Supernatural (fwd)

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MATT
 Even the most scant perusal of the Bible reveals within it's pages a
substantial element of the supernatural. What attitude can those who
believe it to be the Word of God take towards this material? There are
those who attempt to deal with this by explaining it away as 'myth', or
'allegory', and not as actual miracles. However, to take such an approach
leads to fundamental difficulties, the clearest being of what will they do
with the resurrection of Jesus Christ? If Jesus did not, as the Bible
claims, physically rise from the dead, but it is a 'myth' or 'allegory',
then what purpose is there in the Christian faith? All you are left with is
another man who claimed to be a Messiah, but lived and died as many others
have, before and since him. If he did not rise from the dead then what
truth can be attributed to his own words and those of his followers
contained within the Gospels? If those who hold to the 'myth/allegory'
position make an exception of this miracle or any other then why not on the
rest? A denial of the miraculous and supernatural within the Scriptures
through mythologising and allegorizing leaves you with a dead Christ and a
meaningless Christianity.

RJV 10/1
And this would be a _bad_ thing?  Matt, I have a little task I'd like you
to perform.  It's called the mirror argument, and sometimes it is helpful
in determining where an opinion that _you_ hold is wrong.  Reread the
above and replace the word "Bible" with "Quran" or "Book of Mormon" or any
other religious work.  Make similar, consistent substitutions where
appropriate (Jesus to Allah, etc), reread your paragraph, and see if that
will convince you that another faith is just as valid as yours.

MATT
 There are others who take the Biblical claims to the supernatural and
miraculous as real and factual. For them there are no such dilemma's to be
resolved regarding supernatural events in the Bible. However, a different
set of problems faces them. If they are to accept Biblical claims to
supernatural events then what are they to do with non-biblical claims? To
dismiss them as myth or legend or superstition whilst taking the Biblical
ones as real and genuine is at least hypocritical and most certainly
dishonest. So what are they to do? There is but one thing they can do if
they are to have a consistent attitude and that is to accept the existence
of the supernatural wherever it is found, whether in the Bible or outside
it. This is not to say that every supernatural claim is to be accepted as
having occurred, but that no such claim is to be ruled out as not having
occurred solely on the grounds that it happened outside of the Scriptures. 

RJV 10/1
Matt, I'm afraid that this might get you into a whole heap of troubles.
Do you believe alien craft (UFO's) visit earth regularly?  Do you believe
that the Heavens Gaters actually went to "the level after human"?  This
mindset that you propose makes it almost impossiblie to filter out crap.
You're basically turning your bullshit filter off, and blindly accepting
almost everything people say.  I'm sure you don't actually operate under
this premise IRL (in real life).  Now, for me, and many others, a much
more sound view to hold is the following:  Accept nothing as truth without
proof.  It's hard at first, but, it is the best BS filter I know.   If
someone comes up to me and tells me they've been abducted by a UFO, then I
think they smoked some funky colored crack rock earlier in the day UNLESS
they have some pretty damn good EVIDENCE.  

MATT
 As with the Bible, the subjective needs to be understood in light of the
objective. If that which can be tested for credibility, accuracy and
reliability is sound then there is no grounds to not accept the subjective.

RJV 10/1
Try the mirror with this statement...

Sorry to go off topic, but, perhaps I shall help you...

-- R Jason Valentine                          ..ooOO miracle@procyon.com

Chemical Engineer as of March 21, 1997
Med Student, August 1997, University of South Alabama

"What Is Success"  by Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the
affection of children; To earn the approbation of honest critics and
endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the
best in others; To give of one's self; To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social
condition; To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with
exultation; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have
lived - This is to have succeeded. 

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