature, part 6 .................. So if this "Supernatural, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Eternal Being" (S,O,O,E,B) values the life of a fish or even water scum on the bottom of a pond, what are Their thoughts about humanity? One of the first things that a person learns in science class at school or through pure observation is the food chain. The cow eats the grass, the human eats the cow. The fish eats the plankton, the duck eats the fish, the human eats the duck. There are of course many different food chains, however, it quickly becomes obvious that humans are at the top. This observation, even made by a completely uneducated tribesman on an island somewhere, points to the fact that the Earth is designed for supporting humanity. Of course the regretful thing about this is that often humanity has gotten a big head about the whole thing and concluded that they were the ultimate creature in the universe (humanism). However, this discovery does show us just how much the S,O,O,E,B cares about us. In fact, based on how much the S,O,O,E,B cares about pond scum, a good case can be made through extrapolation that it approaches "Love" by the level of humanity. Therefore, from just observing nature, one can discover that it is most logical to believe that there is a Being who is Supernatural, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Eternal, and who values all life, but most of all cares about humanity. |
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522 | How to know God just from seeing nature? | Rom 1:20 | Sir Pent | 22486 | ||
Finding God in Nature, part 7 ................... We are now ready for the next critical jump in our reasoning. From nature we have learned that there is a Supernatural, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Eternal Being, who values all life, but most of all cares about humanity. The question is, "Would such a Being desire a relationship with the supreme creation that had been made, and that was cared so deeply about?" I think that it is most logical to assume that this desire is true. I find it very improbable that any being would go to such lengths to create something (especially something with the capability for forming relationships) and then just leave it alone. All relationships are based on communication, so the question becomes, "how would this S,O,O,E,B who loves humanity communicate with us?" There are I think four main ways that would make sense. 1. First of all the S,O,O,E,B could have left signs in the nature around us. I think this is true, and is what got us to this point to begin with. 2. A second way would be to actually come visit humanity in person. The difficulty here would be that if the S,O,O,E,B came in his natural state it would be like one of us visiting an ant hill. We would be so much bigger, stronger, smarter, etc., that the ants would be completely unable to comprehend our purpose or even what we were. Of course, the S,O,O,E,B could take the form of a human, but that would mean other problems. For instance, he could only be at one place at a time, so it wouldn't be an efficient way to communicate with the entire world of people. 3. The S,O,O,E,B could just directly communicate with the minds of all the individual humans. However, if this was done to a slight enough degree that it didn't blow their brains, it could also be misunderstood. Also the S,O,O,E,B would have to repeat the process over and over to each person. This would get extremely redundant. 4. The fourth way, and in my opinion the most likely way, would be to send a more permanent message that could be shared with all the people in the world. This could also have the important benefit of being consistent throughout time so that all people would receive the same message. It could be accomplished by a letter or book. |
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523 | How to know God just from seeing nature? | Rom 1:20 | Sir Pent | 22517 | ||
Finding God in Nature, part 8 ................... Just to recap so far, we have learned that there is a Supernatural, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Eternal Being, who values all life, but most of all cares about humanity. We have also figured out that it is most likely that this S,O,O,E,B would communicate in some way with humanity about Themself. For simplicity, I will now call this being "god" with a lower case "g". It is not necessarily the Judeo/Christian God, but is definately a god of some sort. The problem is that there are myriads of religions in the world that all claim to reveal the communication of god to mankind. So the next question is, "Out of all the religions of the world, how do we know which one expresses the TRUE communication of the god?" The best way to go about this is process of elimination. The first thing that I would point out is that based on the qualities that we have already discovered about god, it is reasonable to assume that such an intellegent and powerful being would be able to communicate effectively. The importance of this is that the vast majority of religions in the world are very small, and only a few people believe in them. It seems most likely that if the true message of god was found in one of these small religions, that god would be very unsatisfied with the small number of people who were getting the message and would try something different. Therefore, it seems most likely that one of the major world religions (Buddism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam) would contain this TRUE message of god. |
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524 | How to know God just from seeing nature? | Rom 1:20 | Sir Pent | 22548 | ||
Finding God in Nature, part 9 ................... So if god's message is in one of the major world religions, which one is it? Once again the process of elimination is very helpful. Hinduism the most unlike the other three, because it is polytheistic. Going back to the very beginning of our thinking, we figured out that it made the most sense to have as few things as possible existing without a beginning. Similarly, having a whole bunch of gods makes a lot less sense than just having one. There are of course other reasons why Hinduism doesn't make sense, but this is a good enough reason to look elsewhere. This leaves Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Of these three, it is interesting to note that Buddhism and Islam are both based on a person (Budda and Mohommed respectively) who, during there lives, told people not to worship them because they were not God. Both religions also base their salvation on specific works that a person does. And most importantly Both religions worship a god that is impersonal. They do not teach that god loves them but that god is to be simply feared and obeyed. This does not fit the characteristics of god that we have found by looking at nature, therefore, I think that once again, we must look elsewhere. The last major religion is Christianity. So what does it say about God? |
