(May 1, 2016 at 6:56 pm)PETE_ROSE Wrote: The short answer is that I do not see what we know about earth or the universe to be in contradiction with my brand of Christianity.

Equally short question: Why?

First, thank you for the interest Abaris, that is a name I am not familiar with.  Does it have a special meaning?

Secondly, for me there are several questions that I was looking for the answers to.  What happens when we die?  Where did we come from?  Why are we here?  How was the universe created and for what purpose?  For me, science, other forms of religion and such did not supply me with a believable and  satisfactory answer that ties all of those questions together in a coherent answer.  The bible did however.  It took a long time for me to arrive at this conclusion as I had several sticking points along the way.  I found that when reading the bible and taking it all in as a whole (even some of the hard to believe parts) it tied a lot of things together cohesively.   

Even the parts that contradict each other and the scientific inaccuracies.

(May 1, 2016 at 7:06 pm)PETE_ROSE Wrote: Secondly, for me there are several questions that I was looking for the answers to.  What happens when we die?  Where did we come from?  Why are we here?  How was the universe created and for what purpose?  For me, science, other forms of religion and such did not supply me with a believable and  satisfactory answer that ties all of those questions together in a coherent answer.  The bible did however.  It took a long time for me to arrive at this conclusion as I had several sticking points along the way.  I found that when reading the bible and taking it all in as a whole (even some of the hard to believe parts) it tied a lot of things together cohesively.   

Again, why?

What do you accept from the scientific findings about earth's and the universe's age? What do you accept about species predating us by about lightyears, what do you accept at all? What's you opinion on all of this and if you are to accept science, how do you make ends meet?

(May 1, 2016 at 7:01 pm)abaris Wrote:

(May 1, 2016 at 6:56 pm)PETE_ROSE Wrote: The short answer is that I do not see what we know about earth or the universe to be in contradiction with my brand of Christianity.

Equally short question: Why?

Based on my evaluation of the evidence at hand. 

On a side note, I see flashes of intelligence and wit within the forum.  I am sure everyone here holds advanced degrees across the full spectrum of fields of study and by no means am I implying I know everything; but there seems to be the an inferring that I lack intelligence when my conclusions differ from others here.

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Shall we open the discussion on a couple of the contradictions you mentioned?  Please, present me with one and I will take a crack at it.

There are two differing accounts of creation, for one.

(May 1, 2016 at 7:13 pm)PETE_ROSE Wrote: but there seems to be the an inferring that I lack intelligence when my conclusions differ from others here.

Nope, you simply didn't offer what you believe so far. There's also a distinction between lack of intelligence and ignorance. An intelligent person can still be ignorant.

So far I reserved judgment on both counts, since you simply didn't state what you believe and what you hold to be true in lights of science, and why.

Again, sola scriptura doesn't cut it. Not by a long chalk. That can mean anything and nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk

(May 1, 2016 at 7:08 pm)ApeNotKillApe Wrote: Even the parts that contradict each other and the scientific inaccuracies.

What do you accept from the scientific findings about earth's and the universe's age? What do you accept about species predating us by about lightyears, what do you accept at all? What's you opinion on all of this and if you are to accept science, how do you make ends meet?

Great question and also one I pondered over for many years.  As to how I squared with the age of the Earth - the young earth model, some say 6,000 years versus the age of the unverse to be 13.7 or so billion years old and the earth around 4 billion years - I read Genesis and watched Youtube.

I found Dr Russell Humphreys explanations on this topic to be helpful.  He explains to my satisfaction how the inflation theory and the 13.7 or so billion light-years of the universe expanding and how the young earth model all fit together.  His explanation is much better than me attempting to regurgitate it and probably butchering it in the process.

As for Genesis, there is a period of time that goes by during creation that is not stated in years.  The 6,000 years most Christians come to is in people years counting the generations back to Adam.

 
 
 
Lastly I would state that this in not a sticking point in the message of the bible and not something to really get really bent out of shape on which answer is correct.

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(May 1, 2016 at 7:18 pm)ApeNotKillApe Wrote: There are two differing accounts of creation, for one.

I would not disagree.  Two descriptions.  I fail to see the contradictions in them.

I'm not going to get attached to this one.  Although I do think Pete Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame.