Subject: Wise Debate? |
Bible Note: I agree with almost everything you wrote in your answer. As far as Lockman monitoring this Forum, I'm not so sure that would be a good idea. It may not be a bad idea either. I'm just saying that I am not convinced one way or the other. . . . I agree that the ideal Forum would be one in which people for the most part limited their postings to Bible questions that can be addressed with Bible answers. Like you, I don't care for all the arrogance, arguing, quibbling, hairsplitting over every jot and tittle, everyone calling everyone else everything from heretic to apostate, etc. I usually don't take the time to read the theological, hypothetical, philosophical, speculative debates that go on and on with insufficient Scripture to support what the authors assert. . . . The type of questions that I feel are inappropiate to this Forum and its format are those that want an explanation for WHY God did this or that? Is God fair? Does this passage really mean what it says? Where did Cain get his wife? (I would love, just once, to answer this question by asking the questioner: "More importantly, where did YOU get YOUR wife?") Also inappropriate are questions asking someone to explain the unexplainable; questions like Where is the garden of Eden?; Is there intelligent life on earth?; Is there life after high school?; as well as questions that clearly ask for a speculative answer, i.e. ones where everybody knows the Scripture is silent on the subject. . . . In general, I try to support my answers with relevant and clear passages of Scripture. When giving my opinion I try to remember to come right out and label it as my opinion, not as doctrine or dogma. Where the Bible is silent on a subject, I prefer to remain silent, too, unless known archaeological, medical, historic or cultural *evidence* can shed some light on the question. Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has the right to be wrong. . . . Every man has a right to an opinion, but I do not come to the Forum either to look for or to post questions and comments unsubstantiated by Scripture. Or to look for those comments that can only quote one verse, usually out of context, to support the author's answer. Or those postings that shed no light on the subject, but instead quibble over the other person's wording of his question or comment. When people build a doctrine based on one word or one punctuation mark in one sentence, I'm just not interested. I don't have time for that. (See Deut 29:29.) . . . Thank you, EdB, for a very thoughtful and well-written answer. God bless. --JVH0212 |