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525 | How to know God just from seeing nature? | Rom 1:20 | Sir Pent | 22687 | ||
Finding God in Nature, part 10 .................. So how do the beliefs of Christianity about God line up with the characteristics that we can learn about god from nature? To discover this, let's compare our own observations about god with what the Bible says. Nature shows us that god is eternal. Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Nature shows us that god is omnipotent. Jeremiah 32:17 says, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you." Nature shows us that god is omniscient. Psalms 147:4-5 says, "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit." Nature shows us that god values life. Mathew 10:29-31 says, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Nature shows us that god loves humanity. 1 John 4:8 says,"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Nature shows us that god wants to communicate with us. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." In addition, the entire Bible claims to be the message of God to mankind. It quickly becomes appearant then the the God of the Bible has the exact same characteristics that we know to look for from observing nature. Therefore, the most logical religion to choose to believe is Christianity. To choose to believe in any other religion, or even in no religion at all, is therefore unreasonable. |
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526 | How to know God just from seeing nature? | Rom 1:20 | Sir Pent | 22723 | ||
Finding God in Nature, part 11 (the end) ........ So to wrap up everything, the God of the Bible is the only TRUE god. The Bible is God's message to mankind, and everything in it is true and authoritative for our lives. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the only way to come to a healthy relationship with God. Therefore, this is done by confessing our sins, trusting in Jesus to save us from the punishment for them. Therefore, it is also essential to commit ouselves to God by allowing Jesus to be Lord of our lives, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live according to His will. If you have any questions about any of these points, please either respond to them on this forum, or contact me personally through email. Also, if you have enjoyed reading this and it has been helpful in you own decision-making proccess, or your quest for truth, then I'd appreciate it if you also could let me know. My email address is markundy@hotmail.com |
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527 | How to know God just from seeing nature? | Rom 1:20 | Sir Pent | 26418 | ||
Dear Nolan, You are correct that it is almost universally accepted in science that everything is in a state of decay. You also wisely conclude that it implies that things were once in a state of perfection. This is not necessarily the case, but it is more likely than any other assumptions to choose from. |
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528 | i do believe..but this troubles me | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116521 | ||
My perspective as a scientist...................................... Hello Ptgard05, In you post you mentioned that the Bible condemns homosexuality. You also said that you believe that science has proven that homosexuals are born that way. Finally you correctly say that God wouldn't condemn someone for something that they were forced into from birth. That only leaves two possibilities. Either the Bible does not really condemn homosexuality (which you seem to be hoping and trying to prove), or people are not really born in such a way that they are forced to commit homosexual acts. It is interesting that you seem to doubt your understanding of the Bible more than you doubt your understanding of science. I am a scientist with my degree in Chemistry/Biology, and I work in research and development at a biotech company. I have also been a Christian for a very long time. Speaking with experience in both areas, I can say with confidence that you are correct in your understanding of the Bible and incorrect in your understanding of the science. |
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529 | i do believe..but this troubles me | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116526 | ||
Clarification...................................................... Hello again my brother in Christ, Please read my post carefully. I very specifically chose my words when I said that "people are not born in such a way that they are forced to COMMIT HOMOSEXUAL ACTS". (emphasis added this time) I agree with your "third alternative", but was trying to empasize in my post, the choice between the Biblical understanding and the scientific understanding. |
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530 | i do believe..but this troubles me | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116554 | ||
Clarification....................................................... Thanks for responding Ptgard05, I never said that science has proven that people are not born with homosexual urges. You were the one who said that you had found "many medical studies to prove it that homosexuals are born that way", and I said that you were incorrect. Now you are saying that "the scientific field on this subject is limited and no definite answer has surfaced yet". That is correct, and is what I was trying to communicate to begin with. So since, science doesn't have a definite answer, why do you question the Bible which does have a definate answer? |
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531 | i do believe..but this troubles me | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116564 | ||
Referral to another thread........................................... Hello again Ptgard05, You seem to be saying that the Bible that people read today can't be trusted to mean what it says. Do you really believe that God allowed His message to humanity to be so corrupted that the only way to understand it is to become fluent in ancient greek and hebrew and obtain copies of the original texts? This subject has been discussed before, and I would encourage you to type in the number 15780 into the "Quick Search" box at the top right corner of the screen. That post summarizes my thoughts as well as many others on this forum. You have previously stated that you believe that "the Bible is the ultimate truth". However, that doesn't mean anything if you are at liberty to take a verse that you don't like and say that the words there are wrong. Then YOU become your own ultimate truth. |
