(September 29, 2013 at 2:45 pm)freedomfromfallacy Wrote: Mark 16:17-19
"17)And these signs will accompany those who
believe: In my name they will drive out demons;
they will speak in new tongues; 18)they will pick
op snakes with their hands; and when they
drink deadly poison, it will not harm them at
all; they will place their hands on sick people,
and they will get well."
Jesus supposedly spoke these words to his
disciples following his resurrection. He was
rebuking them because most of them did not
believe the reports of his resurrection which
had been made by Mary Magdalene and others.
He was telling them that their faith should
produce supernatural abilities within them,
and that the measure of their faith was made
by whether or not these signs accompanied
the disciples. The meat of Jesus' message here
was to deny what you can prove or substantiate,
and to have a faith so strong that you could
literally do things that are impossible in the natural
world - like believing that a man was born of a virgin,
died, and was resurrected. Jesus' message here
is to suspend disbelief. He then goes further by
suggesting that if you can think this way that no
harm could come to you. So, what is the effect
of this in today's world? Besides the "snake cult"
christians who practice mumbo-jumbo religion,
this teaching has brought some real consequences
to bear. Allow me to share...
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I used to go hiking with my friend Jack in the hills
near where we live. Jack is an elder at a church I
used to attend when I was a christian. I say I used
to hike with Jack because we no longer hike together.
Jack and I developed a pretty good friendship while
I was at the church, and he and I do still continue to
meet for coffee ect. (though less and less as time
moves on). Recently, on our latest hike together, Jack
and I came across a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.
These snakes are poisonous and very aggressive.
Jack walked closer to the rattler as I moved away
from the deadly snake. I told Jack to be careful, and that
I didn't think I could carry him to the car if he were bitten.
Jack didn't miss a beat as he said... "I'm not afraid of
this snake. My bible, my god, has told me in his word
that I shall take up deadly serpents and I will not be
harmed. I believe Jesus." I asked Jack what I should
do if he gets bitten - if I should get help? He said that
if I lacked the faith to believe god's word that he didn't
want to go hiking with me ever again, because his
faith was strong, and he didn't want to be tempted
by my weakness. I was dumbfounded. Jack and I
have not hiked together since that time.
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I wonder if I offered Jack some "deadly poison" to drink
if he'd do it? I know Jack takes prescription medication -
how does this work with faith? For sure, Jack has not
healed every person he's laid his hands on (indeed none).
How do christians reconcile these inconsistencies in their "faith"?
Those are signs that were used for the children of Israel to establish the words of the gospel acconuts.
Mark 16:20
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
That is because the children of Israel were to look for signs.
1 Corinthians 1:22
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
Once the word was established and the gospel has gone out to all nations, signs are no longer needed.
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight
