When I returned from a trip, I had something in excess of 170 emails
from ASA. Some of them complained about the usage of the phrase "Just a
story". I wish to defend usage of that statement.
It is a good idea to declare oneself first so that there is no
misunderstanding. I am a Deist or TE with respect to the physical world
- except for instances where God decided to "work" a miracle for the
explicit benefit of mankind only. Beyond that, I take the Bible as
infallible on matters of faith, morals and (many) historical events
(such as the life and resurrection of Jesus).
As I read it, Genesis is a HISTORY book ------ pure and simple! Some say
that it NOT a science text and I agree. In fact, I think that is borders
upon a truly inane statement to call the Old Testament (same for NT) a
science text either by inclusion or exclusion. The writers did not know
of science and they clearly wrote thinking that it was pure history. In
that sense, it was "just a story" but one that people thought was a
TRUE STORY (i.e. history) for a few thousand years.
Suddenly people in this century want to test it as a science text (Is
that stupid?) or a "allegory" or a "story" (Is that smart?). If Jesus
had added that the "Samaritan subsequently begat Jeb who begat Euclid
who begat John", then we might put the Parables of Jesus in the same
category as Genesis --- namely history.
As history, I believe Genesis to be largely true. The first chapter of
Genesis is a pretty good match to the "history" of what God created as
best we understand it today. Where it fails, it is a matter of debate
about the definition of "infallibility" of the Bible --- and the
accuracy of scientists. Insofar as the rest of Genesis is concerned, I
agree with those who propose that Adam was a real person and the start
of the human race in its relationship to God.
Whether it is Correct history as recorded by the author or not, History
is History --- not "just a story".
But what I write is "just" an opinion -- like everybody else on this
list.
Walt
-- =================================== Walt Hicks <wallyshoes@mindspring.com> In any consistent theory, there must exist true but not provable statements. (Godel's Theorem)You can only find the truth with logic If you have already found the truth without it. (G.K. Chesterton) ===================================
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