Bible verse by verse

[_LittleNipper]

One is not to tempt the Lord God. If Satan sends something dangerous in the way of the Apostles, God was going to protect them. However, they were not supposed to jump off cliffs for kicks nor stick poison in their own water. However, there were evil people out there who would stop at nothing to kill Christianity at its birth. God is saying He is there, don't worry. Some people get caught up in feelings. Salvation is not about feelings.

[_LittleNipper]

The Question any "Christian" scientist needs to consider is as follows: How old would the Universe appear when God created it?"

[_Choyo Chagas]

The Question any "Christian" scientist needs to consider is as follows: How old would the Universe appear when God created it?"

no sir

the question any scientist needs to consider is as follows: how old is the universe?

got the keyword?
the keyword is "is". *** not "would appear".

it has nothing to do with belief system of the scientist - if there is any...
the science works this way - even the scientist is "Christian" or simply christian, without cap and quotation marks...

***
i know i know; this sounds a little clintonesque, anyway, he was your president

[_LittleNipper]

The Question any "Christian" scientist needs to consider is as follows: How old would the Universe appear when God created it?"

no sir

the question any scientist needs to consider is as follows: how old is the universe?

got the keyword?
the keyword is "is". *** not "would appear".

it has nothing to do with belief system of the scientist - if there is any...
the science works this way - even the scientist is "Christian" or simply christian, without cap and quotation marks...

***
i know i know; this sounds a little clintonesque, anyway, he was your president

Then YOU don't believe GOD created anything, and could care less if YOUR hypothesis/theories are totally correct, only that they are secular.

[_spotlight]

The Question any "Christian" scientist needs to consider is as follows: How old would the Universe appear when God created it?"

Which you don't even stick to. At first when presented with data that evinces an old earth you try to ascribe it to the appearance of age. Then you spout BS from the likes of Kent Hovind which is NOT with the appearance of age but declaring some evidence to show an appearance of youth. You are totally inconsistent in your thinking. You contradict yourself.

The question a scientist should answer (Christian or not) is what is the implication of the evidence and data, not what can I find to prop up a belief based conclusion held prior to investigation. Otherwise said individual is not acting in the capacity of a scientist but merely that of an apologist. In other words you have to allow for the possibility that your beliefs are incorrect in order to claim you are searching for "the truth" otherwise you are just a close minded simpleton determined to uphold whatever you happened to be exposed to in the culture you were born into. This type of shallow thinker can be found among all cultures on the face of the planet.

[_Maksutov]

Can I be a scientist and a Christian?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martin-th ... 40239.html

Years ago, when I pastored a church in Hawaii, I met a young woman named Mary, who was working on her Ph.D. in biology. On the one hand, Mary felt drawn to Christianity. But on the other hand, she struggled with the issue of science and faith, especially evolution. She told me, “I want to believe in God, but I cannot forfeit my mind in the process.” She then asked me a question I will never forget. She said, “Dr. Thielen, can I be a scientist and a Christian?”

People answer that question differently. Some say science and faith don’t mix, that you have to pick a side. Others argue science and faith are not mutually exclusive, that one can be both a person of faith and science. Two months ago, during the premiere episode of the remade TV show, Cosmos, this tension between faith and science was vividly portrayed. Perhaps the best example of this long-standing faith/science tension is the ongoing debate over evolution.

Although an oversimplification, three major options exist when it comes to evolution. The first option can be called “atheistic evolution.” For example, Bill Nye, “The Science Guy” argues that we live in an evolving universe that began with the Big Bang, with no need or evidence for a creator. According to a 2012 Gallup Poll, 15 percent of Americans affirm this view.

The second option is called “scientific creationism.” This view, held by many conservative Christians, insists on a literal reading of Genesis 1-2 to explain the details of creation. Proponents of scientific creationism argue that evolution is a myth, a lie and an enemy of faith. It may surprise you to learn that large numbers of Americans affirm this view. In the Gallup Poll mentioned above, 46 percent of Americans said they believed that God created human beings, fully-formed, not evolved, less than 10 thousand years ago.

