"Thinking Eternally, Acting Locally." - Neal August
I think we must now admit that God does not call the rain to fall. I do not think that we can tenably state that God causes the rain to fall; such is scientifically impossible.
See the hydrologic cycle
As we can see from the above diagram representing the scientific research of hundreds of years of inquiry, the cause of rain is completely removed from the activities of God.
Now we do have Scriptural references that appear to suggest that God makes rain:
Gen 2:5; 7:4; Ex 9:18; Lev 26:4; Deut 11:14; 1Sa 12:17; Job 5:10; Ps 68:9; Jer 5:24; Joe 2:23; Amo 4:7; Mat 5:45; Act 14:17
Therefore, I suggest that we now take these passages as figurative and not literal. Because, as science has so overwhelming proven, rain has absolutely nothing to do with God.
7 comments:
PC,
Let me just ask, Do you purposely put up posts like that just to see if someone will get mad and pick a fight with you???
I don't think anyone questions the hydrologic cycle as being the reason that it rains, snows,hails, precipitates etc. I think those verses show that by God's grace, they happen to everyone, not just those who follow Christ. That way no one can say "Yay, I'm a Christian, I'll finally have a green yard!!! Isn't God wonderful!" No, God's grace is generally extended to all in that the weather patterns happen over the entire earth.
Now, I also think that what those verses are saying (and science has not disproven this in the least) is that God is the one who CAUSED the weather patterns to be established, and by His grace, they happen to everyone in mankind. And you forgot the verses in Ecclesiastes. However, this isn't really an issue with anyone I've ever met. So again, I ask if you're trying to pick a fight for some reason with the readers who might happen by your blog???
Let it be stated also that just in case you're looking at this from the standpoint of "God didn't send hurricane Katrina as a punishment to the USA - reference same hydrologic cycle". God has often claimed responsibility for using weather and storms as a judgment on sin. Just because we're more advanced now and can look at a storm with cool technology doesn't mean that God has changed His tactics. Of course, since we don't have any modern prophets walking around saying "Thus saith the Lord, you're screwed", it isn't our place to say a storm is due to sin, or is not due to sin. Only God knows when God is strictly using weather patterns to send a storm due to judgment, or weather patterns are just being weather patterns.
But again, none of that is really a contested thing so why put it up to try and get someone mad? It's like you purposefully reference scripture just for the sake of pitting the bible against science and making science out to be the winner, just to stir something up. Science and the Bible work together perfectly, and science continues to prove the bible correct. Why imply otherwise and lead people to wrong responses. We are to build up the kingdom and devote ourselves to that, not to throwing wedges in just to see who'll drop their hammer down and drive a crack in their foundation. You're a brilliant guy, and obviously try to think deeper about issues than most people, so why use those gifts to cause controversy instead of using them to bring Christians and non-Christians to a better understanding of each other?
Now, I also think that what those verses are saying (and science has not disproven this in the least) is that God is the one who CAUSED the weather patterns to be established, and by His grace, they happen to everyone in mankind.
I agree. And this is why I can believe the Scriptures to be inerrant and still hold to an evolutionary model for the creation of mankind.
One can say that God created Man and still say that He did so by means of biological macro evolution.
Thank you.
Except for 2 MAJOR problems:
1) NOWHERE does science even begin to support and give evidence for macroevolution. The closest it comes is with some micro evolution with some viruses, but even that is a mutation, which involves a loss of genetic material, rather than a gaining of new genetic material. This is by definition the exact opposite of evolution, and we haven’t even breached the micro scale yet, let alone reach the level of macro evolution.
2) NOWHERE does the Bible teach that God used any form of evolution to create the universe. God spoke to create all but man, and He personally formed man from the dust of the ground, not a monkey, ape, or any other time of creature. We were formed from dust and had the breath of life breathed into us.
I hate to state the obvious here, but THAT’S WHY THE SECULAR SCIENTISTS DISLIKE THE BIBLE SO MUCH! If it supported their claims, they wouldn’t have any reason to dislike it, or to have disagreements with Christians. Of course, I’m not a Deist, so I guess I would think that way wouldn’t I?
Yes, one could say that the hydrological cycle proves that God could have used evolution, but to do so would make one a fool. Your reasoning here is a terrible case of eisegesis (forming scripture around your theory that evolution must have been the cause and the hydrologic cycle shows that) instead of exegesis of scripture and seeing how what we see today simply reflects what God said He did, and the way He said He did it. Not only that, but you used what I personally said as a prooftext for your argument and you did in a non-context fashion….and you KNOW it. That doesn’t help your argument one bit. No one reading my reply to your original post would think that I even came close to meaning what you imply that I did there. Sorry, but your comparison just doesn’t hold up. Not even a little.
…..and you still didn’t answer my question about why you would purposely post something like that.
Duh, it's because it's an obvious parallel to evolution, a comparison he wants someone to make, because he loves to hear himself blog about that for self gratification.
Yeah, he's a liberal and every one knows it!
Jesus wasn't a liberal. He was a moderate and everyone knows it.
Moderate? Some one’s been sipping cough syrup.
Jesus was a dairy farmer:
“Blessed are the cheese-makers.”
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