What interesting facts have you come across in the Bible?  

Good on you too, snoopyfan. The Bible, although it has really great stories, is a manual that God has given us for us to operate the life He wants for us. All those stories give us scenarios that we might find ourselves in, and what to do in those scenarios.

Thanks for sharing all your stories. Another fact... did you know that Peter ACTUALLY walked on water? Read Matthew 14:25-31. In verse 29, Jesus said to Peter, "Come." And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But he looked at the winds and started to sink...

It's got such beautiful stories like that. When you read your Bible, read both the old and new testaments. And really enjoy the stories... Have fun :)

Yes and Peter was the one who first started the church. Peter came a long way. And I do understand The Bible is our manual from God. I just think those stories are great and let's us know that yes we are going to sin from time to time and fall down. God will be right there to pick us back up.

I just wanted to let you know for what ever it is worth that I agree with your logic.

That's because you're taking it out of context, and not looking at the bigger picture! In Genesis 1:28 God said to man(kind) "Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the earth." These angels were living creatures that moved on the earth. God created man(kind) to be superior over the angels. So in God's eyes, man(kind) having children with the angels was the same as man(kind) having children with goats or sheep of donkeys! This was despicable in God's eyes. He couldn't blame it on the angels any more than he could blame it on goats or sheep or donkeys! He created man(kind) with the intelligence to know that what they were doing was wrong. That's why he punished mankind.
God is a loving and just God. And the flood, like the fires on Sodom and Gomorrah, was just.

I could understand if God had punished all women who went to bed with a these winged creature but to wipe out all living creatures is beyond my comprehension. I have never seen a cross between an animal and human but have heard of a cross between a ghost and human and no punishment was handed out. As a matter of fact we have blessed this union to the point where we worship it. Your explanation needs some more thinking.

Remember the rainbow? God vowed never to destroy the earth again by way of a flood. So yes, the wickedness of man is such that those same things that happened then would happen again. Humans will worship evil things. That's their nature. But all will not go unpunished...

Stick to the point. You are side stepping the issues

The issue of angelic creatures cohabiting with women was only part of the issue.

The hybrid offspring of these unions were "the mighty men of old" they are referred to as "fellers" or bullies.

The earth was ruined in the sight of God because of the tremendous violence.

The animals, poor things, did indeed suffer as a result of the "badness of men", just as they do today. The loss of species and ruining of their habitats affects them in our time.

Had they wanted, anyone who disliked what was going on could have escaped, by getting on the ark. Noah was not just an ark builder, but also, "a preacher of righteousness" Sadly, only a Noah and his family, did so.

What happened at the time of the flood is a prophetic pattern, a warning.

"Just as it was in the time of Noah, so the presence of the Son of Man will be."

History will repeat itself. But we have a choice. As they did then.

You may wonder too, what happened to these "sons of the true God" when their women and offspring died at the flood?

Are you saying that these angels from heaven slept with women and produce "fellers " or bullies. MY MY, from what you are telling me it seems as if nothing coming from heaven is any good. I hope you didn't meant that.

efc, It's not right to say "nothing coming from heaven is any good." Remember that satan himself was once an angel in heaven? he was once God's music minister. So it's not hard to believe that these angels were indeed sleeping with women. All demons were once angels...

God gave angels and man thinking ability. Thinking ability sooner or later includes the ability to choose. Otherwise God could have chosen to never endow thinking ability, as it was a pandora's box, and being Life itself, the life force, od has to experience aLL sufferings which ever occur. Why would God put himself though all that?! Because he's not making an ant farm or robots, but a family and an eternally un-breakable paradise, for aLL will fully know good from evil/Life from death, because of this unavoidable journey and lesson.
- Before the flood the bible states every thought (going on) was evil. Had God not destroyed that 'crop' we all would have been descended from them,, or rather, actually they would have destroyed each other long ago. It's kind of like in Elijah's day, Elijah had to battle the evil priests of Baal, whose religion had to do with human sacrifice, especially infants which were sacrificed alive in fire, this was prevalent in the nations around Israel, as such ones had survived the wars meant to terminate such doings.
- In 1 Kings 19. Elijah was depressed as a large battle and Jezebel was sending many men out to kill Elijah and Elijah basically said what's the use, no one remembers God in all of Israel.. God responded (in this chapter) by revealing himself to Elijah, as not being in the howlin wind.. the fire.. but was in the Quietness.. Also in this chapter Elijah first found Elisha, his apprentice and helper.. who did later receive 'the spirit of Elijah' when God took Elijah to heaven, the only one to go to God w/o dying.. It was not a punishment and God has promised to send the 'spirit of Elijah' (fierce preaching) before apocalypse..

Are you in a position to tell me if these angels were male only?

Hi amorlife, can you confirm if angels/demons still exist today ?

Wow, flowerchilde, nice commentary. Only one correction: Elisha was not the only one to go to God without dying... Enoch was also taken to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24 - "Enoch walked with God, then he was no more, because God took him away").
Also, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died, rose again from the dead (so He was alive) and ascended into heaven alive. :)

Hi efc, I can't confirm if ALL these angels were male, I haven't come across a distinction in the Bible. But if I do, I'll share with you.

Angels and demons do exist today. The Bible says Hebrews 1:14 "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?". This tells us that as long as there are people still to be saved (inherit salvation), there will be angels sent to serve them.
And in 1 Timothy 4:1, it says "The Spirit clearly says that in later times, some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." We are living in the later times now, so there are demons that are teaching thing...

Even then there were the demons.

Hi amorlife, Would a modern angel / deamon from heaven sport wings or they are in human form ?

Hi gewcew, check what I wrote above about the reason for the flood... I don't know if it'll answer your question?

As for the creation of the lights, you have to read the Bible carefully so that you don't confuse yourself. In Genesis 1:16-17, the Bible says "And God made two great lights, the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them on the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness." The Bible doesn't say that the greater light and the lesser light were the source of light for the earth... it says they gave light on the earth.
Picture if you are in a dark tunnel. If you were to set up a mirror at the entrance to the tunnel, you can reflect the sunlight into the tunnel to give light to the tunnel. It doesn't mean the mirror is the source of the light, does it?
Besides, we KNOW that these two were not the source of the light, because in Genesis 1:3 (before the two lights were even created), God said "Let there be light," and there was light. So the light was there before the creation of the sun and the moon...

As for the Israelites in Egypt, if you read your bible carefully, you will find that they were slaves in Egypt for 400 years! Isn't that more than enough time for the population to grow from 70 to over 2 million?

Besides, we KNOW that these two were not the source of the light, because in Genesis 1:3 (before the two lights were even created), God said "Let there be light," and there was light. So the light was there before the creation of the sun and the moon.
Well I do not know that because the Sun is what produces light, and without the Sun there is no light.
As to the 400 years maybe, maybe not. Slave populations do not grow very fast. Generally speaking slave populations grow through capturing new slave, not through birth. If they were truly slaves they probably would not be having children.

The Israelites weren't slaves in the first place in Egypt. It was only because Joseph was the next most powerful person after the Pharaoh during that time that probably the number of Israelites grew. You can imagine it. In a superior nation, you know that the vice president is kind to his people. Of course, the Isrealites would come flocking to Egypt. Especially since it was famine during that time. And since the Israelites continued to have good times during that time that the Pharaoh and Joseph were alive, they naturally stayed there for a long time. But you see, when a new Pharaoh came along, that's when things changed and the Israelites became slaves of the Egyptians. Which would be natural since they were the aliens in the land of the Egyptians. The reasoning there could be, you live in our land, you feed off our land, you should work for us, it's the Egyptian's land. And so, the Israelites probably did.

