Do you think all Christians believe this?

[Soundsprofound]

I have a much harder time believing in the Big Bang theory than a form of intelligent design over millions of years. Really, what are the chances of our earth being just the right distance from the sun so everything does not melt or freeze and have an atmosphere that such an amazing variety of life ( animals, plants and trees ) can thrive on or even just that the earth tilts to give seasons. I have a easier time with a big bang theory caused by intelligent design.

[JLives]

Well even if the chances are 1 in 999 trillion, there still has to be one. That's us.

[tryscotty]

I'm sure from my comments you don't think I believe Adam and Eve played with dinosaurs right? I understand there are many religious people that believe things that are proven wrong, like your example, but we all don't believe those things.

Here's a thought. I understand that you do not believe in a young Earth. I also understand (unless I am way off base) that you are Christian.

You commented above that you hoped the previous poster doesn't think you "believe Adam and Eve played with dinosaurs". Clearly you were setting the record straight that you do not believe Adam and Eve were around at the time dinosaurs walked the Earth. However, you did mention Adam and Eve. Do you believe they walked on the Earth?

What I'm getting at is this: I'm curious why someone would believe one thing, but not another, when both come from the same source? Certainly you could say, "Wait a minute, the young Earth theory comes from an 'interpretation' of the bible, while the story of Adam and Eve is pretty clear. On the other hand, couldn't one read the bible and 'interpret' that the Adam and Eve story is nothing more than a fable?

I'm not trying to be condescending here. I'm sincerely asking, How do you choose which parts you believe?

I study the Bible and make sure that the conclusions I draw are in harmony with the entire Bible. Thats how I do it. I agree with the poster on the original Hebrew word for day, its a period of time not 24 hrs. People who believe the 24 hr thing can believe what they want. My understanding of a period of time is in harmony with scientific facts. The 24 hr thing isn't.

Either way, I just wanted to put my two cents in. I will busy for for two weeks so I will not be spending time on this forum. Maybe when I get back.

[janalta]

My understanding of a period of time is in harmony with scientific facts.

Actually, science is pretty much in agreement that one day is equal to 24 hours. That would kind of make it a scientific fact.
Just saying.....

So, in your personal interpretation of the bible....when god created the world in 6 days.....you take that to actually mean it could have taken 6 days, 6 years, 6 thousands years, 6 millions years...whichever works best, theoretically?

I don't know, but to me, this sounds a whole lot like 6 days...24 hour periods...from one evening to the next ...one day:

And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. (Genesis 1:5)
And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. (Genesis 1:8)
And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (Genesis 1:13)
And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. (Genesis 1:19)
And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. (Genesis 1:23)
And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)

[katzenjammer]

Well even if the chances are 1 in 999 trillion, there still has to be one. That's us.””Jen

I think your almost right. The chance of us being here is actually 100%.
We would not be here if the conditions weren’t just right for it. If things were different then we would be different or we wouldn’t be here. But here we are!

[janalta]

I have a much harder time believing in the Big Bang theory than a form of intelligent design over millions of years. Really, what are the chances of our earth being just the right distance from the sun so everything does not melt or freeze and have an atmosphere that such an amazing variety of life ( animals, plants and trees ) can thrive on or even just that the earth tilts to give seasons. I have a easier time with a big bang theory caused by intelligent design.

Stuff happens. The earth lucked out, the rest of the planets in this particular solar system...not so much.
Random and unexplicable things happen in nature every day...that's all part of the wonder of it all.

A series of rather fortunate events is so much easier to fathom than some intelligent being of some kind guiding it all by design !

[Glacier]

Predicting the past is almost as dubious as predicting the future, and we know how much faith we should put in those prognostications. As we all know many of the scientific predictions about the weather,climate, economic trends, oil reserves, etc. have turned out to be quite wrong. The problem, as hindsight shows us, is that these future trends depend on having accurate assumptions about past conditions.

The same principles apply when estimating the past. If one believes that God created the earth in 144 hours, then their methods of dating will include assumptions that reflect this, but if someone believes that intellect evolved over millions of years, then their methods for predicting the age of the earth would also reflect this concept.

