# Quick, simple question.



## SemperFiDawg (Oct 2, 2018)

I'm always astounded by the number of people in my church and other Christians that have never actually read the Bible, cover to cover.  I ask them, "If you haven't read it, how do you know what's in it?"  How do you know if someone is telling you the truth about it's content.  It's a fair question I think.  

Just out of curiosity I was wondering how many of you A/As have read it cover to cover?


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## WaltL1 (Oct 2, 2018)

I cant honestly say yes in the sense of starting at "page 1" and reading to the end.
However spent a lot of years "reading this passage and referring to that passage" etc. so that in the end I think Ive gone cover to cover.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 2, 2018)

WaltL1 said:


> I cant honestly say yes....



Congrats.  You may be happy to know that despite your views , you also qualify as a nominal Christian.  Just joking, but thanks for your honesty.


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## ky55 (Oct 2, 2018)

SemperFiDawg said:


> I'm always astounded by the number of people in my church and other Christians that have never actually read the Bible, cover to cover.  I ask them, "If you haven't read it, how do you know what's in it?"  How do you know if someone is telling you the truth about it's content.  It's a fair question I think.
> 
> Just out of curiosity I was wondering how many of you A/As have read it cover to cover?



Yes.


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## WaltL1 (Oct 2, 2018)

SemperFiDawg said:


> Congrats.  You may be happy to know that despite your views , you also qualify as a nominal Christian.  Just joking, but thanks for your honesty.


Im not sure that reading the Bible from cover to cover is a proper litmus test for who qualifies as "nominal" or "super or "good" or "bad" Christian.
Throughout history there has been a whole lot of illiterate Christians.
Not sure throwing them in the "nominal" category would be fair without knowing their actions. Conversely the Christian who has read the Bible from cover to cover 10 times over doesn't necessarily mean they live what they have read.


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## ky55 (Oct 2, 2018)

WaltL1 said:


> Throughout history there has been a whole lot of illiterate Christians.



There has also been a lot of illiterate preachers.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 2, 2018)

I heard a catholic bishop on NPR recently explain why it wasn't the place of the lay people to read and interpret the Bible.  Funny how discussions of religion always feel like they have an evangelical bias.


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## WaltL1 (Oct 2, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> I heard a catholic bishop on NPR recently explain why it wasn't the place of the lay people to read and interpret the Bible.  Funny how discussions of religion always feel like they have an evangelical bias.


When you consider the multitudes of denominations and the division and constant squabbling among Christians about what this scripture means or doesn't mean....
maybe the Bishop has a legitimate point.


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## bullethead (Oct 2, 2018)

I have read it twice. Referenced it thousands.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 2, 2018)

WaltL1 said:


> When you consider the multitudes of denominations and the division and constant squabbling among Christians about what this scripture means or doesn't mean....
> maybe the Bishop has a legitimate point.


Can you imagine being a doctor of divinity listening to a snake handler explaining what the bible says on TV?  Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't mean we should give them equal weight.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 2, 2018)

WaltL1 said:


> Im not sure that reading the Bible from cover to cover is a proper litmus test for who qualifies as "nominal" or "super or "good" or "bad" Christian.
> Throughout history there has been a whole lot of illiterate Christians.
> Not sure throwing them in the "nominal" category would be fair without knowing their actions. Conversely the Christian who has read the Bible from cover to cover 10 times over doesn't necessarily mean they live what they have read.



Hence, the “just joking” qualification.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 2, 2018)

I appreciate the honesty of all the replies.


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## Israel (Oct 2, 2018)

WaltL1 said:


> When you consider the multitudes of denominations and the division and constant squabbling among Christians about what this scripture means or doesn't mean....
> maybe the Bishop has a legitimate point.



