There are things in the Bible only symbolic.
There are things in the Bible actual with symbolic meaning too.
And there are simply historical and actual matters in the record of the Bible.
The skill of determining which is which is not gained easily. And one should not expect to master this discrimination quickly.
Good students of the Bible can make mistakes.
Readers of the Bible also after years of experience and study may alter their previous opinions or emphasize differently.
Originally posted by @sonshipThe skill of determining which is which is not gained easily. And one should not expect to master this discrimination quickly.
There are things in the Bible only symbolic.
There are things in the Bible actual with symbolic meaning too.
And there are simply historical and actual matters in the record of the Bible.
Have you gained this skill? Have you yourself 'mastered this discrimination'?
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Originally posted by @sonshipI believe I had the skill when I was a Christian. I think it was pretty straightforward and could be gained by one's mid-teens. Do you think any Christians here have the skill here in this community? Or would it be divisive for you to display any reality or application to your pronouncements?
No.
Have you ?
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Ask your teens then to explain to you who they are and why they are here.
Since they are as clear as you about so much, it be interesting to see what they believe about their own origins and destinies.
Me, I learn a lot from the Bible. And the Bible is not always that easy to understand.
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Originally posted by @fmfBut your questions bore me so.
I believe I had the skill when I was a Christian. I think it was pretty straightforward and could be gained by one's mid-teens. Do you think any Christians here have the skill here in this community? Or would it be divisive for you to display any reality or application to your pronouncements?
You're like an essentially empty package colorfully wrapped in fancy ribbons.
aside from your thread on Close Friendship I can hardly remember any thread produced by you on Spirituality which was worth much in that realm. And that one, as far as I remember, was more psychology.
One day you may learn there is a human spirit distinct from the human psyche.
Your criticism don't amount to a tinker's damn to me FMF because
I have seen living and functioning models all over the earth of what I am talking about.
Don't ask me whatever asinine innuendo you are about to put a question mark after.
Originally posted by @sonshipYou said: "The skill of determining which is which [allegory v literal historical "truth"] is not gained easily. And one should not expect to master this discrimination quickly." This is baffling. It's a skill that develops in parallel to other basic cognitive skills that take hold of an intellect in their teens. I don't know why you are trying to portray it as difficult or time-consuming.
Ask your teens then to explain to you who they are and why they are here.
Since they are as clear as you about so much, it be interesting to see what they believe about their own origins and destinies.
Me, I learn a lot from the Bible. And the Bible is not always that easy to understand.
Originally posted by @fmf"Baffling," "Perplexing," "Mystifying" ... whatever.
You said: "The skill of determining which is which [allegory v literal historical "truth"] is not gained easily. And one should not expect to master this discrimination quickly." This is baffling. It's a skill that develops in parallel to other basic cognitive skills that take hold of an intellect in their teens. I don't know why you are trying to portray it as difficult or time-consuming.
I may have time for some teaching / preaching / discussing today.
I'll put my available time there.
Originally posted by @sonshipIf by "functioning", you mean Christian faith in action, in works, in tackling the realities of the world, having a positive impact on the human environment, making this world a better place for our offspring, striving to be better, striving to make communities better, spreading Christian ideology through deeds, impact, change, progress... then why do you never talk about them?
I have seen living and functioning models all over the earth of what I am talking about.
Originally posted by @sonshipYou once challenged me to suggest some threads and topics I started, and so I had a bit of a dig around at your behest and came up with a list of about 20 spirituality-related threads from the previous six months. You blanked it out and disappeared for a fortnight, if memory serves.
Aside from your thread on Close Friendship I can hardly remember any thread produced by you on [b]Spirituality which was worth much in that realm.[/b]