Part 19 of Post Your Tough Questions Regarding Christianity

If intelligent life exists outside of earth, do these aliens have souls, and if, will they suffer in the afterlife for failing to accept Christ?

 

Creationist Ken Ham Says Aliens Will Go To Hell So Let's Stop Looking For Them

Kinda of goes in the WTF department.

 

John 8:55-58

 

John 8:55-59
But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know
him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your
father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen
Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham
was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself
and went out of the temple.

John 10:30 I and the Father are one.

John 1:1 John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.

 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. The Word is Jesus and God is
the Word.

Yes, the Word (God) became Flesh (Jesus)...

God is Jesus who is the Holy Spirit.

The same way what someone else said Homer or Socrates.

 

Are you attempting to make an appeal to popularity?

 

What difference does that make. It's still the Word of God

No you havent. Matthew 5,6 & 7 say nothing about works being a way
to get to Heaven.

I'm not in denial. I have addressed it. You haven't been able to
provide evidence to support your claims, which I have refuted.

I've addressed it. Nowhere in what you've provided is there any evidence of
works being a path to Heaven. Maybe if you would precisely provide some
evidence we can move along.

You're the one avoiding the discussion. You've yet to defend your case on
works. You've provided plenty of Scripture and I've precisely told you that
not once is works a path to Heaven. Maybe if you were to read what you've
posted we can have a discussion

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own
it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

No, He's not preaching about the will of the Father. But if you want to know
what the will of the Father is here's what Jesus says it is:

John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the
Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on
the last day.”

Did you notice that nothing about works was mentioned?

Will you address this discussion with precise Scripture references, as I have
done, to support your Salvation by works claim?

 

Right! They were trying to create a new species which never, ever occurred.
That was the purpose of a CONTROLLED environment.

Why wasn't this study performed in an uncontrolled environment? Like in
the wild or in a kitchen with some fruit laying around in bowls?





You don't understand or believe me, because you are bringing up a study that was in a controlled environment where natural selection (the driving force behind Evolution) does not take place.[/QUOTE]

 

Since when is natural selection the driving force behind evolution? How about
we leave the fruit flies, since you honestly don't understand, and move on
to natural selection in evolution. Please provide evidence.

 

You know, I would be willing to place a wager, that there has been episodes of 'natural selection' in the "controlled environment." All it will take to prove your claim wrong is the finding of one couple who made their mutual selection for mating purposes while in the confines of a controlled environment.

 

I don't believe he can, because he has stated that natural selection does not happen in a controlled environment.

 

John is not the word of God. John was written roughly 60-90 years after the death of Christ by an unknown author.

I posted specific passages which talk directly about works. Please cite the passages that I posted and explain what they are saying "if not works" ?

Again .. you standing up on a soapbox an making a naked claim is not a argument for much. Cite the specific passage or passages that I gave and address my comments in relation to these passages.

I provided scripture and you will not address this scripture.

I gave you specific scripture and you are ignoring it.

We all know that Paul gave a salvation by works formulation. I do not deny this. It is you that denies the words of Jesus. Jesus gives a works based formulation.

 

'Matthew' wanted Jesus to be seen as the Jewish Messiah - so his Gospel is full of Tanakh references to that end.
'John' wanted Jesus to be God's Son - so his Gospel emphasises this. (Emphasis on God's Son not Son/s of God.)
'Mark' and 'Luke' contrast by detailing Jesus life.

Jesus didn't say John 1:1-2.
'John' 8:58 doesn't say it either. The angels also were before Abraham. And I guess you know the complicated discussion on the words 'I am'. (Aramaic/Hebrew/Greek and Exodus 3)
John 10:30 compare John 14:28 (my Father is greater than I). 'John' switches so often in his gospel between 'My Father' and 'The Father', often for no obvious reason. 15:8-9. 15-16. Chapter 14 also. What did 'John' REALLY believe when he wrote this Gospel 50-60 years later. Can anyone really remember what was said in detail at that distance. 'John' must have been around 80-90.

 

There is a difference between what the Apostles said and what Jesus said.. I don't think Prune makes that distinction.

- - - Updated - - -

There is a difference between what the Apostles said and what Jesus said.. I don't think Prune makes that distinction.

 

Natural Selection aka - survival of the fittest. Genetic mutations that give a survival advantage to that organism result in that organism having a higher probability of survival while genetic mutations that have a detrimental effect, or just a lack of having the favorable mutation have a higher probability of not surviving.

Natural selection is a (and a major one) driving force behind evolution.

 

Not true. The Gospel of John is the Word of God.