In spite of a large following, scientific creationism presents major problems. First, it has scientific problems. It denies virtually every branch of modern science including physics, chemistry, cosmology, geology, anthropology, genetics and biology. From a scientific perspective, creation science is hopelessly flawed. Not only does this position have scientific problems, but it also has biblical problems. Contrary to what this view teaches, the Bible is not a science book. The book of Genesis was never written to give us a scientific explanation of creation. In fact, Genesis has two completely different creation stories, one in Genesis 1:1-2:3 and another in Genesis 2:4-25. The two accounts don’t agree with each other and cannot be reconciled. For example, in the first account man is created last, but in the second account man is created first. So what’s the deal? The deal is that the Bible cares little about science and very much about theology. Beyond the obvious scientific and biblical problems with scientific creationism, its biggest flaw is that it forces people to make an either/or choice between science and faith, a totally unnecessary choice.

A third, more promising Christian position concerning creation is called “theistic evolution.” Theistic evolution affirms, along with science, that the universe was created by some kind of evolutionary process. However, unlike atheism, this view believes that God directed that process. This position claims that God created the universe but did so through the process of evolution. Theistic evolution is the overwhelming position of scientists who are also believers. It’s also the position of most mainline Christians. Theistic evolution provides a satisfying synthesis of science and faith that makes sense for millions of Christian believers.

Years ago a conservative pastor asked me, “Do you believe in creationism, or do you believe in evolution?” I said, “Yes.” He gave me a strange look and said, “What do you mean, ‘yes.’” I said, “Yes, I believe in creationism. And yes, I believe in evolution. I believe God created the world, but I believe God created through evolution.” He was not happy with that answer, and you may not be happy with that answer either. But, for millions of Christians, theistic evolution is the only option that makes both spiritual and scientific sense.

Several years ago, the state of Kansas fought a major battle over the teaching of evolution in the public school system. Of course, that battle is not new. Way back in 1925, evolution was hotly debated in a Tennessee courtroom. A public school teacher named John Scopes was put on trial for violating a state law against teaching evolution in public schools. They called it the “Scopes Monkey Trial.” During the proceedings battle lines were drawn; no middle ground existed. You either believed in godless, atheistic evolution; or else you believed in God, Christianity and the Bible.

Hollywood made a movie about that trial, which became a classic, called Inherit the Wind. In the closing scene of the movie, the attorney who defended John Scopes for teaching evolution was picking up his things from a table, including two books. The first book was The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, which first laid out the theory of evolution. The second book was the Bible. The attorney picked up Darwin’s Origin of Species and then set it down. Then he picked up the Bible and set it down. Back and forth he went, holding one book, then the other. Which to choose? Biology or Genesis? Reason or faith? Science or Spirit? Finally, the attorney picked up both books, Darwin’s Origin of Species and the Bible, tucked them under his arm, and walked out of the courtroom.

And so Mary, the young biology Ph.D. student asked me, “Can I be a scientist and a Christian?” The answer is yes — a thousand times yes!

[_LittleNipper]

The Question any "Christian" scientist needs to consider is as follows: How old would the Universe appear when God created it?"

Which you don't even stick to. At first when presented with data that evinces an old earth you try to ascribe it to the appearance of age. Then you spout BS from the likes of Kent Hovind which is NOT with the appearance of age but declaring some evidence to show an appearance of youth. You are totally inconsistent in your thinking. You contradict yourself.

The question a scientist should answer (Christian or not) is what is the implication of the evidence and data, not what can I find to prop up a belief based conclusion held prior to investigation. Otherwise said individual is not acting in the capacity of a scientist but merely that of an apologist. In other words you have to allow for the possibility that your beliefs are incorrect in order to claim you are searching for "the truth" otherwise you are just a close minded simpleton determined to uphold whatever you happened to be exposed to in the culture you were born into. This type of shallow thinker can be found among all cultures on the face of the planet.

