Evidence for an ancient earth

[BilliardsBall]

That will explain why I haven't seen him.

You may not have yet encountered God, but when you do in this life, will you know to respond adequately?

It's trusting Christ that is salvation.

 

[BilliardsBall]

Your's is an exceedingly weak position. Not one of your "documents" can be authenticated as to exhibiting their original form and content. Just more believer claptrap.

Which of the 27 NT documents are "significantly different from their original form and content"? You're not claiming to have found originals? I mean, people have sought them for some time.

 

[shunyadragon]

I already knew the Earth's circumference before my conversion. So as a modernist and a rationalist, when I see the Bible saying things like the Earth is a sphere, suspended upon no thing with pathways connecting the seas and that all the hydrologic cycle is indeed a cycle and etc. and etc. I was forced to conclude that the ancient Bible writers knew the omniscient God.

How does this 'force' you to conclude the Bible writers knew the omniscient God?

The Bible itself is inconsistent as to whether the earth was round or flat.

 

[Corvus]

You may not have yet encountered God, but when you do in this life, will you know to respond adequately?

Nor will I, God does not exist.

 

[gnostic]

I'm comfortable stating that God who made all the universe 1) knows the circumference of the Earth and 2) per the Bible, hides certain knowledge from you and I to force a free will choice upon us regarding salvation.

First of, I don't think God said any of that. I think the Book of Job was the invention of the author, and all those bragging God made, were also inventions.

And since I am very doubtful as to the existence of God, because there are no evidences for his existence, again, so, I don't think God said any of that in Job.

And lastly, for you claim to say God know everything including the Earth's circumference, but you say he hide such knowledge, I would have to say that you are making a typical apologetic excuse.

Your excuse as to why God didn't reveal measurement or the dimension of the Earth, only tell me the author don't know.

And if God did exist, then judging by his attitude in Job, I don't think he is a deity I could ever worship, because he selfish, arrogant, utterly ignorant...and amoral.

But the Book of Job is made up...for instance, how would know the author know the conversation between God and Satan?

 

[gnostic]

I already knew the Earth's circumference before my conversion.

I am not asking if YOU knew the circumference of the Earth, BilliardsBall.

I asking you to cite your source (eg the Book of Job) that God knows the circumference.

If God in Job, knew the actual dimension as to the circumference, or even the radius or diameter of the Earth, then I would be really impressed, but the book provided no dimension of any sort.

So God bragging about what he know or about what he can do, is really just empty bragging.

All I know is that the author of Job is stupid and governed by superstition. If God really exist, and claim something that he know, but give no number as to the circumference, then he is the stupid one.

 

[Sapiens]

Which of the 27 NT documents are "significantly different from their original form and content"? You're not claiming to have found originals? I mean, people have sought them for some time.

I'm given to understand that it is common knowledge that all of them are "significantly different from their original form and content." Where that not so, why would people have sought them for some time?

Now that we have dealt with your attempt at distraction, let's get back on track:

I have never, ever said on this forum--nor have most Christians here EVER said, "it's true 'cause the Bible says so".

The heart of the problem, here, however, is that you are asking for sources external to the Bible. But you can start, in the case of Jesus, for example, with the fact that 12 eyewitnesses wrote their testimonies in 27 documents.

Your's is an exceedingly weak position. Not one of your "documents" can be authenticated as to exhibiting their original form and content. Just more believer claptrap.

 

[shunyadragon]

Which of the 27 NT documents are "significantly different from their original form and content"? You're not claiming to have found originals? I mean, people have sought them for some time.

What does this have to do with the evidence for ancient earth?

 

[BilliardsBall]

How does this 'force' you to conclude the Bible writers knew the omniscient God?

The Bible itself is inconsistent as to whether the earth was round or flat.

The "evidence" that the Bible states a flat Earth is inconsistent, things like taking "pillars of the Earth" as literal rather than figurative (persons of power on the Earth) or as incorrectly literal (like the subterranean pillars that may have bounded the pre-Noahic subterranean waters).

 

[BilliardsBall]

What does this have to do with the evidence for ancient earth?

I was responding to someone else, who questioned the veracity of the scriptures.

 

[BilliardsBall]

First of, I don't think God said any of that. I think the Book of Job was the invention of the author, and all those bragging God made, were also inventions.

And since I am very doubtful as to the existence of God, because there are no evidences for his existence, again, so, I don't think God said any of that in Job.

And lastly, for you claim to say God know everything including the Earth's circumference, but you say he hide such knowledge, I would have to say that you are making a typical apologetic excuse.

Your excuse as to why God didn't reveal measurement or the dimension of the Earth, only tell me the author don't know.

And if God did exist, then judging by his attitude in Job, I don't think he is a deity I could ever worship, because he selfish, arrogant, utterly ignorant...and amoral.

But the Book of Job is made up...for instance, how would know the author know the conversation between God and Satan?

Actually, before I told you that God hides certain knowledge, I asked you why he might do so, and you persisted in merely insulting me.

God is like you, like me, and pursues relationships the most strongly with people interested in such a relationship. Be more open then you are to gain ground!

 

[BilliardsBall]

I am not asking if YOU knew the circumference of the Earth, BilliardsBall.

I asking you to cite your source (eg the Book of Job) that God knows the circumference.

If God in Job, knew the actual dimension as to the circumference, or even the radius or diameter of the Earth, then I would be really impressed, but the book provided no dimension of any sort.

So God bragging about what he know or about what he can do, is really just empty bragging.

All I know is that the author of Job is stupid and governed by superstition. If God really exist, and claim something that he know, but give no number as to the circumference, then he is the stupid one.

