blackbird

The biblical teaching is God the Son, Jesus Christ, always existed from eternity past. He is not "created". He is both the Son of God and God according to the Bible. I wouldn't put the Bible alongside the theory of evolution. Evolution is only a theory and doubtful in many people's minds. The Bible is God's inspired word and is therefore not a theory invented by men.

No woman should consider herself as a "lowly woman, subject to the whims of whatever man is in charge, ...etc" I don't believe the Bible teaches that. Maybe Islam, but not biblical christianity. Women are special people in the Bible and in real life.

I thought people only did that in the Gulag? What are you doing shoveling rocks?

hahhaha I don't believe in unicorns... didn't know you believed in them! but hey, whatever. What you say about "religion in general" is true and such is the case in many countries with false religion. However biblical truth is not false religion. There a world of difference between biblical truth and false religion. Difference is between truth and error, or light and darkness. You have to put on spiritual eyes or glasses to be able to see biblical truth. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14 S;piritual (biblical matters) are foolishness with the world. One can only understand and believe them with a spiritual mind or view. That is why the wisdom of God is a mystery or foolishness with the world. The Bible is the wisdom of God, it is a hidden wisdom to those who are lost. That's the way God ordained things. God reveals this hidden treasure to those he ordains to see it.

No, faith in God does not depend on science being unable to explain something. Believe in God is based on two things. One is the creation all around us. The other is the teaching of the Bible (King James Bible 1611) Religion is a kind broad term that includes any of perhaps thousands of belief systems that exist or have existed in the past throughout the world. Of course many people following any of these religious systems probably came up with all kinds of explanations for things. That is no surprise. That is the nature of man. You should be aware that people believed in many things in the past that science or time eventually proved to be false. That is nothing surprising either. Early scientists sometimes made what were thought to be very amazing discoveries or came up with theories about things that were later found to be completely false or incorrect. There are lots of examples of scientists having to change their theories about things. About the only thing that is an absolute is that there is nothing absolute in science that may not at some point in the future have to be changed. "religion impeded science" to humankind's misery" This takes us again to the fact that there have been many hundreds if not thousands of religions and among them, countless different beliefs of things. The Bible is not meant to be a science text, but does describe how God created the world and mankind and that is meant to be taken literally, not symbolic or mythical as some have claimed. False religion has impeded development in some parts of the world. False religions do have certain negative consequences for life in some parts of the world can't be denied. However, biblical christianity does not fall into that category. In christian nations, we do cut arms or hands off in a town square. But again false religion and false christianity in the past history has done some terrible things to people. I think of witches burned at the stake or the Inquisitions where millions may have been tortured and died. However, this is not caused by the proper understanding of the Bible and those who follow it. Communism has killed about 100 million people in it's revolutions in China and the USSR in the 20th century. They have also enslaved about one third (or is it two thirds) of the world's population. There have been many wars, some related to false religion and some for other causes. Hinduism does not believe in killing animals. So they allow cows to walk around the streets in India even though people may be starving. I think I saw a program once about a town in India or that part of the world where monkeys have completely taken over the town. That might be Budhist; I can't recall. I think there is also problems where there are large numbers of rats. Rats I suppose also cannot be killed. Then there are deadly snakes. That could be a serious problem in parts of India and other countries in Asia. Remind me never to go there. But all of that neither proves or disproves the existence of God. I am not sure exactly where you are coming from on that.