" and now more from our very special guest this morning on All Things Considered...Tomas de Torquemada"


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## Artfuldodger (Oct 2, 2018)

Israel said:


> " and now more from our very special guest this morning on All Things Considered...Tomas de Torquemada"



Interesting, I've never heard of Tomas de Torquemada;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomás_de_Torquemada


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 2, 2018)

I'm not catholic or atheist, just commenting on how divergent "Christianity" can be.  I know that many on here would say that Catholics aren't Christian.  I hear folks in the political forum who think Democrats aren't Christian. (I have read the Gospels though and I don't think the guy speaking the words in red would have been welcome on fox news)  People do all kinds of twisting.  The original question assumes all good Christians would read and understand the Bible when that hasn't been practice of the oldest Christian church. (1.25 billion Catholics)


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## Israel (Oct 2, 2018)

Artfuldodger said:


> Interesting, I've never heard of Tomas de Torquemada;
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomás_de_Torquemada



Yes...








Harris.


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## NCHillbilly (Oct 2, 2018)

I'm not an athiest, but I am not a Christian in the sense of the word aside from my raising. Yes, I have read the Bible through.


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## bullethead (Oct 2, 2018)

If you want Torquemada, I give you Mel Brooks


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## Spotlite (Oct 2, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> I'm not catholic or atheist, just commenting on how divergent "Christianity" can be.  I know that many on here would say that Catholics aren't Christian.  I hear folks in the political forum who think Democrats aren't Christian. (I have read the Gospels though and I don't think the guy speaking the words in red would have been welcome on fox news)  People do all kinds of twisting.  The original question assumes all good Christians would read and understand the Bible when that hasn't been practice of the oldest Christian church. (1.25 billion Catholics)


All of humanity is “divergent”. It’s not isolated to just Christianity. 

I’m a firm believer that anyone can read the Bible that’s honestly wanting to understand it, can. Doesn’t matter if they believe it or not. I don’t believe everything in the newspaper but can read the articles enough to understand them.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

Spotlite said:


> All of humanity is “divergent”. It’s not isolated to just Christianity.
> 
> I’m a firm believer that anyone can read the Bible that’s honestly wanting to understand it, can. Doesn’t matter if they believe it or not. I don’t believe everything in the newspaper but can read the articles enough to understand them.


I agree Spotlight.  Reading the has bible has brought me great comfort. (Be still and know that I am God) I was just making the point that my beliefs don't speak for even the majority of Christianity.  I was trying to get at the assumption that was being made by the original question. I also think that when people read the Old Testament as literal, it leads to ideas like new Earth creationism. Which is so easily refuted by fact, it is bad for the  religious community as a whole.  The Southern Baptist flavor of christianity is so predominant here it's easy to forget it's a very small fraction of Christianity.


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## Israel (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> I'm not catholic or atheist, just commenting on how divergent "Christianity" can be.  I know that many on here would say that Catholics aren't Christian.  I hear folks in the political forum who think Democrats aren't Christian. (I have read the Gospels though and I don't think the guy speaking the words in red would have been welcome on fox news)  People do all kinds of twisting.  The original question assumes all good Christians would read and understand the Bible when that hasn't been practice of the oldest Christian church. (1.25 billion Catholics)



There's stuff I sure didn't know. But even what _I think I know_ when I consider God soberly gives way to the plain truth that no matter what _I do think I know_...it is as nothing. Yet, even that then becomes _a form of knowing._ And I am pressed to wonder (and/or awe, depending) and yet no less pressed to ask: "How is that...sustainable?"

Look, I come from (or have known) a planet/place where "know it alls" get richly rewarded. Not the "know it all" who is labeled so to derision, but those who seem to, at the very least, know quite a bit more than their contemporaries. For the most part this seems so...(and please bear with me)..._even when the knower..._in_ his milieu,_ is caused to suffer for his knowing.

What do I mean? The test is simple..."would one identify with (lean toward/want to be like) a Galileo...or his accusers?" What _mind_...appeals?

What _knowing_ is vindicated?

Knowing.

We search histories for clues..."what (and how much) did they know...and when did they know it?" (Like the trite phrase always abuzz in Washington politics.)
Where and when...is a man (or just _man_) able to be held rightly accountable for what he knows?

