BBC NEWS | Americas | US school’s new challenge to Darwin — An interesting ramble from the BBC discussing the newest creationist gambit in Pennsylvania as well as the Genesis Museum in Kentucky. Good stuff for the debate.
In Kentucky a museum dedicated to the Book of Genesis and the story of the creation is under construction.
The $25m venture is hoping to pull in around a quarter of a million visitors a year.
They will be taken on a journey 6,000 years back in time, to the Garden of Eden, to a time when the creators believe dinosaurs and man roamed the earth side-by-side.
The museum has been a 20-year dream for Australian Ken Ham, a Biblical-creationist who is taking on the scientific establishment.
related link
Genesis FAQ, etc.
Answers in Genesis is a Christian apologetics ministry that equips the church to uphold the authority of the Bible from the very first verse. The thousands of articles and media programs on this site answer questions about creation/evolution, dinosaurs, and much more.
So that means stoning, right? Why aren’t the biblical absolutists promoting the reintroduction of stoning? Seriously. Why not? Can someone explain that to me.
The Bible does not describe in specifics which form of restraint was used while the very gory process of stoning was done, however some manner of keeping the condemned individual from escaping was used (as documented by witnesses, and participants, over the centuries), ranging from being thrown before the stoning from an elevation of some sort that caused incapacitating injury, to being tied to a post (or simply tied hand and foot), to being buried with just the head and shoulders left above ground, to just being surrounded by a large crowd of stone throwers in an enclosed area. Unlike most other forms of capital punishment, stoning had no specific executioner, “all the congregation shall stone” (see verses below)
I’ll explain it to you. Christians are inconsistant hypocrites. They pick what they like from the Bible and ignore what they don’t like.
Here’s something fun to do. When one brings up prayer in schools or other public places, bring up Matthew 6:5, 6. to piss them off:
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
Were there references to dinosaurs in the Bible? I can’t remember…
Stoning was an old testament punishment for sinning. According to the new testament, Jesus took the place of everyone for their sins. Thus, there is no more “need” for stoning. I believe you have asked this question before and I have given this same answer. Is there somewhere where I am wrong in what I am saying which makes you hesitant to believe it?
“Why aren’t the biblical absolutists promoting the reintroduction of stoning?” Stoning and such laws were intended strictly for Israel and no particular governmental (or social) activities were intended for non-Jews. In general the Levitical law is seen as applying only to the Jews and only pre-Christ. Accounts intended to be factual, however, are generally taken so by the “absolutists.”
As far as I can see, there is no specific mechanism given in the creation account, so it might as well be a big bang as ex nihilo. Also keeping in mind that “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” It’s not a precise account beyond what it intends to be, which is that God made it, and he did so deliberately.
Answers in Genesis is a Christian apologetics ministry that equips the church to uphold the authority of the Bible from the very first verse.
So, the creators of this site believe “the church” (whatever that means) has not been equipped to uphold the authority of the bible??
I don’t see a problem with this. If idiots want to spend their money building a muesem like this, or going to a muesem like this, that’s their business. As long as its not government money.
Wesley Allen, you wrote arguing that Jesus replaced Mosaic law. If you read the Bible, you’d know that wasn’t true.
In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.”
In 5:18 Jesus said that Mosaic Law was to be followed to the letter.
Afterwards, Jesus goes through various bits of Mosaic Law and actually intensifies the severity. For example, in Matthew 5:21 Jesus refers to Exodus 21:12 “You shall not kill and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” But he intensifies it to say that whoever is angry without someone will be liable for judgment. 5:22
Exodus 20:14 reads that “You shall not commit adultery.” Jesus changes that in 5:27-30 to mean that you can commit adultery merely by looking at a woman with lust. I could go on and on, but you can always read it yourself.
But of course the reason why Matthew was so obsessed with stressing Mosaic Law was because he was trying to get Ebonite Jews to join up. What better way to appeal to Jews than to be “more” Jewish. “You think you’re Jewish? Join us, we’re REALLY Jewish!”
But of course Paul was trying to convert non-Jews, so he went out of his way to stress that the Mosaic Law was no longer followed. Romans 7:4.
It’s just one more contradiction in the Bible worth checking out.
