[I have a guest post at Amy R. Buckley’s blog today. Here’s a brief intro, and the rest is over at Amy’s place. Please click through and then spend some time reading her posts too.]
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I have no knock against six day creationists. I don’t ascribe to that doctrine myself but cannot see why I should say that others can’t hold to it as a way to read Genesis 1.
I do, though, have a knock against someone who says that if you do not ascribe to a literal reading of a six day creation you cannot claim to recognize the authority of the Bible. Like this:
This is not about young earth or old earth creationism or any other reading of the first chapters of Genesis. This is about someone claiming to be an expert on Scripture and the earth’s origins who is set on denigrating the faith of people who …
[Click on through to find out how using Mr. Ham’s preferred method of Bible reading with other passages leads to ridiculous results.]
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Maybe I take the easy way out but, with someone like that I make them explain, take a neutral position, politely agree and leave with a smile. The strangest positions seem to have s shred of truth, and a fascinating premise. The conclusion may take more than the resurrection, but hat is not the point.
I like the age day theory, but it lacks substance. But there are far more important issues to get concerned over. The primary one, WHO is Jesus Christ to you?
Still interesting – thanks.
** may take more faith top believe than the resurrection…”
Besides, this kind of disagreement would be a waste of time.
More important issues is right. Good wisdom , PB.
If you are spending all your time preaching Creationism you do not have time to preach John 3:16.
Too true, RJ.
ALL or “TOO MUCH”
We need to be ready with an answer for many things, but in depth is best for Sunday School or Adult Ed classes.
I commented over there but it didn’t appear (maybe Amy moderates her comments?) — I didn’t say anything that profound but I liked your point that it’s not so much whether you read a passage literally or not but the problem is when you insist that’s the only way to read any passage. I love your “literarily” concept.
For one believer to denigrate another by saying they don’t hold Scripture as authoritative if not a 6 day creationist boggles my mind, Jeannie.
Why is a judge saying he would knock someone? Oh wait, you must be speaking metaphorically.
Is it a problem with legalistic minds? Nicodemus, a Pharisee, needed to have it explained to him that “born again” was a metaphor. But then of course I’ll let you be the judge.
Interesting point about Nicodemus, Bill. People want their doctrine neatly tied up with a bow, and the Bible rarely lends itself to that.
I thought about sharing this over at Amy’s, but one of the questions that always gets me about this topic is what is so important about God creating in seven days? Which led me to write my own post about it here http://anintermediatefaith.com/?p=2699.
Great post over there, Jeremy. I left a comment on it too.
I wrote a comment at Amy’s but just wanted to repeat this part here:
Something else I noticed from Mr. Ham’s quote that shoots a hole in it from my view – not everyone who takes “a stand on a literal Genesis” also takes a stand on the absolute authority of scripture. In considering the things that some 6-day creationists believe I think we would be safe in saying that.
Interesting observation, Mary. What passages do you think those folks aren’t accepting as authoritative?
To my admitted surprise, the example I specifically had in mind turned out to be a dead end. So….I suppose I’d have to quibble to prove the point, which usually doesn’t end with an airtight case. 🙂 My apologies. I’d have to do more investigation to see if that statement is supportable.