tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post2006188629896316383..comments2023-09-02T07:59:55.010-07:00Comments on The Bottom Line: Genesis Is Not A PoemCameron Buettelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217501740084187739noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post-7530148664253278442012-06-29T12:31:31.508-07:002012-06-29T12:31:31.508-07:00Soldier of Kuros, it is very cute and all that you...Soldier of Kuros, it is very cute and all that you "lovingly call me to investigate the bible deeper"...But, and I hate to disappoint you here, the more I read (and I have read quite a bit of it again, after my first (and only) full reading many years ago) the more stuff I find that simply make me go "By golly, people actually BELIEVE this?!?" -And this is also when I make allowance for the historical context in which the texts were written...However, this shouldn't make you feel in any way special, I have exactly the same feeling when I read muslim, buddhist, hinduist, scientology, you name it, texts -- they all leave me equally flabbergasted (wonderful word!) that you people actually belive in that stuff :)<br /><br />-By the way, in that last sentence, you can remove my smiley for the cases where the bible or any the other holy texts order or recommend doing something awful to people. Those parts are not fun at all, but speak of a narrator with a deeply sick mindset :(Kristoffer Haldrupnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post-82003506460489282152012-06-28T16:40:20.521-07:002012-06-28T16:40:20.521-07:00Yes Kristoffer, Exodus 26 would seem "hilario...Yes Kristoffer, Exodus 26 would seem "hilarious" for an outsider, primarily because you and I are both four thousand years removed from the writing of the text. Before meeting Jesus five years ago, I thought the Bible was ridiculous too. However, through a better understanding of the historical context in which the bible was written, I now have a great appreciation for the Bible, as you will see if you read the article I sent you. I truly believe that the Bible is the Word of God.<br /><br />Now, to your comment about about science. You have proven my point. We care what people do with our work, don't we? Again, God cares about his creation and the ordering of it. How we worship him is important, which is why the commandment Exodus 26 is given (I'm assuming you are referring to the arrangement of the tabernacle?). Greater understanding of the Bible will help you comprehend what is written in these texts.<br /><br />God cares about our rejection and rebellion of him. We all see the fingerprint of God in creation, but as Paul suggests in Romans 1, we suppress the truth and worship ourselves rather than the creator. God cares so much about his creation that he came to earth to pay for this rejection, in Jesus.<br /><br />Kristoffer, the Bible's logic may sound silly to you as an outsider, but honestly, many of the counter arguments just sound outright ridiculous! The Bible is the truth and I lovingly call you to investigate it deeper!<br /><br />The SoldierSoldier of Kurioshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536142750464781271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post-31557611102104256362012-06-28T11:24:50.076-07:002012-06-28T11:24:50.076-07:00Kristoffer, please keep your religion out of this....Kristoffer, please keep your religion out of this. It has nothing to do with true science.Cameron Buettelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13217501740084187739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post-44675504734971572012012-06-27T13:29:12.559-07:002012-06-27T13:29:12.559-07:00Mostly, Kuros, I was poking fun at Cameron Buettel...Mostly, Kuros, I was poking fun at Cameron Buettel's "logic" :)<br /><br />-As you well know from my other writings here, I generally regard the bible as bunch of old myths, no more, no less. These myths contain passages like Exodus 26, which to me as an outsider are quite hilarious, especially as parts of a religuous document that some people tend to put a lot of stock in. To me, a god that would put these kinds of silly things in the Holy Book(tm), might elevate just about anything to a Commandment(tm) :)<br /><br />-Regarding science, I do find that creationists have quite the tendency to distort and misquote many scientific theories to support their reading of Genesis. From your last comment I may ask: is this some kind of weird religious practice I just don't get? ;)Kristoffer Haldrupnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post-36447621269098575442012-06-25T18:23:28.934-07:002012-06-25T18:23:28.934-07:00I am with anonymous on this one. Genesis 1 alone h...I am with anonymous on this one. Genesis 1 alone has a great deal of number symbolism i.e. the opening sentence is 7 words long and the second sentence is 14 words long (in Hebrew). 7 being the number which symbolises perfection and completion, which seems to be what Moses was aiming for here. <br /><br />Cameron, in regards to the debate over Genesis being written in historical pros vs metaphorical language, didn't Augustine view Genesis 1 and 2 as being poetic? I think he did mate.<br /><br />Kristoffer, I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say in your comment. Are you claiming that God wrote Genesis down in stone? God didn't write any commandments down in stone in the book of Genesis. <br /><br />Additionally, I don't understand your logic. Are you telling me that it is irrational for a supreme God who created the universe to actually care about what the his creation does with itself? The Late Christopher Hitchens and Prof Dawkins voiced this in regards to God and human sexuality. Logically, a supreme creator of the Universe would most definitely care about his creation. Especially, if He is a good God. Our God is a God of order. This is most evident in Genesis 1, which stands in complete contrast with other creation stories from the ancient near East. God cares because he created us.<br /><br />How about I put it to you this way. From your previous arguments, you seem to be passionate about science, correct? I bet that you care about what happens to all the hard work you produce and how it is used, right? What if I took a theory you developed and I misquote and distort what you theorized. You wouldn't mind, would you? Of course you would! Now, you and I are both imperfect; how much more would a perfect creator care about his work? The answer is simple. Of course he would and does. He cares so much that he would become a man, suffer on a cross to pay for our sin and send his Spirit to walk with us through this life.<br /><br />Finally Kristoffer, may I direct you to an article and video explaining the genre which Genesis fits into. I hope you enjoy: http://soldierofkurios.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/science-4-did-god-create-world-in-six.htmlSoldier of Kurioshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536142750464781271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post-5069344934709007562012-06-25T09:07:05.256-07:002012-06-25T09:07:05.256-07:00"There is no indication of figurative languag..."There is no indication of figurative language in Genesis 1. If the narrative is to be considered imagery, one would expect to encounter many of the essentials of figurative language (eg. schema, metaphor, and other tropes), but there are none."<br /><br />Apparently the title "professor" is no guarantee for the ability to read a text. Genesis 1 is loaded with poetic features, and to claim otherwise is ignorant. <br /><br />You can of course still read the poetry in a literal way, but at least admit the obvious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7670425954609557512.post-68828531752009785262012-06-23T18:45:03.357-07:002012-06-23T18:45:03.357-07:00"The fact that the entire book of Genesis is ..."The fact that the entire book of Genesis is a narrative would be a “no brainer” were it not for the external interpretive pressures coming from outside of the Bible itself."<br /><br />Yup, there you have it. The pesky, observable thing called "reality" that surrounds us has this infuriating tendency to impose on our views and invalidate fictional claims like, say, Genesis or the Flood of Noah :)<br /><br />"Somehow I doubt God would engrave a poem in stone and call it a commandment!"<br /><br />Well, if you read stuff like Exodus 26, you will realize that this God of yours can be surprisingly obsessed about small details of an artistic nature -- reading those passages, I would not be one bit surprised if your God would elevate a bit of poetry to a Commandment writ in stone ;)Kristoffer Haldrupnoreply@blogger.com