You ascribe age because of light years, and various chemical combinations found, etc... And I say that the earth was created by GOD is 6 days --- exactly as man (as God designed him) needed it to be to exist. That required Creation and not evolution.

Where change comes into play is as species adapt to face the changing environment of a corrupted dying planet and where man breeded various traits among select species to acentuate traits man found important.

[_spotlight]

You ascribe age because of light years, and various chemical combinations found, etc... And I say that the earth was created by GOD is 6 days --- exactly as man (as God designed him) needed it to be to exist. That required Creation and not evolution.

Where change comes into play is as species adapt to face the changing environment of a corrupted dying planet and where man breeded various traits among select species to acentuate traits man found important.

Give this a read. If you understand what an isotope is maybe you'll understand it. Either your earth is very old or your god is a master deceiver. Take your pick.
https://ageofrocks.org/2014/08/23/chemo ... d-geology/

ERVs are damage to the DNA. We have on the order of 200,000 of them in our genome. That's an IMPOSSIBLE 33.3 per year on average over 6,000 years time.

The genetic bottlenecks are missing for the Noah Ark story to be a historical event.
https://thenaturalhistorian.com/2016/03 ... evolution/

[_LittleNipper]

http://www.amazingfacts.org/media-libra ... on-the-ark

[Guest]

Luke 1:1-80

Dear Theophilos:

Regarding matters that have occurred among us, many people have undertaken to write down accounts

based on what was passed down to us by those who at the beginning were eyewitnesses and proclaimers of the message.

Therefore, Your Excellency, since I have carefully investigated all these things early on, it seemed proper to me that I too should write you an accurate and ordered narrative,

so that you might know how well documented are the things about which you have been taught.

In the days of Herod, King of Judah, there was a priest named Z’kharyah/Zacharias who belonged to the Aviyah division. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and was named Elisheva/Elizabeth.

Both of them were righteous before God, observing all the commands and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

One time, when Zacharias was fulfilling his duties as priest during his division’s period of service before God,

he was selected by lot (according to the custom among the priests) to enter the Temple and burn incense.

All the people were outside, praying, at the time of the incense burning,

when there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing at the right of the incense altar.

Zacharias was startled and terrified at the sight.

But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias; because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him Yochanan/John.

He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many people will rejoice at his birth,

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never any liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even inside his mother’s womb.

He will point many people of Israel to Lord their God.

He will go out ahead of Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient towards the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare the people for the Lord.”

Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be certain this? For I am an old man; my wife too is well along in years.”

“Listen, I'm Gabriel” the angel answered, “and I stand in God's presence. I was sent to tell to you, to give you this wonderful news.

Now, because you couldn't accept what I said, which will be fulfilled in due course, you will be quiet, unable to talk until the day these things happen!”

Outside, the people were waiting for Zacharias; they were surprised at his taking so long in the Temple.

But when he came out unable to talk to them, they understood that he had seen a vision in the Temple; speechless, he communicated to them with gestures.

When his period of his Temple service was over, he returned home.

Following this, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she remained five months secluded, saying,

“The Lord has done this for me; He has demonstrated favor to me at this time, so as to remove my public humiliation.”

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in the Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin engaged to a man named Yosef/Joseph, of the house of David; the virgin’s name was Miryam/Mary.

Approaching her, the angel said, “Joyous peace, favored lady! The Lord is with you!”

She was deeply taken aback at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you found God's favor.

Understand! You will become pregnant, you will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua/Jesus.

He will be great, he will be called Son of Most High God. The Lord, God, will give him the throne of his forefather David;

and he will rule the House of Ya‘akov/Jacob eternally — His Kingdom will not cease.”

“How is this possible,” Mary asked of the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered her,

“The Holy Spirit will come over you, the power of Holy Spirit will cover you. Therefore the holy child born to you will be called God's Son.

You have a relative, Elisheva/Elizabeth, who is an old woman; and everyone says she is barren. But she has conceived a son and is six months pregnant!

For with God, nothing is impossible.”

