That's called dismissing claims out of hand. There could be a bit of truth to that particular story, it wouldn't hurt to investigate if it hasn't already been done.
The bible may have alot of "tall tales" but some of the stories have some truth to them. Like the story of Moses realising the slaves. That did happen but there is some "tall tales" part in it as well. I always looked at the bible as a "fish story". You know how a guy would say he went fishing and caught a fish, the fish would really be about 6 inches long. But each time he retells the story the fish gets bigger and how he caught it becomes more dramatic. Till eventually he tells about catching a whale with just a simple grub worm on a hook dangling by a string with no pole and how it almost killed him but he pulles it to shore. When he really did catch a fish but it was nothing like he said.
Um what? It is. The bible is in fact a historical document. It is backed up further by other ancient texts that were excavated. Just because a religion was formed after it doesn't discredit it's historic value
Actually the religion was before the bible and to say the bible is a historical document is not the best idea it is full of proven contradictions and other falsehoods. Now I'm not saying it is a bad book it just is not a good history book.
Almost everything in the Bible defies science as we know it. The spontaneous fire from heaven (the deal between Baal and Elijah?), the Ten Commandments being engraved with God's finger, Jesus turning water to wine, multiplying food, ect. However, there are still facts to be discovered based on what the Bible says. Noah's flood wasn't worldwide, it was local. But why does the Bible say global? Because to those people, 100 miles and probably less was "the whole world". The Red Sea parting? The Sea didn't rise up and split with great walls of water being held back by the power of God, there's a sandbar with Egyptian military ruins scattered along it, implying that the sea did "part" at a low tide.
-
So no. Do not ever take the Bible for scientific truth. But don't dismiss what it claims out of hand; there may be SOME TRUTH to be found if you look in the right places. But in all likeliness, the literal tellings didn't happen.
The Bible is as historical a document as the Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, Gilgamesh, and Beowulf. Don't mistake it for an ancient version of a scholarly article.
I see what ya'll are saying Of course there's outrageous claims in the bible that seem unreasonable to our finite minds that can't comprehend all things there are parables but there's also statements in the bible that maybe nature and people can't do but who are we to say that a God that created the heavens and earth is incapable
I mean believe what you want you know I'm not saying that you need to believe the bible and take all of it literally, try to see it from a different perspective but it's not unreasonable to believe that an all powerful creator is capable of splitting a sea that he created or turning water into wine ya'll feel
I don't need to prove that he isn't real. If Christians want me to believe in someone they need to give me proof. Anyways there is the historical facts. The Romans had no documents on a man who could heal with a touch when they had documents of the fly that landed on Pablo's head four years ago. Also anything that was beyond the knowledge of our Ancestors at the time the Bible was written is not mentioned in it as they didn't know it existed like Dinosaurs for example. Also according to the Bible the Earth is at a MAX 15,000 years old when Science shows that it is 4.5 billions years. These are fairly large reasons that proves the Bible wrong and the entire religion behind it. From my experience most Christians know that God isn't real, but they don't like to admit it. Its a family tradition more than anything. Hell I got my first girlfriend to admit that God *probably* doesn't exist and we met at a Church first.
If you want Christians to believe God isn't real than you have to give proof he isn't. O.o
Look the only person you will EVER trust when they say that God truly is real or isn't is yourself, only way you can do that is if you proof it yourself cause guess what even if God came down and told you that God is real you still would question. Don't expect scientists and people who already believe to do the work and don't listen to other non believers becuase you already don't believe what people say so why believe what they say?
And if it boils down to you still being a non believer no one cares only you do. So when you meet a believer don't blow up with believers owing you proof because believers do as they are called they just believe they don't need proof.
O and p.s. dont take the bible so strictly only hard ass bible thumpers do that and honestly all you need to know is the words to the Beatles song all you need is love
I agree with you chu :)
And @sir_spiderman I see your view but again if you read the little paragraph I typed earlier I kind of touched on that topic honestly whether you believe in God or not God is believed to be an all powerful being creator of the heavens and the earth if what the bible claims about creating Adam and Eve and turning water into wine (and the bible talks about how the wine that Jesus had turned was even better than the first batch and we know that wine gets better with age) so if we put together that God created Adam not as a fetus but as a grown man and eve as woman and bomb tasting wine that was made in an instant when others can take decades then why would a God not be able to create an earth with age built in as well I'm not trying to make you believe what I do but if you think about the existence of God the impossible is very possible :)
The bible refers to dinosaur like creatures in the book of Job calling them leviathan and behemoth I believe the bible doesn't say the word dinosaur specifically because the word just hadn't come about yet I'm not saying you need to believe that Christ loves you and you were made in the image of God beautifully and wonderfully and that before you were born God knew you but I think if you really want to know what the bible has to offer you'll seek it out and you may be surprised at what it has to say :) please don't let what society says about belief in God affect how you see the importance of a real relationship with him you seem like a really knowledgeable person that wants to know more and see the why behind the why do I want you to know I really respect that and I know you can figure out the truth if you tried
There's evil all around the world it's tunnel vision if you only look at articles like the one you linked people are ridiculous and there's no excuse for some actions people commit while proclaiming the name of God but like chu said there's people like that in all walks of life so to base your opinion of God on the foul actions of man then you aren't looking in the right place
-
So no. Do not ever take the Bible for scientific truth. But don't dismiss what it claims out of hand; there may be SOME TRUTH to be found if you look in the right places. But in all likeliness, the literal tellings didn't happen.
I mean believe what you want you know I'm not saying that you need to believe the bible and take all of it literally, try to see it from a different perspective but it's not unreasonable to believe that an all powerful creator is capable of splitting a sea that he created or turning water into wine ya'll feel
I think that's exactly what I'm trying to say
Look the only person you will EVER trust when they say that God truly is real or isn't is yourself, only way you can do that is if you proof it yourself cause guess what even if God came down and told you that God is real you still would question. Don't expect scientists and people who already believe to do the work and don't listen to other non believers becuase you already don't believe what people say so why believe what they say?
And if it boils down to you still being a non believer no one cares only you do. So when you meet a believer don't blow up with believers owing you proof because believers do as they are called they just believe they don't need proof.
And @sir_spiderman I see your view but again if you read the little paragraph I typed earlier I kind of touched on that topic honestly whether you believe in God or not God is believed to be an all powerful being creator of the heavens and the earth if what the bible claims about creating Adam and Eve and turning water into wine (and the bible talks about how the wine that Jesus had turned was even better than the first batch and we know that wine gets better with age) so if we put together that God created Adam not as a fetus but as a grown man and eve as woman and bomb tasting wine that was made in an instant when others can take decades then why would a God not be able to create an earth with age built in as well I'm not trying to make you believe what I do but if you think about the existence of God the impossible is very possible :)
I see how faith is helpful
Population control is nice though