Jim wrote: "Howard, you give up easily. What are the consequences if you
are wrong?
I would suggest that you strongly prove Genesis one doesn't = science
before
jumping to other conclusions. Remember, we have to defend the faith to
non-believers."
Jim, you really need to read Howard's book before suggesting that he
"gives up easily." And you need to think hard about what "defending the
faith" really means. I would suggest that establishing a personal
relationship with God through Christ is what the "faith" is all about and
that it has absolutely nothing to do with one's "belief" in the truth of
some statement about history.
Let me put it more bluntly. Although I think the virgin birth really
happened, I neither think that belief in any way "saves" me, nor do I
think that one who does not hold that belief, for example Marcus Borg, is
ipso facto not a Christian. Substitute any historical statement for
"virgin birth" in the above and I assert the same thing. Noah's flood,
floating ax head, Jonah or Job as literal history, water - into - wine at
Cana -- I will make the same statement.
Turning it around, I do think that one may have an absolute belief in all
the above, and still not "know God," nor, indeed, be a Christian
(although he.she may think they are).
John Burgeson (Burgy)
http://www.burgy.50megs.com
(science/theology, quantum mechanics, baseball, ethics,
humor, cars, God's intervention into natural causation, etc.)
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