And it's not as though the matter is so esoteric, this matter of knowing, that apes might find place for jibe. We get presented with it...plainly, frequently.
And when presented clearly, succinctly, there's always an inherent question we must face in it.

Who _shrinks back_ from their knowing?
Hitler found out late...he didn't know. And he surely "shrank back" from what he came _to know_. (if we believe _that history_) Russians at the door...and _remembering _Russians, at that.

Is that _fitting to us_? Do we see a sense of_ trueness to it?_ Can the coward ever be shown as anything...but coward? (but _we might_ ask ourselves..."have I ever skated through? had things been one hair of difference, I'd have surely been exposed...cowering!) One hair becomes _all of our_ covering.

Who will not believe..."woe to the man who despises that hair"?
Who claims it was his own. As though he...put in in place to himself.


As said this knowing thing is not so deep, nor esoteric that a man might ruminously (I made that word up) rub his chin to decide if it has merit. This cost of knowing...who can _make right payment_ for it? Who doesn't shrink back?
Any? One?









Who knows, and can see that "deal" is no deal, at all? Whether he was reinserted as rich and famous actor or hanging by his thumbs in a Turkish prison...he couldn't know. Or not...reinserted at all.

In Christ is no_ deal._

Even if we once thought so.

That alone...is what is sustainable.


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## 660griz (Oct 3, 2018)

I have read a couple versions all the way through.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

660griz said:


> I have read a couple versions all the way through.


  Don't you know the king James version is the only true Bible. It's the one God wrote himself.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> I agree Spotlight.  Reading the has bible has brought me great comfort. (Be still and know that I am God) I was just making the point that my beliefs don't speak for even the majority of Christianity.  I was trying to get at the assumption that was being made by the original question. I also think that when people read the Old Testament as literal, it leads to ideas like new Earth creationism. Which is so easily refuted by fact, it is bad for the  religious community as a whole.  The Southern Baptist flavor of christianity is so predominant here it's easy to forget it's a very small fraction of Christianity.



Which is easier for God, to create the world in 6 days or forgive your sins? 

It’s not a rhetorical question and not meant to derail the OP.  I just had to ask.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

SemperFiDawg said:


> Which is easier for God, to create the world in 6 days or forgive your sins?
> 
> It’s not a rhetorical question and not meant to derail the OP.  I just had to ask.


It's another false premise. Why would someone who doesn't believe in your God wonder how he can forgive me?  Do you contemplate the buddha's judgement?


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

I firmly believe the earth took the last 4.5 billion years to form In a 14 billion year old universe. If better evidence is presented, I would evaluate it.


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## 660griz (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Don't you know the king James version is the only true Bible. It's the one God wrote himself.


We can add that to the long list of things that 'God' is just not very good at doing.


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## NE GA Pappy (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> I firmly believe the earth took the last 4.5 billion years to form In a 14 billion year old universe. If better evidence is presented, I would evaluate it.



can you please explain the salinity of the seas to me?  Serious question


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## 660griz (Oct 3, 2018)

NE GA Pappy said:


> can you please explain the salinity of the seas to me?  Serious question


Rain replenishes freshwater in rivers and streams, so they don't taste *salty*. However, the water in the *ocean* collects all of the *salt* and minerals from all of the rivers that flow into it. Water evaporates from oceans, leaving the salt. Repeat.


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## NE GA Pappy (Oct 3, 2018)

660griz said:


> Rain replenishes freshwater in rivers and streams, so they don't taste *salty*. However, the water in the *ocean* collects all of the *salt* and minerals from all of the rivers that flow into it. Water evaporates from oceans, leaving the salt. Repeat.



I wasn't specifically talking about the method of gaining salinity, but the actual measurement of salinity.  The salinity of the sea goes up every year.  What would it be if the earth was 4.5 billion years


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

NE GA Pappy said:


> can you please explain the salinity of the seas to me?  Serious question


Gladly.  This is a great  documentary. Please watch it and we can talk about minerals if you would like.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

As the gulf stream gets near Greenland the water cools, picks up salt and sinks to a deep ocean current that takes almost 5000 years to complete a cycle.  What does this have to do with religion?