Rinzgca, you are indeed correct. Gewcew, this is how the numbers increased: In Exodus 1:5 tells us that the Israelites that were with Joseph in Egypt were 70 in number. Then in verses 6 & 7, we're told that Joseph and his brother and the people of that generation (including the Pharoah that had appointed Joseph as the prime minister) died, but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the LAND WAS FILLED WITH THEM.
This clearly explains how they became over 2 million in number.

They were truly slaves because the Bible says in Exodus 1:11 that they were made slaves. And it also says in verse 12 that the more they were enslaved and oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread. Besides, in those days, slaves were bred like animals because slave children grew to become slaves too. At that time all the Israelites were in Egypt, so there was no way the Egyptians could have been captured from anywhere else...

That is indeed true LadyBoss. The story of Jacob and Rachel is actually a great love story. Imagine how much Jacob must have loved Rachel to work for Laban 14 years just to get her? Wow! Read all about it from Genesis 29-30.

Here are some interesting facts: Jacob married Leah but didn't love her. Because of this, God opened up Leah's womb and she gave birth to Jacob's first four sons. When Rachel saw that she wasn't giving birth, she became impatient, and gave her maid to Jacob to have children with. The maid gave birth to Jacob's fifth and sixth sons. Leah would not have any of that, so she too gave her maid to Jacob and the maid gave birth to his seventh and eighth sons. Leah herself then gave birth to Jacob's ninth and tenth sons, and also a daughter,Dinah.

FINALLY Rachel was able to give birth to two sons, Joseph who was Jacob's favorite son, and muuuuch later on, to Benjamin. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin.

These 12 sons went on to be the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel.

What a lucky man this Jacob was, he didn't have to ask.

LOL! But now think about it... How troublesome it was to handle two wives. That were sisters no less!

Plus their maid

yeah, TWO maids!

There appears to be a connection between the "men of renown" or Nephilim "fellers" or "those who cause others to fall" and the violence of the society at the time.

It is probable that these half man, half "god" creatures did all sorts of impressive things. If you think of Greek mythology, a lot of it was probably based on facts that were passed down and embellished.

It is interesting that the behaviour of these Greek gods, goddesses and "heroes" are less than savoury. Jealousy, infidelity and such like goings on. May tell us something of what these "fellers" and their angelic fathers were actually like.

Rinzgca, if you take it from the top of chapter 6, you'll see that there was a flow:
From verse 2, the sons of God were taking wives of the daughters of men as they chose. Because of this, in verse 3 (The Lord said "My Spirit will not contend with [or remain in] man forever, for he is mortal. His days will be 120 years"), God reduced the life span to 120 years.
Then verse 4 describes how the Nephlim (or giants) came to be: "... when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them." And because of this, in verse 5, "The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time." And so, in verse 7, He decided to wipe man from the face of the earth...

What made God say that man's wickedness had become great was the children they were having by the sons of God...

I though that it were only women having / giving birth to children of the angels.
When you say the wickedness of mankind, I get the impression that in those days man had that ability too and cause the total destruction. I think you meant the wickedness of women. If the angels were men only, then man was punished for just watching God's angel at work on their women and said nothing. I guess they were overpowered. The more I listen to this story the more stupid I become.

No, efc, don't call yourself stupid!
When the Bible refers to the wickedness of men, it means of mankind (both the men and the women). Indeed it was wickedness that made the menfolk allow the angels to marry their women. It was not meant to be so, and they knew it. Just like in Sodom and Gomorrah, they were called wicked because they know they were not meant to have intercourse with other men, but they did...

Hi Achilles,
I was following you fine in the first two paragraphs, but then you seem to be implying that John's baptism (holding them under water until they gasped for air) was to demonstrate to the people what sort of suffocating times it would be. Is this what you are saying?
If so, could you give the Bible references to the suffocating times discussions between John and the people? I haven't come across it before.

