You assumed it meant instant death?
That's the way that modern English translations would have it, certainly, although I'll conceed that it's not exactly crystal-clear and can be seen as ambiguous.
However, the Bible does not say that man was created immortal. It does say, however, that God was worried that Adam and Eve would eat of the Tree Of Life and would therefore
become immortal. Genesis 3:22. Adam and Eve were not created immortal, according to the Bible itself.
I think the whole idea that Adam and Eve were created immortal was actually concieved to explain away the fact that God lied and the serpent did not.
We hope that He is as merciful as He says He can be[...]
It is interesting that people base their faith that God loves them on the word of God, isn't it? I wonder if God sold anyone any bridges?
He gave them a choice. They were told not to disobey God. They disobeyed. They were punished.
And do you think the punishment was fair, loving and proportionate to the crime? Is it fair to kill your child because s/he looked in the attic when you've told them not to (not to mention inflicting untold pain and torture on them and all their children for thousands of years)?
Yes, I am sure you do. He obviously was just a liar, and a conman.
Actually, I think he believed what he was saying. I also think that David Ike believes what he is saying and that David Koresh believed what he was saying. That doesn't make it true.
for that matter, Mohammed believed what he was saying, and there are millions who believe him to this day. He said that Jesus was a Prophet but not the son of God. Why do you assume that Mohammed was a liar and a conman?
He didnt teach anything that was of any significance at all, now did He?
I think Jesus was an amazingly forward thinker for his time and has been an amazing power of good in the world, and it's a shame that people have twisted his words to evil ends. But that hardly makes him the son of God, now, does it?
And those Indians! All those different tribes that tell of a strange white man claiming to be the son of God were all smoking the same peace pipe with the same wacky tobbacy!
You do realise that, other than the Mormons, pretty much nobody believes that, including the Cherokees themselves?
http://www.cherokeeeldersociety.org/about.html
There is no archeological or reliable documented evidence for it, certainly (depending on your view of the Book of Mormon).
nicknack said:
Many historic figures are legends or even myths. There's no doubt Jesus ever existed, there are numerous recordings from historians. Now now, it can't be a conspiracy to fake his existence right? Besides what can they gain from it? YOU have your own doubt, you are simply ignorant of proof. Well, your doubt is your doubt, I can't say the same for others if they really searched for answers.
Did you even read what I said, or was this a knee-jerk reaction to seeing me reply? I said that I believe that Jesus existed.
As a christian, not a theist[...]
I think you need to look up the definition of the word "theist".
I already believe in a God. So I should not be called an agnostic, because I already know what I believe.
I already disbelieve in a God. So I should not be called an agnostic, because I already know what I believe.
In the previous posts, if everything was said to be created say by the chaos theory, it would be too much of coincidence since anyway everything was built in balance. It couldn't be the work of randomness, because nothing could be corrected if it was wrong when the universe was created. It would be more likely a work of God.
What has this to do with anything I've said in this thread? what has it got to do with the quote of mine you were replying to?
Correction. Adam and Eve did not put on any real clothes until they left the Garden of Eden. They only wore leaves and ferns to cover their naked bodies because they were embarassed. Secondly, the Garden of Eden was a paradise and it wasn't snake infested.
Lemony Snicket is the fictional author of a series of comedic children's books. I wouldn't put too much effort into trying to prove him wrong. I just found it to be an amusing spin on the story. He also claims that "The Incy-Wincy Spider" is one of the saddest songs ever written.
How, in any way, did God lie to Adam and Eve?
Well, read the bits of the post where I explained just that. Good Lord, why reply to my posts if you've not even taken the time to read them?
God gave Adam and Eve eternal life in the Garden so that they would love God forever.
Can you quote me the bit of scripture that says this?
Besides, if God were afraid, why would anyone who is omniscent, to put the Tree there for tempt them to eat. Isn't that stupid?
I'd have said so, yes. But that's what Genesis says. I've quoted it in detail. I suggest you go back and actually read it.
Why didn't the serpent eat it and become God?
Maybe he knew the consequences? Maybe he already knew the difference between good and evil?
I wouldn't complain if I had a God.
I don't have a God and can therefore act exacly as I please.
It's like your mom warned you not to play by the marsh but one day you played around there in fell in the marsh and has warts for weeks.
No, it's like your mother warning you to stay away from the marsh but you play there anyway and when you get home she tortures you and then kills you.
That is not very ethnic of a skeptic.
I also think you need to look up the word "ethnic" in the dictionary.
But I wouldn't simply take out any story in the Bible and say it's wrong.
I didn't say it was wrong, I said that the way that the Bible tells that particular story, God comes accross as the bad guy, and the Serpent as the good guy.
I just dont believe God was that way, and still dont.
There's many more examples than the ones you gave, particularly in the Old Testament, where God comes accross very badly. He seems petty, quick to anger, bigoted, egocentric and downright irrationl at times. I often find some people's image of God to be hard to reconcile with their belief in the Old Testament. Look how He treated poor Job.
I know this is dangerous thinking[...]
But why? Is it because you've already determined what is true and you find that questioning it makes you uncomfortable? How can it be dangerous to look at something as objectively and as rationally as possible? Especially the Bible. The Bible was written by man. Most religions that base their teachings off of it wholly or partially do not claim it to be the inerrant word of God, unlike, say, Moslems with the Koran. That man could have got somthing wrong or put his own spin on it for whatever political reasons is not unreasonable, is it? After all, it's not like man has never twisted religious teachings for their own ends, is it? And, if you were to believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, then what is your opinion on the Apocripha? Which Church do you allow to tell you which books are valid and which aren't?