In the book of Job, God asks Job where Job was--rhetorically--when he setting limits on creation. You were the one who cited the passage to me. The Bible says God has great knowledge and holds the atoms together at the subelemental level--exactly the horizon of our current exciting scientific research.

I don't believe God finds bragging a need, but I do see where Job had legitimate questions and then God made a demonstration and then Job repented and humbly aligned Himself with God. Today is the opportunity for you to do the same, but God's demonstration to you will come more readily if you open yourself rather than close your heart and mind to God.

 

[BilliardsBall]

I'm given to understand that it is common knowledge that all of them are "significantly different from their original form and content." Where that not so, why would people have sought them for some time?

Now that we have dealt with your attempt at distraction, let's get back on track:

Your's is an exceedingly weak position. Not one of your "documents" can be authenticated as to exhibiting their original form and content. Just more believer claptrap.

No, I challenged you to demonstrate how they are different from their original, yet undiscovered content. Of course, the truth is different than you portrayed, and for most verses we have well over 99% of ancient extant texts in complete agreement--therefore, it is logical that we are looking at the original content, even in modern translations.

What can be authenticated is the scriptures. What cannot be authenticated is your statement that they significantly differ, which they never do in all existing extant documents. Further, the Masora were known as the most stringent copyists in man's history, so that we can compare Isaiah scrolls 1,000 years apart in writing and find in a 55,000-word document perhaps one or two words changed only, being indefinite articles that do not change meaning (if, the) so that I have a high degree of confidence when I read and study God's Word.

Do you have something to contribute to our debate other than name calling (claptrap)? Any facts? You sound rather as though you are making an emotional appeal (I don't like believers) rather than assuming the challenge of studying God's Word with an open mind.

 

[shunyadragon]

I'm given to understand that it is common knowledge that all of them are "significantly different from their original form and content." Where that not so, why would people have sought them for some time?

Now that we have dealt with your attempt at distraction, let's get back on track:

Your's is an exceedingly weak position. Not one of your "documents" can be authenticated as to exhibiting their original form and content. Just more believer claptrap.

Please steer the conversation back to the topic, because Billiards Ball is using this fruitless dialogue to avoid addressing the thread topic.

 

[shunyadragon]

First of, I don't think God said any of that. I think the Book of Job was the invention of the author, and all those bragging God made, were also inventions.

And since I am very doubtful as to the existence of God, because there are no evidences for his existence, again, so, I don't think God said any of that in Job.

And lastly, for you claim to say God know everything including the Earth's circumference, but you say he hide such knowledge, I would have to say that you are making a typical apologetic excuse.

Your excuse as to why God didn't reveal measurement or the dimension of the Earth, only tell me the author don't know.

And if God did exist, then judging by his attitude in Job, I don't think he is a deity I could ever worship, because he selfish, arrogant, utterly ignorant...and amoral.

But the Book of Job is made up...for instance, how would know the author know the conversation between God and Satan?

Please steer the conversation back to the topic, because Billiards Ball is using this fruitless dialogue to avoid addressing the thread topic.

 

[shunyadragon]

Nor will I, God does not exist.

Please steer the conversation back to the topic, because Billiards Ball is using this fruitless dialogue to avoid addressing the thread topic.

 

[gnostic]

Actually, before I told you that God hides certain knowledge, I asked you why he might do so, and you persisted in merely insulting me.

Where is it, in that post, did I ever insulted you.

I was talking mostly talking about the author and the author's invented God.

I did call the author "stupid" and "superstitious", and IF God EXIST, then he is as stupid as the author.

But I don't think the story in the Book of Job to be real - God's wager, Job's suffering, and God's ranting about how "special" he thinks he is - all of it, was invented by the author.

 

[gnostic]

In the book of Job, God asks Job where Job was--rhetorically--when he setting limits on creation. You were the one who cited the passage to me.

You are still avoiding my question, and you have very short-term memory.

When I talk about God don't know anything about nature or about the science of nature, I brought to the book of Job, YOU were the one about God knowing the Earth's circumference.

Since I was talking about Job, and you brought up the earth's circumference, so naturally I had assumed that you were talking about the passage in Job 38:4-5.

Although I quoted both verses, i was more interested in verse 38:5 than I am with 38:4, because it is the only time God brought up "dimensions" and "measured it".

My point to you, is that god never reveal actual dimensions, like how how many miles or kilometres is the Earth's circumference. I have asked you that God never really given any answer in Job, that he just bragging of things that he didn't know.

All God ever did, in 4 whole chapters, from 38 to 41, was rants and brags about thing he know or could do that Job didn't know or couldn't do?

None of the passages were valuable in knowledge, none of them were explanations. He doesn't explain what he know or how he know.

You mostly evade my question as to what god know about the circumference of the Earth, that you have claimed God knew about. And when you did answer my question, you stated God hides knowledge from men.

That's a weak excuse, and in complete contradiction to your claim that god know the answer as to the Earth's circumference.

So my question remain the same to you -

Did God really know the circumference or did you make this claim up?​

Stop beating around the bush, and just answer the above question.

 

[gnostic]

Please steer the conversation back to the topic, because Billiards Ball is using this fruitless dialogue to avoid addressing the thread topic.

Fruitless indeed.

He make a lot of bold but empty claims. When I questioned him about it, he often given me the run around.

Trying to get straight answers from him after asking him direct questions, is like trying to find my path out of the labyrinth. It's no easy task.

 

[shunyadragon]

Fruitless indeed.

He make a lot of bold but empty claims. When I questioned him about it, he often given me the run around.

Trying to get straight answers from him after asking him direct questions, is like trying to find my path out of the labyrinth. It's no easy task.

Staying topic would help. Challenge him on the thread topic itself.