There must be a stopping point somewhere at some initial cause, though. You believe that the initial cause was God, others believe it was the universe itself.
I'm not quite understanding the way you've worded this Linear...a stopping point? (perhaps my health is interfering with my comprehension).
Yeah...sorry. I meant that someone could say that this God had to have an initial cause because He is so complex and ordered. You would say that He is the uncaused initiator of everything else. Since He is unseen and, so far, no one can verify any of His intercessions in the workings of this planet, some would say that the universe is the uncaused initiator of everything.
Since everything (as I've repeated) are all run by laws and time and are gradually winding down/ageing, it would indicate that there was a beginning/starting point, as everything we observe has a starting point and of course, winds down. The same with all things. I have repeated, how the universe itself must have been designed, since all that exist in it are perfectly aligned mathematically in just the right distance, revolving at just the right speed, reflecting the unfathomable mind behind it. Without such a mind, no amount of elements can in themselves get together, plan, cooperate and construct such intriciate mathematical design and outcome.
I understand your use of the anthropic principle regarding the universe's design. I happen to agree with it.
A fusion explosion results in helium from hydrogen. Helium is a gas which doesn't react with other elements easily. It is more ordered than hydrogen.
What has helium or any other element we have, got to do with creating a universe, earth and other planets in perfect alignment? And can be considered responsible for it?
You said order cannot come from an explosion....I showed you that it can. I don't know if you are implying that the Big Bang was an explosion. It was not.
Even if we decide that it must be the result of purpose, that does not eliminate evolution and lots of time as candidates for the method by which that purpose was/is to be accomplished.
It doesn't require it either. Although God could well have done it that way had He chose to do so. But there is no observation of such, neither now or in history....I see no reason to consider it happened in any other way than what God has already revealed. His explanation suffices and more than explains the world around me.
Genesis explains the world around you to you because you don't seem to look too deeply into the world around you.
Why did geologists in the 1700's, most devout Christians who were looking for the sediment layers that were placed there by the Flood, eventually conclude that the Earth was much much older than 6000 years?
How do we see stars that are more than 1 million light years away if the universe is only 6000 years old?
Why are the DNA strings for the chimpanzee and humans so closely matched in the locations where they have been affected by Endogenous Retroviruses. Endogenous retroviruses are the leftovers from when viruses attached themselves to the DNA of a seed cell (Egg or Sperm). This is a random event, yet the chimp and human have at least 10 that are in the identical place in their DNA.
These are the kinds of things that make scientists go "hmmmm".
Then choose to believe that there is no God for one week and then choose to believe that Jesus is God again. During that week you must actually believe there is no God, no evidence of God, and that your former Christian family is deluded and their prayers are completely ineffective.
Can you do that?
The bible is inspired by truth (Holy Spirit),an ancient book surviving thousands of years. The story books you mention are not comparable with the inspiration of the holy spirit of our history. Though yes, those stories you mention too remain the same, because they are self evident for what they are and do not require ongoing changes.
The bible, also doesn't need to alter it's basic foundation, because it's the truth, self evident/constant and not requiring to change as more "scientific" evidence comes to light. God already knew these things and can easily survive men's "scutiny". Prophecies included. Or do you suppose He can't?
Not talking about prophecies here. However, I will join you in the Bible forum if you would like to start a prophecy thread there.
If it was a bunch of stories hailed as truth, it would not have survived such scrutiny, nor would the prophecies have ever come to fruition, including Christ Himself or the conversions that are occuring around the world as a result.
The Bhagavad Gita is a "a bunch of stories hailed as truth" according to Christians. It was first written down before the Bible was and Hindu's fervently hail it as true, yet it is still here. The Koran is a "bunch of stories hailed as truth" according to Christians. The rate of conversions to Islam exceeds that of conversions to Christianity. Also the Koran has undergone intense scrutiny by Islam's religious leaders and is still here. Does Islam's success in conversions say anything about its validity?
THe healings in His name, the miracles etc, would also not exist (nor defy medical explanation/science).
Please name one verifiable healing/miracle that we can investigate. For a healing, we would need permission to look into the patient's medical record to verify that the disease/injury existed prior to the healing and was no longer present after the healing. Replacement of an amputated limb would be a good one to look for.
Nothing wrong with scientific theories changing Linear as new "evidence" comes to light, but it indicates our limitations and ongoing search for answers. God Himself gave us a mind to think/comprehend and study with.
Yet many don't search for answers because those answers might clash with their interpretation of the Bible.
God cannot possibly be threatened by science, since we require it to further comprehend His creation.
He is only threatened by a lack of faith.
God has not required to keep "updating" His word because He is "all knowing". The bible would have been torn to shreds easily long ago if it were a mere story book or the people in there were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, but rather relying on their own "intellect".
This argument supports the "inspiration" of the Koran and Bhagavad Gita.
We've had enough people give it a darned good shot though. They usually don't get too far for those with a good foundation in biblical scripture and grounding in Christ. To those more ignorant or with lofty ideas and problems with pride, they may well convince them. Misinterpreting or re-interpreting scripture with their own antibiblical twists is a popular tactic. We've enough of that within my own church. The wolves in sheep's clothing! The worst of the lot. At least the obvious enemies are spotted, but the ones within the church are the worst.
And you know they are misinterpreting/re-interpreting scripture because....?
