Ideas and thoughts on the Bible and taking it too literally

In my reading of the site today, I've come up with some thoughts on the Bible....which led me to other thoughts. Do you think people tend to take it too literally? When the Bible says that G-d created the world in seven days, is that really seven days? I was thinking that perhaps it may have been seven days to G-d, but to us, being the lessor creatures of G-d that we are, could that seven days really be several millennea (sic), as in the time it took the Earth to form as proposed by science?

When one thinks about the lifespan of say, a fruitfly, it's generally accepted that it's lifespan is about a 24 hour period. To us, it is, but who's to say that to the fruitfly it isn't a great amount of time. Could there be a similar comparison between our concept of time and G-d's?

Apologies if this topic has been broached a million times, but I was just sent on this tangent of thought.

I suppose that my conclusions are that no matter how much we feel as humans we are advancing, and how much science moves forward and claims to disprove the existence of G-d, science really cannot, because ultimately, as the fruit fly is to us, we are to G-d.

"I've encountered an awful lot of atheists lately who've been rather militant, rude, and mean to me because of my faith. Some of their aggressiveness and anger really got to me."

Welcome to the real world, dear one. The militancy, the rudeness, and the aggressiveness is a precursor to the out in the open violent persecution that will soon overtake what used to be called "Western Civilization" based on Judeo-Christian ideals, principles, and laws. You now live in a time when all truth is considered relative and there are no absolutes in the minds of the majority of people around you. Many will take that modern mindset as "DOGMA" and will react in the extreme against anyone who dares to suggest - even mildly - that God is real, that the Bible is the Word of God, that Jesus Christ was and is the One True Son of God ( co-Equal with the Father and Holy Spirit) - born of a virgin, dying on the cross for our sins, ascending to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, from whence He shall come to Judge the quick and the dead. IF YOU STAND ON THE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD AND JESUS CHRIST - YOU WILL BE PERSECUTED!

When that happens, rejoice!!! Do not be puzzled or perplexed. If you are NOT being ridiculed, "attacked", whatever - then it is probably a sign you are NOT living an authentic Christian life before others.

By the way - there is more to living the Christian life than just believing - of course. Faith without works is dead. That's why spending time in God's Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to regenerate you by the washing and renewal of the Word of God is so important. Do that, ask God to lead you, and you will not fail to become a "witness of the authenticity" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ before the "watching world".

P.S. I am not Catholic. So there are other issues with you in that branch of the Faith. However, all believers shall share in the persecutions of the church and if not, well, from here on out - you will. So, God can use these times to prepare you for what is very shortly going to be a much more intense flood of persecution within the formerly "Christian" nations of Western Civilization.

I hope you are reading some of the great Christian intellects which will nourish your faith while challenging the "atheists" who will tend to insist that only those without intellectual credentials can possibly hold to the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Bible! Of course, such blather is without merit given the intellectual giants down through history who have also embraced Biblical authority and the essential doctrines of the Christian faith.

Others can provide a list.....but you should seek it out.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is power unto salvation for whosoever believes, the Jew first and then the Gentile!

Had not the issue of 'what to do with this Jesus' already been cleared up, the conversation would be much, much shorter.

We agree. But in case the issue was not cleared up, no amount of belief in biblical creationism would quench the fire of judgement.

I'm not slamming you, or even being contradictory-I simply think that we are spending far too much time trying to convice the unregenerate of creation (witness the horrendously long and persistant "Crevo" threads elsewhere on this forum), when our energy would be better spent convincing them of Christ.

Okay, I'll ask... why "G-d" rather than "God"?
I was told that was the respectful way with which to write it....
Unless a story is overtly religious in nature, any usage of God's name is probably not a respectful, direct reference to Him, but rather of the "Oh my G-d!" variety. So as other profanities like sh-t and d-mn it is written as G-d. Also there is a convention in the Jewish faith that states once you write the name of God on a piece of paper, that paper becomes sacred and can't be thrown away or destroyed. Then there is the PC reasoning that any mention of God in a public forum may be offensive to some so must be avoided at all costs.

I believe that here in the Religion forum it is proper and respectful to use God.

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