I posted them in the last message. You didn't provide a single specific
passage. In fact you've not provided anything specific this entire discussion.

Good grief, you don't read what you're replying to. How disingenuous is that?

Not until you do the same. I've asked and you've produced nothing.
Time for you to put up or shut up.

Did you not read my sourse? Eph 2:8-9? I don't believe you did. Paul did no
such thing and neither did Jesus. I'm not denying the words of Jesus. I'm
using His own words to refute you, as in the previous post that you obviously
didn't read.

It's time for you to put up specific Scripture to back up your naked claims. You've
not done that. You only stand on your soapbox crying, "NO! NO! NO!"

The only Scripture you've provided is Matthew 5,6, & 7. There's not one single
mention of Salvation by works.

 

Yes He did.
2 Timothy 3:16
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of
God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In this passage He's telling the pharisees that He's I AM. The same as when
God told Moses that He's I AM.

Use the context of each verse. In John 10 the Jews are going to stone him.
He said He was God. In John 14 He speaking as a man who is going to die.
As for no obvious reason, you're incorrect. Each time is for a specific reason.

Yes anyone can remember when they're inspired by God to do so.

 

The phrase, "You can't prove a negative" is a principle of folk logic, not actual logic.
When you say, "You cannot prove a negative" it is itself a negative. So, if it were true, it would itself be unprovable but that is not the case.

And so it depends, because in certain cases of course you can prove a negative. Example: "I exist" is logically equivalent to "I do not not exist," which is a negative. Yet here is a negative it seems I might perhaps be able to prove (in the style of Descartes—I think, therefore I do not not exist!)

You can theorize there wasn't a universal flood but our friend Giftedone here claims it's a fact that there was no universal flood and so his statement is clearly invalid. But I disagree with you that we can't prove there was never a Santa Claus, for we have evidence that Santa was just a made up fictional character.

Not true in regards to the Great Flood, for there is evidence that the Great Flood was a plausible event, in previous posts of mine I presented such evidence but of course it was met by the expected objections (denials)...lol

In regards to Santa it's true there is absolutely no evidence for his existence being that it should be an understood and established fact that jolly old Santa was just a made up fictional character.

 

Are you aware that survival of the fittest isn't an accurate description
of natural selection and has little, if none at all, about mutations and
genetic? Didn't you say you have a chemistry/microbiology degree?
Certainly you learned this at some point.

Since you didn't provide a source for your reply so I'm going to take it
as an opinion. This is being noted in case you start your naked
claim rant.

 

What is your proof that I stated an obvious lie? You know I can play the "P" game too as silly as it is...lol

 

could you detail please, in the most practical terms and without resorting to scripture or origin myths, the difference between santa and god. I would appreciate a contemporary, here and now, prosaic explanation of the difference. thanks Mitt.

 

There is NO evidence for a worldwide flood anywhere on the planet.

 

Good question, I know you're specifically asking about the New Testament of the Bible but below is a thorough explanation from my favorite Christian web-site answering the question: Is the Bible truly God's Word? And so this explanation will encompass the whole entire Bible because as Christians the truth is we believe the entire Bible, Old Testament as well as the New Testament as being the Word of God.

Question: "Is the Bible truly God's Word?"

Answer: Our answer to this question will not only determine how we view the Bible and its importance to our lives, but also it will ultimately have an eternal impact on us. If the Bible is truly God’s Word, then we should cherish it, study it, obey it, and fully trust it. If the Bible is the Word of God, then to dismiss it is to dismiss God Himself.

The fact that God gave us the Bible is an evidence and illustration of His love for us. The term “revelation” simply means that God communicated to mankind what He is like and how we can have a right relationship with Him. These are things that we could not have known had God not divinely revealed them to us in the Bible. Although God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible was given progressively over approximately 1500 years, it has always contained everything man needs to know about God in order to have a right relationship with Him. If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, religious practice, and morals.

The question we must ask ourselves is how can we know that the Bible is the Word of God and not just a good book? What is unique about the Bible that sets it apart from all other religious books ever written? Is there any evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word? These types of questions must be seriously examined if we are to determine the validity of the Bible’s claim to be the very Word of God, divinely inspired, and totally sufficient for all matters of faith and practice. There can be no doubt that the Bible does claim to be the very Word of God. This is clearly seen in Paul’s commendation to Timothy: “… from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

There are both internal and external evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word. The internal evidences are those things within the Bible that testify of its divine origin. One of the first internal evidences that the Bible is truly God’s Word is seen in its unity. Even though it is really sixty-six individual books, written on three continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years, by more than 40 authors who came from many walks of life, the Bible remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. This unity is unique from all other books and is evidence of the divine origin of the words which God moved men to record.