It all comes down to assumptions here too as there are many different methods used to date the past that come up with starkly different numbers. It is only natural, therefore, that one throws out, or finds alternative explanations for, the ones that don't fit any assumptions.

[steven lloyd]

Well even if the chances are 1 in 999 trillion, there still has to be one.

You do realize that probability assumption supports soundsprofound's argument as well as yours ?

The chance of us being here is actually 100%.

Can’t debate that ( although Rene Decartes made an admirable attempt ).

[tryscotty]

My understanding of a period of time is in harmony with scientific facts.

Actually, science is pretty much in agreement that one day is equal to 24 hours. That would kind of make it a scientific fact.
Just saying.....

So, in your personal interpretation of the bible....when god created the world in 6 days.....you take that to actually mean it could have taken 6 days, 6 years, 6 thousands years, 6 millions years...whichever works best, theoretically?

I don't know, but to me, this sounds a whole lot like 6 days...24 hour periods...from one evening to the next ...one day:

And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. (Genesis 1:5)
And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day. (Genesis 1:8)
And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (Genesis 1:13)
And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. (Genesis 1:19)
And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. (Genesis 1:23)
And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)

If you read any of my comments you would realize, the Hebrew word used for day in Genesis means period of time. 24 hrs is a day , I believe that too, a period of time is also correct. Do you believe the Earth was created in 6 24 hr days? Maybe you do.

For further evidence of my conclusion, the Apostle Paul , when referring to the 7th day of rest, some 4,000 years after the 6 day ended ,said the 7th was still continuing. 4000 years later that day was still going. Either way I hope you can see, I do have reasons for my belief and it fits the scientific record. Unless scientists say the Earth was created in 6 24hr days, then it doesn't.

[janalta]

Actually tryscotty that's not true. The Hebrew word for day means day. One day...24 hours.
But, that is also debatable...because the Hebrew word for day also means a period of time.

So...since neither of us where alive thousands of years ago....neither of us really knows which word meaning the bible is referring to.
But..Genesis makes it fairly clear that DAY means from the dawn of one day to the evening...a DAY, as we know it.

Do I believe that the world was created in 6 days?/
NO...I believe the world evolved into what it is today over millions and millions of years of evolution and change.
I don't buy the theory of creation even one tiny little bit...whether it supposedly happened over 6 days or 6,000 years.

[tryscotty]

Actually tryscotty that's not true. The Hebrew word for day means day. One day...24 hours.
But, that is also debatable...because the Hebrew word for day also means a period of time.

So...since neither of us where alive thousands of years ago....neither of us really knows which word meaning the bible is referring to.
But..Genesis makes it fairly clear that DAY means from the dawn of one day to the evening...a DAY, as we know it.

Do I believe that the world was created in 6 days?/
NO...I believe the world evolved into what it is today over millions and millions of years of evolution and change.
I don't buy the theory of creation even one tiny little bit...whether it supposedly happened over 6 days or 6,000 years.

You are welcome to your beliefs. Mine when it comes to the creation acct, time wise fits with science.

[janalta]

You keep saying that your beliefs fit with science time wise...but you've never actually stated what you believe that time line to be.
A 'period of time' covers a whole lot of territory.

[tryscotty]

You keep saying that your beliefs fit with science time wise...but you've never actually stated what you believe that time line to be.
A 'period of time' covers a whole lot of territory.

I don't know how long it was. It was millions of years or more I'm sure. Nobody knows except the one who created it. You may not have that belief, I do. Like I said the Bible clearly states that the 7th day was still continuing 4000 yrs after it started. According to the Bible. so people who believe the Bible and think that the creative days were 24 hrs long, dont know the Bible as well as they think they do.

Signing off on this thread for good. My thoughts I've laid as clear as I can.

[fluffy]

I find it hard to take the bible literally, I'm convinced it is a parable meant to instruct and inspire rather than an accurate historical account. If it were true how the heck would Noah have dealt with woodpeckers on the ark? There's just too many questions.

[JLives]

Or freshwater animals. I didn't see anything about him building giant fish tanks with filtration systems in the story.