Good grief. By the time I was 13 years old [in a New
England factory town], I’d learned enough science to stop wasting intellectual time and effort on religion. I kept on going to church for 5 more years [1] to keep my parents happy and [2] it was an easy place to meet girls.
I know that evolutionary biologists tell us most folks stop learning anything around age 26; but, some of these folks never left the Stone Age. Rumpelstiltskin is as valid as any other superstition.
If you really want answers to your biblical questions, just read the actual Bible. I know it seems simple, but it is the easiest answer. You still might not agree with what is written there (like Mosaic law stoning) but you will have it explained for you. 🙂 BTW we do not live under the Mosaic law anymore.
I still think that certain crimes deserve the punishment of death. I think lethal injection works better than stoning now a days.
Your very first statement is incorrect. I never said that “Jesus replaced Mosaic law.” I said that Jesus took our place for punishment based on BREAKING the law.
Onto your other comments:
If you read through Matthew 5, verses 17-20 seem to clearly be talking about the fact that one should follow the laws set by God. It states that “Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” From this, it shows that the punishment for disobeying a law and teaching others to do the same is that you will be “least in the kingdom of heaven.” Yes, God frowns upon those who disobey Him.
As you said, “Jesus goes through various bits of Mosaic Law and actually intensifies the severity.” He points out that those who do things of even little severity “will be liable to judgment.” God is just. Those who do wrong (even that which we consider unimportant and trivial) deserve punishment and death and are liable to judgement.
In the Old Testament, punishment would be placed on someone who broke a law. However, Jesus came to take that punishment so that we would not have to. As you said, in reference to the Law, Jesus said: “I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.” This just shows how amazing Jesus is. He was the one, the ONLY one, in history, to fulfill all the requirements of the Law. Ironically enough, He is the same one who took the punishment for all the wrong you and I have done.
SOooooo… I guess this is a long-winded way of saying that yes, the Law is still important today in that Jesus fulfilled it and He represents how we ourselves should live. And: stoning is no longer needed as a type of punishment for sins (going against the will of God) because Jesus abolished that punishment when he died for us.
I hope this has made some sort of sense… it’s kinda late and my mind gets rather foggy when I’m tired. Let me know if something is not correct, but you can check my resource (the Bible) if you have any questions.
So, the Mosaic Law still applies, I mean a more severe Mosiac Law still applies, but if anyone breaks them, Jesus gets punished for it. Gee, Christianity is looking pretty good! No wonder why I deal with so many convicts who claim to have found Jesus!
Actually, Ima, that’s exactly right. Sounds ridiculously convenient, eh? We do things wrong and someone else pays the price. Would you like more information on the topic?
More information? Did you read my posts? I think I know enough about the bible. Thanks anyway.
Okay, just thought I’d ask since you seemed interested in the fact that “if anyone breaks them [Mosaic Laws], Jesus gets punished for it.”
Religious proponents regularly fail to recognize that interpretations of the bible are by definition purely subjective and meant to persuade rather than find truth. You have people conjecturing on what someone else said someone else did 2000 years ago. Actually, it is worse than that when you account for the fact that the gospels were written from oral tradition. So you have people conjecturing on what someone else said other people told them someone else did.
Hey, if someone wants to erect a monument or museum to whatever they want, more power to them. Riply’s museum wouldn’t exist if we were picky about facts and truth in museums and yet it is still entertaining.
I’m going to wait for Bible the Musical… that might even be MORE entertaining than watching Ima and Wesley go at it. (BTW…Ima is winning, Wesley, read her posts more carefully.)
Yes, these Creationist activists suck at science but — c’mon — most of you guys suck at theology.
It’s ironic that you both agree on one point, at least — that creationism and science are incompatible.
But says who? Many enlightened theologians have no trouble with evolution and many open-minded scientists have no trouble with a creator God or other higher power.
Creationists have to accept the reality of science but the scientific community have to stop mocking the VAST MAJORITY of the human race that perceives a spiritual world.
Science answers a lot of questions but not all… by any means.
Saying that we all agree that religion and science are not the same and they should not be taught as the same is great. However, it misses the fact that there are people that are striving for changes that would do this very thing. The sticker that creationists wanted to add to text books is a prime example.