Expelled

[Daystar]

Good morning Leo,

I wouldn't say that the length of a 'day' is the luxury of a deity because a deity is only anything that is worshipped. I would say that it was the necessity of the Creator but that isn't really the point here. The point here is to as accurately as is possible to understand the language in which the information being considered was written and to put that as closely as possible in the modern day language in a way that we can understand. As I said, the way in which the translation of 'day' in the creation account is put in such a way.

1. A day being the daylight hours.

2. A day being both day and night, 24 hours.

3. The day of creation as being a period of time - the day of creation used in the same sense that I might say 'In my grandfather's day.'

So actually it isn't a mistake of the creator not to have made himself clear and it isn't even a mistake in translation. It is a mistake that you are making in basing your information on the Creationists misapplication of 6 creative days. Creationists are unaware of the Hebrew word yohm and how that is translated and thus assumed, wrongly, that it was 6 literal days.

Speaking of which: I am sure you have read many arguments against the Genesis story about first creating light, day and night, and days later making the stars and the sun. How do you account for those?

Good question. Here is the order.

Day 1 - Light; division between day and night - Genesis 1:3-5

Day 2 - Expanse, a division between waters beneath the expanse and waters above it - Genesis 1:6-8

Day 3 - Dry land; vegetation - Genesis 1:9-13

Day 4 - Heavenly luminaries become discernible from earth - Genesis 1:14-19

Day 5 - Aquatic souls and flying creatures - Genesis 1:20-23

Day 6 - Land animals; man - Genesis 1:24-31

Notice that the first day of creation begins in verse 3, but that verse 1 and 2 states that the heavens and earth were already there. The confusion is a case of language as it almost always is. The Earth and heavens, including the luminaries, had been created.

There are two reasons for the confusion. Interpretation has failed to recognize the importance of the Hebrew word bara, meaning create and asah, meaning make. And the Hebrew word ohr, meaning light and maohr, meaning the source of that light. (Genesis 1:14 and 1:16)

The luminaries were created but something, most probably the dust and debris from the creation, allowed the light (ohr) to be seen on Earth but only later after the dust and clouds dissipated was the luminaries (maohr) themselves visible. Also, though the luminaries had already been created (bara) in verse 1 and 2 it was only later that the creator, Jehovah God, put them in their place or established them (asah).

I find religion interesting, but to me I see no added value to Christianity over any other religion. Since you have read and learned on all these different religions, why did you choose this rather unique one over the others?

The Bible proved itself to a tough skeptic through open minded study. You mentioned preaching and I understand what that is all about, but keep in mind that it isn't the objective of a Christian to threaten the unbeliever into the same blissful ignorance they operate upon, or to 'save' them. The objective is to educate anyone who will listen so that they can make an informed choice of their own accord - knowing that most will reject God even then.

Accurate knowledge doesn't obligate you.

---

The Laws of Moses should be used as a guideline on how one should live.

An excellent guideline, indeed!

Romans 7:12 - Wherefore, on its part, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.