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NASB | Genesis 1:17 God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 1:17 God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to provide light upon the earth, |
Subject: Study Bible Forum -- or Circus? |
Bible Note: Chris: Thank you for a very fine, thought-provoking posting. Generally I agree with the content of your answer. I especially agree with you when you write: "I think one problem has been that many folks (including myself) have asked questions that they have already made a decision about and are simply hoping to defend what they believe!" I think with some it goes beyond merely *defending* what they believe. In some cases the writer's apparent intent is to post a question for the purpose of arguing the question to death with the aim of convincing everyone else to change their views and agree with the writer. Sometimes it seems the writer's motive is to draw attention to himself/herself. Other postings are obvious attempts to impress the rest of us with the writer's supposed great erudition and vocabulary. (I'm not impressed with such, although I am often impressed when a writer humbly and with good intentions posts an answer whose thoroughness and accuracy I applaud.) Many, if not most of us, are too busy defending what we believe to listen to the other side. To paraphrase the Word, "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Which would one rather be -- a baloon or a building? This is only my opinion, but I see nothing wrong in quoting from study Bibles and other references to answer a question. First, whether the reader agrees with a quoted reference work, at least, when selected properly, the reference quotation is often more relevant to the subject at hand than the original writings of some of the posters. I would rather read a quote from a respected publication than to see the Forum degenerate into a mere pooling of ignorance. Not that all or even a majority of original writings reflect ignorance, but too many of them do. What I often object to is not the "rightness" or "wrongness" of a reply, but the fact that views are presented that are inappropriate, highly irrelevant, unstructured, illogical and, most important of all, not biblically based. I honestly don't mind reading something with which I disagree if there is a sound argument for it. There are not a few disputed passages or interpretations for which a good biblical argument could be made for 2 or more sides of the issue. I say let the repliers present a good biblical argument for their views -- not rambling, incoherent, pointless, mocking replies that often do not cite even one verse of scripture. It's irksome and insulting after spending much time and care composing an answer or note, only to have one's answer lightly dismissed or mocked. Or worse, what often happens is that someone will reply and mockingly or flippantly disagree with another's interpretation when the replier has NO interpretation of his own. This is the height of arrogance and ignorance. Chris: none of this criticism pertains to or is intended for you personally. I am merely expressing concerns for many of the postings I read here. I have been enjoying your informative and well-written postings, Chris. |