Mary said, “I am the servant of Lord; may it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Immediately, Mary set out and hurried to the town in Judah's hill country

where Zacharias lived, entered his house and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

and spoke out in a loud voice,

“How blessed are you among women! And how blessed is the child in your womb!

“But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?

For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb flipped joyously!

Indeed you are blessed, because you trust that the promise the Lord has made to you will be fulfilled.”

Then Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord;

and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,

who has noticed his servant-girl in her lowly spot. For — just think! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!

“The Mighty One has done great things for me! Actually, his name is holy;

and in every generation He has mercy on those who regard Him.

“He has performed mighty deeds with his arm, driven out the secretly proud,

deposed rulers from their thrones, exulted the humble,

filled the hungry with nutritious things, but sent the rich away empty.

“He has sided with His servant Israel, thoughtful of the mercy which he promised to our fathers, to Avraham/Abraham and his seed forever.”

Mary remained with Elizabeth for about 3 months and then went home.

The time arrived for Elizabeth to deliver her baby, and she gave birth to a son.

Her neighbors and relatives heard how good the Lord had been towards her, and they rejoiced with her.

On the 8th day, they came to do the child’s circumcision. They were about to name him Zacharias, after his father,

when his mother spoke up and said, “No, he is to be named John.”

They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name,”

and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him named.

He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.”

In that moment, his power of speech returned, and his first words were praises to God.

All their neighbors were awestruck; and throughout the hill country of Judah, people talked concerning these things.

Everyone who heard of them said to himself, “What is this child to be?” For obviously the hand of the Lord was with him.

His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and pronounced this prophecy:

“Praised be Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and paid a ransom to liberate his people

by establishing for us a mighty Deliverer who is a descendant of His servant David.

It is just as he has spoken through prophets from the start —

that we should be saved from our enemies and from the might of all who hate us.

“This occurred so that He might show the mercy promised to our fathers — that he would remember his holy covenant,

the oath he swore before father Abraham

to provide us freedom from our enemies, serving Him without fear,

in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

You, John, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go before the Lord to make ready His direction

by spreading the knowledge among his people that deliverance comes by having sins forgiven

by our God’s most tender mercy, which causes the Sunrise to visit us from Heaven,

to shine on those in darkness, living in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into peaceful paths.”

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he resided in the wilderness until the time came for him to appear in public to Israel.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 Seeing that many did take in hand to set in order a narration of the matters that have been fully assured among us,

2 as they did deliver to us, who from the beginning became eye-witnesses, and officers of the Word, --

3 it seemed good also to me, having followed from the first after all things exactly, to write to thee in order, most noble Theophilus,

4 that thou mayest know the certainty of the things wherein thou wast instructed.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elisabeth;

6 and they were both righteous before God, going on in all the commands and righteousnesses of the Lord blameless,

7 and they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.

8 And it came to pass, in his acting as priest, in the order of his course before God,

9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,

10 and all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the hour of the perfume.

11 And there appeared to him a messenger of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of the perfume,

12 and Zacharias, having seen, was troubled, and fear fell on him;

13 and the messenger said unto him, `Fear not, Zacharias, for thy supplication was heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear a son to thee, and thou shalt call his name John,

14 and there shall be joy to thee, and gladness, and many at his birth shall joy,

15 for he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and strong drink he may not drink, and of the Holy Spirit he shall be full, even from his mother's womb;

16 and many of the sons of Israel he shall turn to the Lord their God,

17 and he shall go before Him, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn hearts of fathers unto children, and disobedient ones to the wisdom of righteous ones, to make ready for the Lord, a people
prepared.'

18 And Zacharias said unto the messenger, `Whereby shall I know this? for I am aged, and my wife is advanced in her days?'

19 And the messenger answering said to him, `I am Gabriel, who have been standing near before God, and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to proclaim these good news to thee,

20 and lo, thou shalt be silent, and not able to speak, till the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou didst not believe my words, that shall be fulfilled in their season.'

