Peter Watts

I've always took this to mean that the people avenged themselves in what was a particularly long day of fighting that must have seemed to the people as if it last forever. But then, I was an English major and I know something about metaphor and poetic language.
When I say, "I'm dog tired," I don't mean that I became a German shepherd.

It's funny that atheists don't believe Christians have any right to use metaphor.

On another note, the Bible sure is a wonderful book.
It must be. If this thread is any indication, atheists are reading it more than many of the people in my Sunday school class.

charmeyn

No
I am not saying that the Bible is in error, and what did you not understand about what I said in the last line of my comment that it was more than likely a descriptive of that particular time of day. Heck even I could look at the sun at noon time when it's high in the sky and not see an iota of movement, then turn my eyes from it for a brief moment and look at it again and notice it still "appears" to be in the same position. I mean come on did you think that these people had "time lapse" movies back then, get real. It was a figuritive description of that particular day and more than likely their way of describing the time of day for which the other events on that day occured.
And if as far as Christ ascension seems to "appear" that he is rising as you state, the key word being "appear" , then I guess I would have to ask you what your definition of the word "appear" means to you; to me it's something that I can see and wittness with my own eyes, so to me it would be safe to say that what those in the Bible said to have appeared to have happened in regards to Christ's asscension is only because they themsleves wittnessed it. Oh and keep in mind they didn't have people like Stephen Speilberg or Holographic technoligy back then to create this event that only one person alone wittnessed which would lead me to doubt this event, but rather there were many who wittnessed it. And it would also be safe to say that neither one of us was there on that day to say wether it did or did not occur, and there will be no scientist or historian that will ever be able to prove or say that it didn't, however a whole group of eye wittnesses can't all be wrong.

Vicki

Yep, and we're still atheists! Why is that?

John A. Broussard

I'm using the word exactly the way you use it.

The sun "appeared" to stand still.

Christ "appeared" to rise up in the heavens.

The sun, you admit, did not stand still. It simply "appeared" to stand still to those who observed it.

Now the question is, why do you not apply the same reasoning to Christ's rising up in the heavens?

Why couldn't your bible which when it says the sun stood still, merely means it appeared to stand still, also be saying that when Christ rose up into the heavens, Christ simply appeared to rise up into the heavens?

John A. Broussard

Shucks, any book of fiction is allowed to use metaphor.

Can you give me some rule of thumb to use so that I'll know when the bible is using metaphor and when it isn't.

It would be handy to know so that in the course of my close study of the bible I'll know that the statement "the sun stood still" merely is a poetic way of saying it seemed like a long day.

It will help also when I come to passages about Christ rising bodily up into the skies to know that it's metaphorical and means just that he passed away.

I hope you see my dilemma, and I would appreciate your help.

Thank you.

charmeyn

Gosh let me give my head a shake here.... NO, I am not saying "there are other Gods" unless you want to include the wannabe "god" Satan, but rather these "other gods" as mentioned in the Bible, were "manmade" of which most had a "physical" likeness made in the form of Idols. In fact the people tried to do it again, make an idol in the form of a Golden Calf, just shortly after the Lord God commanded them not to do so, because like before they needed something visual to prove to themselves "their God" existed.
And yes, the Bible does make mention of other gods by their name, Baal the sun god.
You see, the people who worshipped more than one god obviously could not fathom the idea of one God creating all things so they had to have multitudes of "gods" to represent nearly every aspect of their human existance. And even though they required to have something "visual" in the form of idols to justify their "gods" existance they still were'nt satisfied when the "real deal" presented himself in the flesh by way of Jesus Christ..... tell me do you believe air exists yet you can not see, hear, touch nor taste it yet it's one of the many things that sustains your very existance? I bet you do; well that's how I feel about the existance of God I don't have to see him to believe in him.

charmeyn

man,have you ever even thought to consider that "Old English" grammar and wording was far different than what it is today in the case of the KJV, or even Hebrew grammar if you really want to get technical here, I mean really cut yourself some slack here. Better yet try picturing yourself in that time period

Vicki

Congratulations! You have just explained how and why man created gods!

charmeyn

Well for some it seems you would of had too, turn into a german shepard that is ,to convince some of these naysayer's ; but I do admit you make a perfect example of an "analogy", which for some I do not feel even know the meaning of what an "analogy" is, or for that matter metophor or parrable, which are really basically all the same: A means for which to give an example or description to help a person better understand and grasp a concept you try to present to them.

charmeyn

Oh really I did? so tell me this then, how did they create Jesus in the flesh, or did you miss that part of my comment?