That is completely false. He certainly is a real scientist. If you Google him, you will come up with another professor from London. He is in a different field and not the same person. There also may be another Professor Philip Stott. But the one I am referring to is a qualified scientists with a number of degrees. Here is a bit about him. Incidentally I was fortunate to meet him at two speaking slide-presentations he gave in Canada. One was a four or five evenings presentation and the other about three evenings. He is definitely an educated scientist. I have a series of videos I made of his first evenings of lectures (slide presentations) with my video equipment and wireless microphone. Philip Stott Check out Scripture and Science, our extensive online science workshop authored by Mr. Stott. Philip Stott was born in England in 1943. After matriculating at Bridlington Grammar School he studied at Manchester University, where he obtained B.Sc. (with honours) and M. Sc. degrees in Civil Engineering. He lectured at universities in Nigeria and South Africa and carried out research in the analysis of geometrically non-linear structures. He shared the Henry Adams award for outstanding research in 1969. While lecturing at the University of the Witwatersrand he studied Biology. After leaving Wits he joined an engineering consulting firm as associate in charge of computing. His ongoing interest in all aspects of science led to studies in Mathematics and Astronomy with the University of South Africa, and later to four years of part time research with the Applied Mathematics department of the University of the Orange Free State. After many years as a firm atheist he was converted to Christianity in 1976. Following several years of studying the conflicting claims of secular science and scripture he actively entered the Creation/Evolution debate in 1989, while teaching Mathematics and Science at a mission station in Natal. He gave lectures on the science/scripture controversy throughout South Africa and Namibia. In 1992 he was invited to address a conference in Russia and since then he has lectured, addressed conferences and taken part in debates in Eastern and Western Europe, America, Canada and Southern Africa. Venues have included the European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN), a UNESCO International Conference on the Teaching of Physics and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Philip Stott is married to Margaret (born Lloyd), has two children, Robert and Angela, and two grandchildren, Sean and Julie. He lives in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State, South Africa.

Evidence found that seems to show this dinosaur was several thousand years old. Quote Astonishing T. Rex Soft Tissue Find Seriously Challenges Evolution Andrew Sibley 29th March 2005 Researchers have recently found soft tissues, including blood vessels, bone cells and even what looks like blood cells within the thighbone of a tyrannosaurus rex specimen that has not yet fully fossilised. While the theory of evolution asserts this bone to be 68 millions years old, this astonishing find seriously challenges the dogma of millions of years of supposed evolutionary change. This bone was found in the Hell Creek Formation sandstones of Montana, USA, and labelled MOR (Museum of the Rockies) 1125. In order to move the large bone that had been encased in a plaster jacket for protection by helicopter, it was necessary to cut it in two, and it was found to be hollow inside with an un-fossilised appearance. Instead of treating the bone with preservative it was instead sent for analysis to Dr Mary Schweitzer of North Carolina State University who studied the structure. Schweitzer has previously identified soft tissues, including haemoglobin protein within tyrannosaurus rex bones, but previous finds have gained less attention. As reported in the journal Science,[ii] Schweitzer used a chemical treatment to dissolve the calcium bone structure, while leaving soft tissue parts intact. She found a degree of preservation that had not been seen before, with the flexible and transparent soft tissues still intact. According to the BBC website she is reported to have said that; It still has places where there are no secondary minerals, and it's not any more dense than modern bone; it's bone more than anything.[iii] This evidence is very uncomfortable for evolutionary scientists and according to the BBC website other researchers have tried to play down the finds by questioning the evidence.[iv] But Schweitzer is reported to have found intact blood vessels together with cells known as osteocytes, which are essential for bone construction. Schweitzer was also able to squeeze out cells from the blood vessels, which looked remarkably like red blood cells with their internal structure visible. Schweitzer has not yet tested for DNA, but believes that original proteins are present in the structure, and further tests are continuing. Conclusion This is a truly remarkable find and challenges the evolutionary long age dating assertions of millions of years that are so often trotted out by researchers without any objective evidence. Other researchers committed to the theory of evolution are so troubled by the findings that they are seeking to challenge the evidence instead of letting the evidence challenge the theory. It is unthinkable that proteins could survive for millions of years, but instead points to the bones being of the order of several thousand years old. In fact it is remarkable that such structures have survived even for several thousand years. Creationist scientists believe that the dinosaurs were buried during the time of Noah in flood sediments around 4400 years ago. We look forward to publication of further evidence for proteins in this bone as it is presented. Unquuote for rest of article: http://reformation.edu/scripture-science-stott/ages/pages/10-creation-flood-model.htm