21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wondering at his tarrying in the sanctuary,

22 and having come out, he was not able to speak to them, and they perceived that a vision he had seen in the sanctuary, and he was beckoning to them, and did remain dumb.

23 And it came to pass, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he went away to his house,

24 and after those days, his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying --

25 `Thus hath the Lord done to me, in days in which He looked upon [me], to take away my reproach among men.'

26 And in the sixth month was the messenger Gabriel sent by God, to a city of Galilee, the name of which [is] Nazareth,

27 to a virgin, betrothed to a man, whose name [is] Joseph, of the house of David, and the name of the virgin [is] Mary.

28 And the messenger having come in unto her, said, `Hail, favoured one, the Lord [is] with thee; blessed [art] thou among women;'

29 and she, having seen, was troubled at his word, and was reasoning of what kind this salutation may be.

30 And the messenger said to her, `Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God;

31 and lo, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and call his name Jesus;

32 he shall be great, and Son of the Highest he shall be called, and the Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father,

33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob to the ages; and of his reign there shall be no end.'

34 And Mary said unto the messenger, `How shall this be, seeing a husband I do not know?'

35 And the messenger answering said to her, `The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also the holy-begotten thing shall be called Son of God;

36 and lo, Elisabeth, thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her who was called barren;

37 because nothing shall be impossible with God.'

38 And Mary said, `Lo, the maid-servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to thy saying,' and the messenger went away from her.

39 And Mary having arisen in those days, went to the hill-country, with haste, to a city of Judea,

40 and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe did leap in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

42 and spake out with a loud voice, and said, `Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb;

43 and whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord might come unto me?

44 for, lo, when the voice of thy salutation came to my ears, leap in gladness did the babe in my womb;

45 and happy [is] she who did believe, for there shall be a completion to the things spoken to her from the Lord.'

46 And Mary said, `My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit was glad on God my Saviour,

48 Because He looked on the lowliness of His maid-servant, For, lo, henceforth call me happy shall all the generations,

49 For He who is mighty did to me great things, And holy [is] His name,

50 And His kindness [is] to generations of generations, To those fearing Him,

51 He did powerfully with His arm, He scattered abroad the proud in the thought of their heart,

52 He brought down the mighty from thrones, And He exalted the lowly,

53 The hungry He did fill with good, And the rich He sent away empty,

54 He received again Israel His servant, To remember kindness,

55 As He spake unto our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed -- to the age.'

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and turned back to her house.

57 And to Elisabeth was the time fulfilled for her bringing forth, and she bare a son,

58 and the neighbours and her kindred heard that the Lord was making His kindness great with her, and they were rejoicing with her.

59 And it came to pass, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were calling him by the name of his father, Zacharias,

60 and his mother answering said, `No, but he shall be called John.'

61 And they said unto her -- `There is none among thy kindred who is called by this name,'

62 and they were making signs to his father, what he would wish him to be called,

63 and having asked for a tablet, he wrote, saying, `John is his name;' and they did all wonder;

64 and his mouth was opened presently, and his tongue, and he was speaking, praising God.

65 And fear came upon all those dwelling around them, and in all the hill-country of Judea were all these sayings spoken of,

66 and all who heard did lay them up in their hearts, saying, `What then shall this child be?' and the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and did prophesy, saying,

68 `Blessed [is] the Lord, the God of Israel, Because He did look upon, And wrought redemption for His people,

69 And did raise an horn of salvation to us, In the house of David His servant,

70 As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, Which have been from the age;

71 Salvation from our enemies, And out of the hand of all hating us,

72 To do kindness with our fathers, And to be mindful of His holy covenant,

73 An oath that He sware to Abraham our father,

74 To give to us, without fear, Out of the hand of our enemies having been delivered,

75 To serve Him, in holiness and righteousness Before Him, all the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, Prophet of the Highest Shalt thou be called; For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, To prepare His ways.

77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people In remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercies of our God, In which the rising from on high did look upon us,

79 To give light to those sitting in darkness and death-shade, To guide our feet to a way of peace.'

80 And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and he was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.