laska said:
I can undersand how at first glance these verses seem inconsistent but they really are crystal clear.
You are correct, they are, clear-cut condradictions.
I still think the text can be read as a limited flood. The language "the earth" can be interpreted narrowly(maybe replace the word "earth" with "land" to see it better.)
It seems to me the limited model does solve the problems you have brought up.
*It eliminates the problem if there is a lack of evidence of a global flood in the geological record
* the problem of how Noah fit every land species on the Ark as the language in the text would be interpreted narrowly in this area also
*the text seems to give enough time to build the ship and does not preclude Noah from hiring additional labor.
*it is impossible to prove that the Ark could not have been built, unless by chance you have a fullness of all ship engineering knowledge-past, present, and future.
If it's god's word, no interpretation is needed. After all, the bible dosen't present itself as a "
Where's Waldo?" book. Dude, the bible was written in a different time, a different culture, and in another language. I would say translating the original texts from Greek and Hebrew is not a walk in the park. If the Christian god is
all knowing, don't you think he would make sure that his messages never got distorted, and noone could pick any contradictions out of his word, and if he is
perfect, I would think that he would leave no interpretation or question of things; events. I think he layed all his cards on the table.
I sort of have a couple of theories on the nature of God. The first is that the laws of nature are fixed and eternal and that God understands the laws in perfection.
Of course he does, after all he is
all knowing.
God would use the same principles in turning the water into wine as the fourth grade chemistery student a thousand years from now.
Yep. That just proves my point. God, and I'm just throwing out stabs in the dark here, could have just performed these "miracles" by appliyng simple scientific principles, however, at that time, they were only seen as "divine", as nobody then could understand the mechanisms behind such. So, a thosand years from now, students will be able to turn water into wine by applying the exact same concepts that "god" did; science.
The miracles is because we do not understand yet how God did them.
Exactly. Now you're starting to get it. We don't uderstand yet, nor in biblical times, but we are advancing fast, hence your "god" makes no appearences, could it be because science is shrinking him?
The second theory, which I just thought of today, builds on the first but goes a step further. This is sort of out there but let me try explain my thoughts here. Recently, I read an article about the brilliant scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla. His inventions included a telephone repeater, rotating magnetic field principle, polyphase alternating-current system, induction motor, alternating-current power transmission, Tesla coil transformer, wireless communication, radio, fluorescent lights, and more than 700 other patents. He designed the Niagra falls electric plant. All of his inventions he created in his mind completely, everly little intricacy before he actually built it. All of his inventions worked perfectly the first time built with no modifications needed. The thought occured to me today what if this is sort of similar to how God creates things. In the imagination anything is possible, there are no laws of nature to your creations. Tesla was bound to the laws of nature though when it came to his physical creation. What if God, when creating our Unverse in His mind, wrote the laws of nature. The laws could be anything he chooses. I am not a scientist and so this is just a perception I have that could be incorrect, but it seems the laws of nature follow a mathmatical harmony. This would then seem to be evidence for a Creator.
Maybe, but that's more "wishful thinking".