If you have about one minute (well, maybe a little more if you want to read more); Top Five Evidences that God made man from dirt: http://www.fromnoahtohercules.com/

"Many modern historians trust the dates of the Egyptian kings. Newton said that the Egyptian and Latin histories were not as reliable as the history of Israel. The modern historians are using the exact history that Newton warns us not to use. They want to undermine the Bible. Newton, though, a scientific thinker, always put the Bible in the place of higher dependability. It is clear that this scientist, at least, believed the ancient, written history of mankind." http://www.fromnoahtohercules.com/flier/Newton.htm

I say the same thing to you as I said to Dog on the Porch. Check this article.4 http://reformation.edu/scripture-science-stott/ages/index.htm

Professor Philip Stott, a scientist who once believe in evolution and a long earth age, completely changed his thinking decades ago when confronted with a lot of information. He has a website with a lot of articles. He has an article which examines the age question. Quote Before looking at these two competing ideas it should be noted that science is powerless to discover anything about origins with any degree of certainty. Science needs observations to work on, and none covering the critical times and events are available. The best we can hope for is to propose a selection of hypotheses and examine extant data to see how well it fits those hypotheses. We are forced to make many assumptions in our analysis, crucial data is missing and we can never gain anything close to certainty for our conclusions. Unquote http://reformation.edu/scripture-science-stott/ages/index.htm

Haha. Maybe.

No. I have no pseudo science. Noah's flood could explain why we find fossils far above sea level and far inland. All I'm saying. Didn't say it was fact.

There is one point of view in the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is not the Bible or inspired Scripture. It is however taught and believed to be what the Bible teaches by major denominations such as the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches. It was drawn up in England about 1640. In the Reformed churches, which originated in the Netherlands and Geneva (John Calvin) they call it the doctrine of Total Depravity. It is part of Calvinism. The Confession says in Chapter VI. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof 1. Our first parents being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory. 2. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.

taxme, I should add the important fact is the Holy Scriptures teach God as eternal, with no beginning and no end. Perhaps I was not correct to say it is an assumption. It is correct to say it is what the Bible teaches. This is how God identified himself to Moses and through Moses to Israel at the time of the Exodus. When Moses was speaking with God in Exodus ch3, "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Exodus ch3:14 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: Exodus ch3: 15, 16

No. First I never said God appeared from nothing. I think any theologian or Bible scholar will say God always existed. That is accepted as a given by believers in God. It is kind of like in science where do an experiment to prove something. You make certain assumptions or have certain building blocks. God's eternal existence is as basic belief or assumption if you will. It must be so because nothing else makes any sense otherwise. Also, secondly, you said it is impossible for something to come from nothing. That is another reason why God always existed. He did not come from nothing. That would not make sense either. It is also a reason to believe God created the universe because the universe had to have a beginning. It too did not come from nothing by it's own power. God created it.

When I speak about say born wicked or corrupt, I am not referring to children. And I am not quoting the word for word Bible verses. On one hand people want to hear one's opinion but when I give it of course if always falls short. I do the best I can and don't claim perfection in my words or thoughts. It is impossible to speak if one is going to wait for perfect words and ideas. Communicating doesn't work like that. Whenever one speaks about the Bible or God, of course someone who doesn't believe it will think it's arrogant. I can't do anything about that. I only say what I believe. You don't have to believe anything I say. You are better off to check into it yourself from the Bible or sources that explain things in the Bible that one can trust. I don't mean to sound arrogant. If I come across that way, I apologize. Regarding people being sinful, this is what the Bible actually says: 9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans ch3 vs 9-23 I have included extra verses there to give the context. The apostle Paul was speaking about Jews and Gentiles. Those are the two categories of people discussed in those parts of the Bible.

