Re: A New Correspondent(Mark)
Ian Dorion (dorioni@intellinet.com)
Sat, 19 Apr 1997 15:51:53 -0600
IzzAtheist@AOL.COM wrote:
>
> Izz (4/16)
> >Aubrey, do you believe that there are any contradictions in the NIV Bible?
>
> <no response from Aubrey>
>
> but....
>
> Izz (4/19)
> Well, well! look what I got in my private mail:
>
> Mark Irwin (4/19):
> I'm not Aubrey, but i would like to respond to your "bait".
> I am aware of places in which the NIV Bible appears to contradict itself,
> especially in the area of numercial kinship records. The "contradictions"
> that certain people like to point out, ever so smugly, (thinking that they
> have found this great anti-Bible revelation no doubt) have no theological
> relevance or doctrinal importance. Think about this: on all the attacks that
> the Bible has faced over the centuries, wouldn't you think that this would
> have been brought up before?? Apparently those who compiled the canon had no
> problem with the "so called" contradictions that you might so gleefully point
> out. Some of these "so called contradictions" are easy to explain, showing
> that that they eare not contradicting, others are not. Unless, you are a
> Bible student, or if you know how to exegete scripture properly and
> scholarly, these "so called contradiction" statements carry absolutley no
> reliability or validity.
>
> And besides, in all reality.....does it really matter? Not really.
>
> If anything, I think that people who say that they don't believe in God, but
> continually try to disprove him are only attempting to rationalize and
> justify
> their own disbelief. I mean, if you don't believe in God, why do you spend
> so
> much time trying to disprove him to others? What should it matter to you?
> Do you have nothing better to do with your time? I don't believe in UFO's,
> but you don't see me trying to justify this unbelief to those who do believe
> in them. They're not hurting me any. And if I find their beliefs pointless
> and foolish, so what. If I were to attempt to rid the world of foolishness,
> I would start in Washington D.C. Their beliefs in UFO's is unimportant to me.
> My time is much more valuable.
>
> As for my belief in God, I trust and love God. I see his presence in all
> that I
> see. I believe that Jesus Christ offered up his life as a ransom for me and
> you, so that mankind could once again have a relationship with God. God has
> worked in a mighty way in my life as he has others.
>
> Sure you can comeback and say...what about the crusades? The inquisition?
> Jim Bakker? Priests abusing altar boys? These people weren't working in
> God's will. If you want to hurt Christianity, instead of baiting others on
> "so called Bible contradictions", why don't you become a wolf in sheeps
> clothing, like the priest who likes little boys, or the TV evangelist who
> gets caught having an affair while bilking others of their money? You would
> probably be much more effective.
>
> God loves you and he wants you to know him. He wants the best that life has
> to offer for you. Trust in him. Ask him to reveal himself to you. He is a
> consuming fire.
>
> There is historical proof on the existence of Christ. He said he was Lord.
> Was he Lord? or was he a liar? or was he a lunatic? Something can not be
> true and false at the same time. There is only one right answer. Who do you
> say Jesus was?
>
> In His service and yours,
>
> Mark Irvin
>
> Izz (4/19)
> I will respond to your letter as soon as I can, Mark.
>
> Izz
>
> "When we view the Bible (or the Church) as the infallible instrument of God,
> we surrender our reason and intelligence."
>
> - from "Going by the Book" by Ernie Bringas, Master of Divinity, minister of
> the United Methodist Church.
(Ian 4/19) Mark you bring up a good point when you ask why are we on
this list wasting our time. I might ask the same of you.
As for me, I'm sick and tired of the outright lies the Christians tell
concerning what the Founding Fathers believed and what they wanted in so
far as religion is concerned for this country. Too often I hear that
'this ia a Christian country.' They talk of George Washington (an
Episcopalian) as though he were a born again Christian. The same with
Thomas Jefferson (a Deist) and many others. Then they use these lies to
try to get prayer back in schools, pro-life laws and a miriad of other
laws. Every man has a right to believe what his conscience dictates.
I know not whether there is a god or not but I am 100% convinced it is
not the Judeo-Christian god or any other god that may have revealed
itself to man. Why would it? Think of the enormity of the universe - and
according to an article in today's paper, there may be more than one
universe. Now consider the size of earth when compared to the universe.
We're likened to an atom by comparison. Now compare yourself to the size
of the earth. How really infinitesimilly small can you get.
God answers your prayers, Mark? Each and every one of them? Do you think
he answered the prayers of the Jews in Nazi Germany? How about the
refugees in Zaire? Well, maybe you are one of God's chosen people but
I'm not so screw him.