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## bullethead (Oct 3, 2018)

NE GA Pappy said:


> I wasn't specifically talking about the method of gaining salinity, but the actual measurement of salinity.  The salinity of the sea goes up every year.  What would it be if the earth was 4.5 billion years


The earth was not always the same for the entire 4.5 billion years. How long ago did we start checking the salinity of the seas?
Who checked it?
Are Scientists accurate for some things but not others?


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

3 billion years ago the ocean was full of iron.  As the oxygen levels increased it oxidized. Its where all of our deposits come from now. You can see the result in the earth's composition.


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## bullethead (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> As the gulf stream gets near greanland the water cools, picks up salt and sinks to a deep ocean current that takes almost 5000 years to complete a cycle.  What does this have to do with religion?


He is trying to show that the earth isnt 4.5 billion years old.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

This may help you Pappy.  I'd like to talk about it if you are interested.  I love geology and it covers your question well.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

NE GA Pappy said:


> I wasn't specifically talking about the method of gaining salinity, but the actual measurement of salinity.  The salinity of the sea goes up every year.  What would it be if the earth was 4.5 billion years


Are you honestly interested in learning about it even if it contradicts what you already believe as a matter of faith? Honest question.


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## bullethead (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Are you honestly interested in learning about it even if it contradicts what you already believe as a matter of faith? Honest question.


Others are interested, many guests who are trying to make sense of either side read these threads. Facts matter


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

I'm not anti faith.  I think we can learn more about the true nature of God from math and science than a Bible.  I hope you all can find joy and wonder in that too.  It's like getting to see gods fingerprints.  I'm not in the position of having to pigeon hole God into a text of Hebrew mythology.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

If you dont want to watch a video Pappy, have you ever been to Mammoth Cave? You can walk through deep time beyond comprehension.  If you can take the tour and come out believing the earth is 10,000 years old and created in six days you are closed off to the truth.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> It's another false premise. Why would someone who doesn't believe in your God wonder how he can forgive me?  Do you contemplate the buddha's judgement?



Sorry.  I made the assumption you we’re a believer.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

I do believe in my heart.  I pray for my family. I talk to my loved ones that have passed.  I seek out God in my heart.  I just am not buying what the church sells.  It's MY relationship to God alone.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

SemperFiDawg said:


> Sorry.  I made the assumption you we’re a believer.



Why would you assume believer to mean we believe the same thing?  Could I be a Jewish believer, or dare I say Muslim?

Was I wrong to assume you think the true bible is the king James version? Maybe a NIV or Good News on the side to help with translation, but the KJV is the inspired word of God?


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

And in case anyone is confused about sea salt and wants a very short version....no scientist worth his salt believes that argument.....its like you just said the earth is flat.  



*Ocean Salinity as a Failed Scientific Clock*
*By Ryan McGillivray*
Throughout recorded history man has longed to understand his surroundings and environment. Science was born from these observations of the natural world. One of the most important questions raised about the world it is. Over time, many different methods of dating the Earth have been attempted, with most of them failing. One such failed dating technique is measuring the present salt content of the ocean to create a time scale to determine how long it has existed. This technique was introduced nearly 300 years ago, and it was researched by many prominent scientists for several hundred years until it fell out of favor because of obvious drawbacks in the method. Curiously, the salt clock method is somewhat of a controversy even today as proponents of a young Earth model are resurrecting it as proof of an allegedly 6,000-year-old Earth. To understand how valid dating methods work, one must explore invalid methods such as the ocean salt clock and know why and how it is ineffectual. One must also know the history of the method and how it came to be.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Why would you assume believer to mean we believe the same thing?  Could I be a Jewish believer, or dare I say Muslim?
> 
> Was I wrong to assume you think the true bible is the king James version? Maybe a NIV or Good News on the side to help with translation, but the KJV is the inspired word of God?



I based my assumption on you being a believer because of your comment regarding receiving comfort from reading the Bible “Be still and know that I am God” was your quote.  That’s all.

Unsure where you got the notion that I assumed “we believe the same thing.”  Maybe you ‘assumed’ it, but I never alluded to it.

Also unsure as to your presumption of my alliegence to the KJV of the Bible.  If you will review my post, all of them, ever, I don’t think you will ever find where I hold one version of another.  Again, maybe you assumed.

Apparently you’ve ‘labeled’ me based on my question to you “which is harder for God, to create the universe in 6 days or forgive your sin?” which isn’t a question about the age of the universe at all, but about your understanding WHO EXACTLY God is.  Again, a wrong assumption based on your incomprehension.

Thank you for answering the OP.  As to the rest of your comments, ...well, I think the tone of them speaks for itself.  Like I said in the OP “A simple question”.  Maybe I should have worded it “Simply a question.”


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

No need to be short, I have enjoyed your posts.  You have to admit your six day creation story hints of Baptist/fundamtalist values.  In all my religious studies they have been the only ones to hold a literal interpretation of the Bibles creation myth. I'm sorry, I believe you if you are saying you are not.  I respect the fact you would say the king James version is no superior.   It shows an open mind.  You did ask in the A/A subforum.  I hope my "tone" hasn't been rude and only expressed my belief in science over scripture.  Maybe we can talk again.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> No need to be short, I have enjoyed your posts.  You have to admit your six day creation story hints of Baptist/fundamtalist values.  In all my religious studies they have been the only ones to hold a literal interpretation of the Bibles creation myth. I'm sorry, I believe you if you are saying you are not.  I respect the fact you would say the king James version is no superior.   It shows an open mind.  You did ask in the A/A subforum.



I believe exactly what the Bible says about the age of the earth.  It says nothing about the age of the earth.  That being said, I fully believe God is capable of creating the Universe in the blink of an eye so 6 days wouldn’t be a problem.  I do believe in the flood in the literal sense and am a fundamentalist, but none of that has any bearing on the OP.  Again, thank you for your answer to it.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

Peace brother.  I just enjoy the dialogue.  Remember, you did just ask how God could save me and build the earth in six days.  I was answering a direct question you asked me.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Peace brother.  I just enjoy the dialogue.  Remember, you did just ask how God could save me and build the earth in six days.  I was answering a direct question you asked me.



That’s not what I asked.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

SemperFiDawg said:


> Which is easier for God, to create the world in 6 days or forgive your sins?
> 
> It’s not a rhetorical question and not meant to derail the OP.  I just had to ask.


Sounded like it?


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

Look man,  I went back and forth with Brother Dave until he said he believed a guy lived in a whale.  Let's just stop and agree too disagree


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## NE GA Pappy (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> And in case anyone is confused about sea salt and wants a very short version....no scientist worth his salt believes that argument.....its like you just said the earth is flat.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




we can't rely on a salt clock, but we can rely on C14 dating.

We can't rely on the dust on the moon, but we can rely on a geological clock exposed in the Grand Canyon.

I guess we just have to trust the clocks that back our beliefs????


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

NE GA Pappy said:


> we can't rely on a salt clock, but we can rely on C14 dating.
> 
> We can't rely on the dust on the moon, but we can rely on a geological clock exposed in the Grand Canyon.
> 
> I guess we just have to trust the clocks that back our beliefs????



Ok, Pappy can I just cut to the chase with you? Do you believe the story of Jonah and the whale as a literal story or more of a parable with a lesson? I respect your view either way but it's a pretty good litmus test if I'm going to be able to have a rational conversation? If our world views don't have any common ground, I just won't waste your time.  I really do have a deep interest in salt though if you want to watch that documentary and talk about it.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Look man,  I went back and forth with Brother Dave until he said he believed a guy lived in a whale.  Let's just stop and agree too disagree



That’s fine.  I’m just trying to figure you out.  You strike me as a paradox.  A believer (who I “assume”, believes in Christ and his atoning death on the cross) which is the epitome of miraculous,yet denies other miracles).  Please correct me as needed as most of this is based off drawing inferences from your posts.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

NE GA Pappy said:


> I guess we just have to trust the clocks that back our beliefs????



Well said.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Ok, Pappy can I just cut to the chase with you? Do you believe the story of Jonah and the whale as a literal story or more of a parable with a lesson? I respect your view either way but it's a pretty good litmus test if I'm going to be able to have a rational conversation? If our world views don't have any common ground, I just won't waste your time.  I really do have a deep interest in salt though if you want to watch that documentary and talk about it.



Hence Pappy only the “rational” don’t believe in the miraculous.  Nicely worded insult Brother.


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## NE GA Pappy (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Ok, Pappy can I just cut to the chase with you? Do you believe the story of Jonah and the whale as a literal story or more of a parable with a lesson? I respect your view either way but it's a pretty good litmus test if I'm going to be able to have a rational conversation? If our world views don't have any common ground, I just won't waste your time.  I really do have a deep interest in salt though if you want to watch that documentary and talk about it.



I am not familiar with Jonah and a whale.


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

It wasn't meant that way.  I respect his beliefs. Miracles by definition are not rational.  You have to admit that.  If there were a rational explanation it wouldn't be a miracle.


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## SemperFiDawg (Oct 3, 2018)

Bobby Linton said:


> Miracles by definition are not rational.  You have to admit that.



I guess that depends on your definition of miracle........and rational.  Bet you know a lot of rational people who believe in miracles.  Does ones belief in miracles discredit an otherwise rational individual, or does a rational individual believing in miracles give them credence.  Which is it?  You can't be sane and rational and insane and irrational at the same time.  Which one do you think makes more sense?


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## Bobby Linton (Oct 3, 2018)

SemperFiDawg said:


> I guess that depends on your definition of miracle........and rational.  Bet you know a lot of rational people who believe in miracles.  Does ones belief in miracles discredit an otherwise rational individual, or does a rational individual believing in miracles give them credence.  Which is it?  You can't be sane and rational and insane and irrational at the same time.  Which one do you think makes more sense?


My only point was, if you believe based on faith and miracles, I'm happy for you and hope it serves you well.  I have no desire to try and take that away.  I don't  proclaim to have answers you should know. But if miracles are a good enough explanation, there is no reason for me to try to present science as an alternative.  Have a good day, man.  Maybe I will learn something from our exchange.


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## Artfuldodger (Oct 3, 2018)

I think God is capable of creating everything in 1 day, 6 days, or billions of years.
I think God uses science so I don't think the 6 day creation is literal. I don't see the Great Architect of the Universe operating that way. I'm definitely not very fundamental.

I do think the story of Jonah and the massive fish is a real story. It actually happened. God predestined a lot of stories so that he could use them later as metaphors, mirrors, examples, and analogies.

The OP did ask a simple question but then later asked about the 6 day creation as well.


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## NE GA Pappy (Oct 3, 2018)

Artfuldodger said:


> I do think the story of Jonah and the massive fish is a real story. It actually happened. God predestined a lot of stories so that he could use them later as metaphors, mirrors, examples, and analogies.



oh, if we are talking about Jonah and a tremendous fish, then yes, I believe that he was eaten by a fish.  I don't believe he lived for 3 days in that fish.  I believe if you research scripture, the teaching is that Jonah died in that fish, and was brought back to life.

As Art says, the Bible is full of mirrors.  One event has the reflection of another event. One thing is an example of another.

Jonah = example of Jesus dying, and raised after 3 days in the tomb.

Most people, even those that study the scriptures don't realize who Jonah is, and that his submarine trip weren't the first miracle that he was tied to.  Elijah the prophet lived in his home during a famine.  Jonah died.  Elijah prayed and he came back to life.  Jonah  was in line to be the next prophet of Israel, until Elisha stepped into the picture and took Elijahs place.  That is one reason Jonah was so mad at God over sending him to preach to the heathens at Ninevah


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