Yes. Climate change is the fad or rage now. I think a lot of people blame the weather events happening now on climate change. Could be climate change but climate has always changed. I don't think man can stop the climate from changing or control the earth's temperature. I found fossils near here in a creekbed above sea level. When I lived up in northwest BC, there are fossil beds that are around 2000 feet above sea level or higher. Could have been caused by Noah's flood when the water covered the earth.

God always existed. He is eternal. Always was and always will be. No, he was not born. He had no parents because he always existed. He is not part of the material universe. He is separate from that. The Bible says he created man in his image. So man is a special creation. The Bible says Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature." Colossians 1:15 That means Jesus Christ already existed. He was there before any of his creation. God is a trinity, three persons in one God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As far as we know they always existed. God used his Son to create the universe.

Yes, newborns and little kids are cute. It's not the point. Babies and little kids are in a different situation and may not be accountable to same degree as somebody older with some understanding who does something bad. But according to the Bible, people are still born with that sinful nature although it may not be evident until they get older. So you don't agree that people in general are sinful or in rebellion against God. People that don't accept God as a fact are opposing him to begin with according to the Bible. Talking about babies and little children, whom Jesus said he loved, misses the point. We are talking about the Biblical teaching of mankind in general.

The Bible tells us why there is evil going on in the world and there is a lot of it. Crime galore, drug dealing, alcohol and drug related serious problems, social problems, domestic problems, terrorism widespread in the world. Criminal gangs, rapes, robberies, beatings, etc. Wars, corruption in governments, countries, law enforcement corruption, etc. etc. The list would never end. All this boils down to the human heart which the Bible says is born wicked and corrupt. Who would deny this is the nature of humans? Not many I would think. The evidence that God created the universe is all around us. I can't think of any way that it could come about by accident and I think the world's best scientists will agree. They can't come up with a plausible reason. God had a reason why he created the universe and mankind, although we might not fully understand why. It is only logical. Perhaps he just enjoys creating things and sharing with mankind. But you will say why does he allow all the evil things to happen? I tried to explain he has a long term plan. All that will come to a conclusion on his timetable. He doesn't operate on our timetable. A day with God is as a thousand years. Time is a creation too. It's a human concept based on principles of physics which God created as well. I prefer to believe what he says rather than rejecting it and risking where I spend eternity. I'm far from perfect, but that's why Jesus died on the cross, to save sinful people like me. It's man's only hope and salvation.

Well, it depends on a number of things. One man's claims can mean something or nothing. But if a number of people report the same thing as having seen the resurrected Christ, that is something to pay attention to and examine.

As I explained, christianity arose out of Judaism when Christ came. True believers still lived in Old Testament times. . Jesus himself was a Jew and I believe all of the apostles were Jews who had seen Christ after the resurrection. They were willing to die for what they believed. They certainly believed Christ was who he said he was and after they had seen Christ after the resurrection, they became bold believers. That is what the lawyer I mentioned above found. He was once a skeptic but after he examined all the evidence, he could not deny that the weight in favour of the resurrection was overwhelming.

This is why you need to study the New Testament to understand what happened. Rome had nothing to do with it. Peter was not a pope and probably never even was in Rome. The Old Testament looked forward to a coming Messiah. There are prophecies which predicted that. So when Jesus came to earth, that prophecy was fulfilled (Isaiah 9:6) for example. Those who accepted Christ as Messiah and believed in him were true believers. I don't know it it uses the word "christian" but they were followers of Christ. The major apostle Paul was converted on the road to Damascus. I believe in order to have been an Apostle, one had to have seen the resurrected Christ. That was one of the qualifications. So when Christ came, the Old Testament system of animal sacrifices was abolished because Christ was the one all sufficient sacrifice when he died on the cross. The Old Testament Judaism became redundant. From the time Christ came, to be a true worshiper of God, one had to believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. That's why the Old Testament system was no long valid. But many Jews did not believe Christ was the Messiah. They then became followers of a dead religion or no religion. But they should never have been persecuted as they were in the last 2000 years.

Just got the dinner call. be back after a bit or bite Haha.