In Matthew 3:11, John said "I baptise you with water for repentance." So the reason for the baptism was for repentance. It was a ceremonial cleansing or washing away of sins by immersion in water. It wasn't for demonstrating suffocating times...

Jesus knew exactly why He came to be John to be baptised. He knew that, having been born human, He had been born into sin (because of Adam's transgression, all men born of Adam's lineage was born into sin - Romans 3:23), and thus needed to be baptised. Even John was surprised why Jesus was coming to him to be baptised because he know who He was. Jesus insisted that John baptise Him, saying "... It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15). So Jesus knew EXACTLY why John was doing it. He was not "enlightened" by the baptism of John as you say...

Now, in Matthew 16:21, Jesus explained to his disciples why he came: "... that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed, and on the third day be raised to life." In here is apparent that Jesus was GOING to suffer many things... which meant that at the time He was speaking, He was not suffering. So your statement that Jesus' quest to suffer more and more led to His death on the cross is inaccurate. If He had a quest to suffer more and more, then He didn't succeed much at that quest, because reading the account of His journeys prior to Matthew 16, we see that Jesus was in no way suffering at all.

It seems that your most interesting fact is not fact after all... :)

Wow, wow, wow - you too are a great admirer of WOW effects. Bible is replete with these wow effects added by custodians of the religions to breathe in magic into mystery.

I am quoting few examples, which has held Christians in awe and wonder for several centuries. Here is one, which might have captured your imagination as well.

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: Ex 13:21

He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. Ex 13:22

Moses was leading Israelites in the desert. They were under the ‘clouds of gloom’. Moses was leading them. Moses was their ‘pillar of strength’. See how the translators of the Bible have distorted the words to the fire the imagination of those reading the passage. Now don’t tell me the words ‘Pillar of strength’ and ‘clouds of gloom’ are nowhere there in the Bible. You did not come across them. How can you when the translators of the bible have used these phrases to alter the meaning altogether.

I will reply to your comment. However, let me give you few more examples what tricks Church fathers have resorted to draw gullible into the fold of Christianity.

Custodians of the religion have played with people’s emotion by using the word cloud repeatedly. Please read this passage; it says, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory”. Lu 21:27. In the same chapter Jesus spoke about the troubled times. Please see Luke 21:10-11, “Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” Now think over and tell me whether Jesus would come in a cloud or he would come when the people would be under cloud of gloom. Due to these magical words, people are still gazing at heavens to see him in the clouds. If they ever find Jesus one day amongst them, they would again crucify him. After all, they are expecting him to see him coming in the clouds. In Jesus’ time, they were waiting for Jesus to come, and when he did come, they were disappointed. They expected him to be a King who would drive out Romans out of their country.

Whenever people read Matthew 14:25, they are filled with awe and wonder. It is thus written, “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea”. They are so mystified that they fail to see what is written at Matthew 14:31, “And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Those who want to see miracles to them Jesus walking on water is more important. They fail to see that the way Jesus had put out his hand to save Peter the same way God extends his helping hand to mankind to save them from distress.

I will give one more example and then I will answer your comment. Please read John 5:2-17, it says “People, lame, blind, paralyzed; even those unable to move; and those with all sorts of infirmities sat whole year around by the pool waiting for an angel to come down and stir up the water”. Preachers go ecstatic explaining God’s benevolence to the people suffering from infirmities waiting at the ‘Pool of Bethesda’. They fail to see that the person who used to jump in the pool ahead of others was the healthiest. Do not believe in Poor Richard's Almanac that God help those who help themselves. Jesus went to heal the one who was waiting for 38 years. God helps those who need his help the most.

Now to answer your comment you quoted Matthew 3:11. John said "I baptize you with water for repentance." Further, you added, “So the reason for the baptism was for repentance. It was a ceremonial cleansing or washing away of sins by immersion in water.” If it were possible to save from sins through mere repentance and immersion in water then Jesus’ sacrifice on cross was in vain. He washed our sins by his blood and not through immersion in water. You have made a mockery of Jesus.

