Bill Payne wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Feb 2001 08:40:13 -0500 James_Taggart@multilink.com writes:
> >
> > You missed my point. I don't want to argue the literal meaning of a
> > biblical translation. The point is that there are numerous instances of
> miracles in the
> > Bible that lend themselves to natural explanation.
>
> I appreciate what you are saying, but again I say that in order to draw a
> natural explanation we often must compromise the words of the scripture.
> I personally know of no natural explanation that can provide a "wall of
> water" on the right and left. Sure a wind can blow all of a shallow
> lake's water to one end of a lake, or expose a shallow ridge across the
> Red Sea, but those explanations do nothing to explain two opposing
> "walls" of water.
>
> The rabid atheist will seize upon any compromise and ram it right through
> the entire Bible, which was my point with Glenn. Clarence Darrow used
> this argument with William Jennings Bryan (during the Scopes Trial), who
> (as I recall) fumbled over the question of the age of the earth and where
> did Cain get his wife? Once Darrow exposed the weakness in Bryan's
> fundamental beliefs, he skewered Bryan. Bryan died a few days later in
> humiliation.
>
> Bill
This is why it is so important to have a faith based upon the Person and
work of Christ and not a naively inerrant view of the Bible. As Paul S. so
faithfully reminds us on this list (see his most recent post), the Bible
teaches many false notions regarding the creation; e.g. solid sky, flat
earth, etc.. Additionally, even the writers of the NT have difference in
historical details best explained as lapses in their--very
human--memories. As Glenn likes to argue, if not admit to, these errors are
simply a matter of fact--but they are readily understood and do not destroy
the notion of revelation and inspiration when such notions aren't so wooden.
Such an honest view of scripture goes a long way in soothing many woes of a
rabid atheist.
Sincerely
George
-- George A. Andrews Jr. Physics/Applied Science College of William & Mary P.O. Box 8795 Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
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