I've tried to come to an understanding for myself on some of teachings. The two different days of creating man, as you mention, what Hell actually is, what tongues is and what actually happened on Pentecost day.
My take on him
1)He's not out to make a buck like so so many other televangelists are. His audio tapes are 4 bucks last time I checked but he doesn't shill and go on and on and on begging for money, promising to heal people if they send in a "love gift" or trying to sell books.
2) He's not racist. I searched around on the net years ago when I first discovered him and one site ( I forget the name but the same site suggested Charles Stanley wasn't a true Christian because he's been divorced.) claimed he was or at least taught Christian Identity. Actually hearing him talk/teach more I became satisfied he is not. Is 7th day creation true? I don't know. If it is, the CI movement takes a possibly true doctrine and utterly perverts it with hatred. God truly is color blind.
3) He believes the earth is billions of years old and says fossils and dating methods support this claim. Once heard him say that people running around shouting the earth is only 6000 yrs old are an embarrassment to their faith. He keeps a T-Rex tooth in his desk drawer.
4) I agree with him that there is no rapture. I am able to wrap my mind around that one on my own. II Thess. somewhere in there..it's been a very long time since I opened a bible but I did highlight it years ago and also noticed a correlation about being "carried away" ot "taken" in the Gospels is the same word used in Rev. that talks about a flood from the Dragon's mouth carrying people away. I'll post or freepmail, whichever you prefer, the exact bible quotes and my take on it later when I have more time if you're at all interested.
5) The mark of the Beast is no tattoo or bar code, chip, or anything like that. It's whether or not you believe the antiChrist is really Jesus and worship him. It's a state of mind or falling for deception. I'm guessing that those that do not worship him will be shunned and denied food maybe other stuff. See, if you refuse to bow down to the antiChrist but he or followers were to capture and hold a person down, stamp a big 666 on them even though they refuse to worship him...what are they supposed to do? Commit suicide to avoid a "stamping"? What's in a person's head or heart is what counts, not what's on or done to their body
No bearing on the subject at all but on one broadcast, this would be 4 maybe 5 years ago he panned to the pew or audience section when Loretta Lynn visited his church once. I almost forgot, his show is unique in that he reads a bible chapter line by line then breaks it down into modern english or explains it instead of jumping around with his own lesson plan. Also, the way the second half is him answering viewer questions. Those two things are what I found refreshing about him years ago in a tv world filled with Benny Hinns, Peter Popoffs and even Jesse Duplantis'. The latter guy of which is very likable on screen and has a great flair for telling funny stories.
Thank you for your post to me...my take on Murray is much the same as you state...what I find interesting about him, is that he has a completely different take on many things, so different from traditional Biblical views...
Yes, I have seen him take that dinosaur fossil out of his desk drawer, and he does say, that folks who say the earth is only 6 thousand years old, are an embarrassment to their faith...what I find different about him is the two different days of creation of man...not saying I agree with him, or not, just saying he is really quite different...I also find him very different about the 'rapture'...stating that folks who think they are going to fly up into the sky with Jesus, are completely deceived and that they will fly away all right, will fly away with the Devil...this is not the usual thing we hear...its the complete opposite...Its interesting...
Yes, I would appreciate anything you would like to Freepmail me...I do find Murray interesting...and agree, with much of how you perceive him, perceiving him that way as well...
Thanks for your very courteous reply...its a refreshing change..
NIV 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
16. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18. Therefore encourage each other with these words.