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532 | read last statement | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116567 | ||
I'll answer your question, will you answer mine?................. Hello again Ptgard05, Your post about your relative was written after mine, however, I have read it now. I understand that you believe your relative to be honest, but that does not change the fact that his claims and personal experience have not been proven in respected scientific literature. Now how about my question. Since science is not definite on the issue, why do you question the Bible which is definite? Do you doubt the word of God because of the word of your relative? |
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533 | analogies | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116569 | ||
Try to compare apples to apples..................................... Hello again Ptgard05, You are correct that there are more homosexuals than kleptomaniacs. However, there are many more people committing adultery than there are homosexuals. So don't belittle Hank's post by picking and choosing. |
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534 | Do people's claims cause you to question | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116908 | ||
My response to your question...................................... Good to see you are still here Ptgard05, You asked how many adulterers claim to be born that way. I would answer that there are a large number, although they don't phrase it that way. There are probably more people committing adultery who claim that they can't help themselves than there are people who practice homosexuality that claim that they can't help themselves. The point is that there are always going to be people who claim that they can't help doing something that the Bible says is sin. Does this cause you to believe that the Bible doesn't mean what it says? |
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535 | read last statement | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116910 | ||
My response to your question...................................... Good to see you are still here Ptgard05, I have participated in autopsies at times during my career, and there was one time where I saw a man who had died of natural causes at an old age (somewhere in the 70's). The amazing thing was that when we looked inside he only had one lung. He had been relatively healthy all his life, and never reported any problems breathing. He had never had any surgeries to remove anything. It just so happened that he was born with one lung. It did develop to be larger than normal and pushed his heart to the side, but other than that there was nothing wrong. What I learned from people who were more experienced than I, was that this type of thing was not really uncommon. There are many people walking around with no idea that they are missing an organ, or their organs are reversed (ie. appendix on the left). It turns out that the pictures that you see in your science book are just what things look like in the majority of people. Therefore, even assuming that it is true that your relative has something different about the bones in his ear, that does not prove anything about his homosexuality. There are no publications in respected scientific journals that support any connection between ear bone configuration and homosexuality. |
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536 | Did you follow my referral? | Rom 1:27 | Sir Pent | 116911 | ||
Did you follow my referral?........................................ Good to see you're still around Ptgard05, In my post that you responded to I recommended that you type in the number 15780 into the "Quick Search" box at the top right corner of the screen. It appears that you have not done that, since you didn't respond to any of the ideas in that thread. I really think that you would benefit from doing the search to find that thread and then reading all of the posts that are there. It was a great discussion about whether we can trust the Bible that we have on our bookshelves today to still contain God's words and not just man's words. I think that if you consider what is contained in that thread, it may help you to regain some confidence that you seem to be lacking in the scriptures and your understanding of them without knowing the original languages, etc. Would you be willing to read what is there? |
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537 | Can reprobate Christians lose salvation | Rom 1:28 | Sir Pent | 117731 | ||
Referral to another thread...................................... Hello WG10, Please type in the number 15952 into the "Quick Search" box at the top right corner of the screen. This will take you to the place where I shared my own experience with losing my salvation, and some discussion of other forum members about it. |
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538 | Not my will? | Rom 5:6 | Sir Pent | 59436 | ||
Personal Note ............................. Dear Hank, I was unaware of your recent heart problems, and would like to also praise God, who is the "Great Physician", for your healing. |
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539 | Not my will? | Rom 5:6 | Sir Pent | 59511 | ||
Personal Note....................................... Dear Hank, Thanks you for the welcome back and especially for your empathy in my wife and my loss. Sadly, I had to go back and update my user profile since I was here last to reflect that we have lost one more child. We have really had to depend on the prayer and support of our relatives, friends, and church family during this time. We have both felt that God has used these tragic circumstances to draw us even closer to Himself and to each other. I would not wish this experience on anyone, but God works all things together for good. |
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540 | Imputed sin | Rom 5:12 | Sir Pent | 63450 | ||
Webpage Reccomendation ........................... I found the following website, which deals with this question. I think that I agree with the ideas that it presents, and would recommend that my colleagues on this thread check it out. http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-f006.html |
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