Three Questions

[Khandro]

With Brexit out of the way (?!) can we now turn to more momentous issues? I refer to those posed by St Augustine in reference to Creation; Who made it? By what means? & Why?

[Khandro]

archi; I love these stories, I particularly like the Hindu myth about the Earth. It is balanced on the upturned head of a coiled snake which rests on the back of a giant tortoise called Kurma (I think), each of the tortoise's feet are on the backs of 4 elephants and the elephants are all balanced on eggshells
This teaches us the inter-connectedness & the fragility of our planet.

[naomi24]

If only it taught you to answer questions on threads that you've initiated.

[archibaldy]

Yes some of them are very poetic and allegorical. However the Hindu one, Hebrew one etc. are all just myths but the Shona people's version is how it happened.

[Theland]

Regarding the prophecies of the Jews, God states what will happen, and then it happens. That is prophecy.
God does not go into any detail as to what agency will bring about the success of His prophecy.
Politics, military action, human determination, the United Nations, confusion and poor leadership from Israels enemies. These are just some of the levers that God can pull to bring about His will.
If you are looking for thunderbolts and earthquakes, they are simply levers not yet used.
Also, I am engaged in answering the questions asked of me.
I am not engaged in trying to convert anybody, only the Holy Spirit can do that, neither am I concerned in, "stuffing my beliefs down anybody's throat."

[nailit]

//However the Hindu one, Hebrew one etc. are all just myths but the Shona people's version is how it happened//

Must be true then....

[pixie374]

It only really teaches us that people will believe anything rather than admit they don't know...
There is no reason to believe there is a "why". That presumes an intelligent mind (where?) With motivation and reason (why?). Sometimes, things just happen. Can you think of any even vaguely likely reason, for creating the earth? Anything?

[pixie374]

Theland, if I made some prophecies and waited a couple of thousand years... one or two of those could well be interpreted to be true.

[Theland]

Fair enough.
I am puzzled though by the lack of hypotheses for the origin of the universe, rather than just knocking people with a belief.

[Theland]

Nailit - Leviticus 19 deals with your questions about circumcision, wearing different threads, sowing different crops.

[Theland]

Pixie - Don't you ever do something simply because it pleases you to do so?

[pixie374]

Theland... many of us are prepared to say that we just don't know yet (and maybe never will). I would rather just admit that, than cling on to something unlikely, that may well not be right. I need truth and accuracy. Others are happier with a belief. Fair enough... but that does not prove it is at all likely to be right.

[pixie374]

I certainly, do theland... :-)

[pixie374]

Btw, I am not "mocking" anything. I am just saying that I could come up with a totally unlikely and unscientific explanation of how and why the world was created... and then try to make you believe it wasn't true. It works the other way round though. We don't know- until we know.

[nailit]

//I am not engaged in trying to convert anybody, only the Holy Spirit can do that//
Answer me this then Theland….

I have often been asked what it would take to convert me
(convert me back, that is) to Christianity.
My answer is that I really don't know.
But an omniscient God would know wouldn't he?
And as yet has failed to convince me. Why is that?
You yourself have said that Im a seeker, but no response from said God as yet.
If Bible God want to show himself to me (or others) then he has no need to abide by mans laws and can do so direct.

So why hasn't he?
Right now, I ask that God shows himself to me. No iffs or butts, just show himself, without any doubt that he exists....

I await!

[Theland]

I said earlier, to begin with elimination.
Our own common sense will eliminate much of what was once thought of as viable arguments for the creation of the universe.
Science attempts to tackle this big question, maybe because it is in our human nature to explore. The oceans, jungles, space, and science.

[pixie374]

It is in human nature to explore and want to know. However, I don't agree that the method is "elimination". Not only is that working backwards, but also presumes we have every possible theory in the first place and that one of them "must" be right.
That doesn't make sense to me. I think we should work forwards from what we "do" absolutely know, until hopefully, we eventually get further and further.
For instance... if I told you that my front door was kicked in by dragons... I would not expect you to automatically believe that... just because you didn't know exactly what happened. Everyone is able to use their own common sense and education to rule out certain things, even if they don't absolutely know the answer.

[andy-hughes]

Khandro - // archi; I love these stories, I particularly like the Hindu myth about the Earth. It is balanced on the upturned head of a coiled snake which rests on the back of a giant tortoise called Kurma (I think), each of the tortoise's feet are on the backs of 4 elephants and the elephants are all balanced on eggshells
This teaches us the inter-connectedness & the fragility of our planet. //

Isn't that Terry Pratchett's Discworld you are describing?

[nailit]

//big question, maybe because it is in our human nature to explore//
No maybe about it!
A bit of exploration here then...
God, Show me that you exist!!

nope, a no show
(and that is despite YEARS of asking the same question)

[nailit]

Theland…
Just how do I find God?
He eludes me at every turn. Should I instead call on Krishna?
Or Odin?
What should I do?

[pixie374]

Just purely out of interest, theland... what was the relevance of...
//Pixie - Don't you ever do something simply because it pleases you to do so?//