Another of the internal evidences that indicates the Bible is truly God’s Word is the prophecies contained within its pages. The Bible contains hundreds of detailed prophecies relating to the future of individual nations including Israel, certain cities, and mankind. Other prophecies concern the coming of One who would be the Messiah, the Savior of all who would believe in Him. Unlike the prophecies found in other religious books or those by men such as Nostradamus, biblical prophecies are extremely detailed. There are over three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Not only was it foretold where He would be born and His lineage, but also how He would die and that He would rise again. There simply is no logical way to explain the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible other than by divine origin. There is no other religious book with the extent or type of predictive prophecy that the Bible contains.

A third internal evidence of the divine origin of the Bible is its unique authority and power. While this evidence is more subjective than the first two, it is no less a powerful testimony of the divine origin of the Bible. The Bible’s authority is unlike any other book ever written. This authority and power are best seen in the way countless lives have been transformed by the supernatural power of God’s Word. Drug addicts have been cured by it, homosexuals set free by it, derelicts and deadbeats transformed by it, hardened criminals reformed by it, sinners rebuked by it, and hate turned to love by it. The Bible does possess a dynamic and transforming power that is only possible because it is truly God’s Word.

There are also external evidences that indicate the Bible is truly the Word of God. One is the historicity of the Bible. Because the Bible details historical events, its truthfulness and accuracy are subject to verification like any other historical document. Through both archaeological evidences and other writings, the historical accounts of the Bible have been proven time and time again to be accurate and true. In fact, all the archaeological and manuscript evidence supporting the Bible makes it the best-documented book from the ancient world. The fact that the Bible accurately and truthfully records historically verifiable events is a great indication of its truthfulness when dealing with religious subjects and doctrines and helps substantiate its claim to be the very Word of God.

Another external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the integrity of its human authors. As mentioned earlier, God used men from many walks of life to record His words. In studying the lives of these men, we find them to be honest and sincere. The fact that they were willing to die often excruciating deaths for what they believed testifies that these ordinary yet honest men truly believed God had spoken to them. The men who wrote the New Testament and many hundreds of other believers (1 Corinthians 15:6) knew the truth of their message because they had seen and spent time with Jesus Christ after He had risen from the dead. Seeing the risen Christ had a tremendous impact on them. They went from hiding in fear to being willing to die for the message God had revealed to them. Their lives and deaths testify to the fact that the Bible truly is God’s Word.

A final external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the indestructibility of the Bible. Because of its importance and its claim to be the very Word of God, the Bible has suffered more vicious attacks and attempts to destroy it than any other book in history. From early Roman Emperors like Diocletian, through communist dictators and on to modern-day atheists and agnostics, the Bible has withstood and outlasted all of its attackers and is still today the most widely published book in the world.

Throughout time, skeptics have regarded the Bible as mythological, but archeology has confirmed it as historical. Opponents have attacked its teaching as primitive and outdated, but its moral and legal concepts and teachings have had a positive influence on societies and cultures throughout the world. It continues to be attacked by pseudo-science, psychology, and political movements, yet it remains just as true and relevant today as it was when it was first written. It is a book that has transformed countless lives and cultures throughout the last 2000 years. No matter how its opponents try to attack, destroy, or discredit it, the Bible remains; its veracity and impact on lives is unmistakable. The accuracy which has been preserved despite every attempt to corrupt, attack, or destroy it is clear testimony to the fact that the Bible is truly God’s Word and is supernaturally protected by Him. It should not surprise us that, no matter how the Bible is attacked, it always comes out unchanged and unscathed. After all, Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31). After looking at the evidence, one can say without a doubt that, yes, the Bible is truly God’s Word.


Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-God-Word.html#ixzz39BJw7foF

 

A new species will not happen w/o Natural Selection!

 

2 Tim 3:16 An opinion of whoever wrote 2 Timothy.

I used the context of each passage, not each verse.

There is a long and complicated discussion about this. Ehyeh-asher-ehyey (Heb) or variations of spelling literally means 'I shall be what I shall be' but it has been translated 'I am what I am'. Some Bibles now acknowledge this.
John used the Septuagint translation of the Tanakh into Greek.Jesus spoke Aramaic or Hebrew, not Greek. John records Jesus words in Greek 'ego eimi' I am.
The Septuagint translates Exodus 3 'Ho on -The Being, the one who is'. Though 'Ho on' is used in John it is not asa a name or title referring to Jesus only.

And I'm not going into that again.