Posted on 12/09/2008 2:39:05 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
President George W. Bush said his belief that God created the world is not incompatible with scientific proof of evolution.
In an interview with ABC's "Nightline" on Monday, the president also said he probably is not a literalist when reading the Bible although an individual can learn a great deal from it, including the New Testament teaching that God sent his only son.
About creation and evolution, Bush said: "I think you can have both. I think evolution can — you're getting me way out of my lane here. I'm just a simple president. But it's, I think that God created the earth, created the world; I think the creation of the world is so mysterious it requires something as large as an almighty and I don't think it's incompatible with the scientific proof that there is evolution."
"You know. Probably not. ... No, I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it, but I do think that the New Testament for example is ... has got ... You know, the important lesson is 'God sent a son,'" Bush said.
"It is hard for me to justify or prove the mystery of the Almighty in my life," he said. "All I can just tell you is that I got back into religion and I quit drinking shortly thereafter and I asked for help. ... I was a one-step program guy."
"I do believe there is an almighty that is broad and big enough and loving enough that can encompass a lot of people,"
Asked whether he thought he would have become president had it not been for his faith, Bush said: "I don't know; it's hard to tell. I do know that I would have been — I would have been a pretty selfish person."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.aol.com ...
That's faith. It's hard to understand, easy to get and I don't know how you could ever let it go again.
Go outside and look around (that's no accident), remember the family and friends that gave you a smile (that's not a coincident)and all the babies born with their very own identity that can never be replaced...that is God.
What church must you belong to in order to be considered a Christian?
There is no church that can save you or make you a Christian. Faith in God and His Son, Jesus, is all that is necessary.
No.
Methodist.
“Faith in God and His Son, Jesus, is all that is necessary. “
What about the other 9 Commandments? Good works?
I have much more respect for Bush now.
The early church was a true witness for Christ, full of power (by the Holy Ghost), turning the world upside down with their testimony, making a difference for Christ.
Act 2:42-47 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
And
Act 4:31-37 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
The church today is a fractured institution, lacking power, with a testimony that besmirches the person/work/worth of the Lord it says it loves. She is seen quibbling, entering into endless disputations, vain janglings, foolish arguments, self-promotion. She is the Bride of Christ, yet she brings disrepute to the Bridegroom. She has hidden her light under a bushel. She has failed to salt the earth with the disinfectant of the Gospel and the love of Christ. She “has a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” She is neither hot or cold, having forsaken her first Love.
We would do well to be instructed from the scriptures (and not our own wise insights on them) as to how to gather for worship in His Name, how to prophesy in His Name, how to fellowship in His Name, how to pray in His Name—and how to serve in His Name.
Doesn't the Vatican also hold this view? Do you not consider the Pope to be a Christian?
Thank you.
Thank you.
As far as literally creating the world in a matter of days, since God has been for all eternity, and will be for all eternity, I will let Him define what a day is, rather than try to interpret it for myself. In that since only, evolution and Biblical history can be compatible.
As for the creation of man, even Darwin himself admitted that without fossil records (which dont exist), his theory was bunk. And Darwin never imagined the nano-tech like machinery of the DNA contained in cellular structure. The cell was just a black box to him from which life could spring from nothing. If Darwin knew what we know today about the intelligent design going on within DNA and the complex machinery required for something as simple as blood clotting, he would not come to the same conclusion he did.
But some scientists will never admit the answer lies in God. They would rather suppose it was placed here by some other worldly species...just pushing out the question they dont want to actually find the right answer to.
Yes...
Eph 4:3-14 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
And
Phi 3:10-15 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Do you really take the Bible literally and believe that God did not know that man needed a woman instead of a salamander for a mate?
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for [5] him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed [6] every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam [7] there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made [8] into a woman and brought her to the man.
the bible, as we know it today, was put together through debate by man. Also, the bible has been translated into numberous langages and even has many translations in english alone. Those translations were made by mad...king james commissioned one for example...are you saying that king james and hi scribes were anointed by god? Luther removed 3 books from the bible...was he devine?
Here is one thing to take away..when the word became flesh (christ), it was not through the will of man (i.e. a human father) but through the holy spirit. If man had anything to do with it, perfection could not be the result. Mary was the vessel that carried the child christ, but she did not conceive Christ.
Man is imperfect. because we are all imperfect, we cannot earn salvation, that is why christ gave us the gift of salvation that he purchased with his life and death.
I am also disappointed in him for this, while he is spilling pardons as I speak to deserved convicted criminal criminals who deserved their sentence.
Perhaps GW Bush was just not up to the job. His father was no Conservative, and GW Bush promised he was more Reagan - but we never saw that. In fairness, there was only one Reagan - but how hard was it to veto a fricken spending bill? The sad truth is, it was completely easy - and it would have been smart. But Bush was too weak a leader in this regard.
He couldn't even take his pen and veto pork (and terrible pork) that eventually cost us the mid-term election in 2006.
Bush's legacy should be also this.
As for his record in illegal immigration, he failed in this as well.
Was he a great wartime President? I don't know. I retired from the military in 2006, and I served under him. He was a ALOT better than Clinton, I can tell you that. My gosh, Clinton was the worst. But, should we have invaded Iraq? I was in Germany in 2001 and when I heard we were planning it I asked for "why?"
There was no definitive reason then.
How will he be remembered? Better in history than the Communist Atheist MSM views him I guess.
“Everything anyone believes is in their eyes and their hearts entirely true. So it’s not even worth the effort to argue with a true believer. Instead just wish them well.”
True in politics as much as religion...
1:4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
The wicked are not like chaff. They are driven by the winds like chaff.
The Bible is God’s word but the use of “literal” is dangerously misleading.
Is the letter to the church at Corinth literally to them?
If it is, then is a literal interpretation one which says that Paul’s admonitions only apply to them as a historical matter in that time?
We cannot know when we have the “literal” text in focus. We are burdened to pursue the fullest meanings of scriptures as lead by the Holy Spirit. That is fully consistent with what the Bible says about its own interpretation.
There is no indication that the early church kicked people out for failing to understand Genesis properly. People who say the Bible is meaningless are ripe for debate. People who disagree about who the Bible is meaningful ought to be encouraged and discouraged.
Iron sharpens iron. Why do we have to pretend that one person has the iron?
Paul and Peter disagreed about scripture. Which one went to hell?
We should debate scripture with a goal of adding meaning not damning people.
6:2 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
Bones cannot think therefore cannot be ‘troubled’.
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