Another blunder you have made by saying that since Jesus was born human he too was born into sin. It is pure blaspheme. Jesus’ birth was a pure birth. He was Son of God. It shows you do not even know who Jesus was.

Do not look for interesting facts. You will want to see only magic and miracles. Most interesting fact is God had sent his own begotten son to save humankind.

You have a lot to say, achilles, but you do not speak as one guided by the Holy Spirit. You sound like one of the Pharisees who Jesus referred to as "you hypocrites." I am not saying this to insult you, so don't take it as an insult. You see the Pharisees took the pure Word of God (the book of the Law as they called it), and because they were the ones "learned" in the book of the Law, they interpreted the contents to the people in their own understanding and not according to the understanding given to them by God.
You have painstakingly gone through scripture after scripture and twisted what is written plainly by trying to impose your own human understanding on what is written in God's Word. 2 Tim 3:16 says "All Scripture is God-breathed..." so then who are you to take what God has said and say that the translators have altered the meaning altogether? Were you there when God breathed those particular scriptures? Or perhaps God gave you the original scriptures in the original language and you can therefore compare what God originally said with the "altered translations?"
So are you saying then that the entire Bible contains only magic and mysticism? If so, then you are blaspheming greatly to make such an accusation of the Word of God.

From what you are saying about Exodus 13:21, are you implying that God's original Word in the bible was that the Israelites traveled under a "cloud of gloom" by day and Moses was their "pillar of strength" by night? That is nonsensical in so many ways. Why would God bring them out of oppression and slavery in Egypt to put them under a "cloud of gloom?" What are you saying about Papa God? And secondly, if you say that Moses was their pillar of strength by night, you are implying that during the day God only brought them gloom, but at night, Moses gave them strength. Which means that Moses gave them what God couldn't... isn't this blasphemy?

For the account of Peter, it is plain what the bible says. Jesus came walking on the water. Peter said "If it is You, tell me to come to You on the water". Jesus said "Come". Peter got down out of the boat, WALKED ON THE WATER and came to Jesus. Verse 30-31: "But when he (Peter) SAW THE WIND, HE WAS AFRAID and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand and caught him..."
It's as plain as that... It was an account of what happened. No need to go looking for funny deep mysterious meanings that are not there...

Do you believe that Jesus ascended into heaven in the sight of all those witnesses? Then why do you look for other meanings behind Luke 21:27 other than what is written? The Bible does not say Jesus will come when the people are under a cloud of gloom, it says He will come in a cloud with great power and glory. So don't go changing it with your human understanding.

I'll skip down to your last few paragraphs because I can see that you're fervently trying to rubbish what is written in the bible as mere fabrications of "the translators", and I'd need to sit down with you face to face to explain the difference between the physical realm and the spiritual realm. I can see from your words that you don't understand the spiritual realm. It takes a lot to understand these things... it takes prayer, it takes speaking in tongues, it takes great faith and faithfulness to God's Word. So I won't waste either of our time on that matter.

When you say I have made a mockery of Jesus, again I see that you do not know the difference between the spiritual realm and the physical realm. If you meditate on your bible properly, you'll see that baptism has more to do with the spiritual realm than the physical. You are looking at physical factors because you don't understand the spiritual factors. Spiritually Jesus was indeed born without sin, because he was the Son of God. But physically, he was born of a human woman. Hence the flesh that he was born into was sin. I did not stumble, stutter or blunder when I said that Jesus was born into sin. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that "God made Him who had no sin TO BE SIN for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God." Now unless you're going to tell me that this was also "doctored" by the translators, this means that Jesus was indeed born into sin. This does not mean, and I did not say, that Jesus was a sinner - but that He was born into sin for our sake, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Spiritually, Jesus was pure, being the Son of God. We were then sons of men, hence He had to die for us so that we could also be made Sons of God, which we are today (If you are born again) [Read Romans 8:14 and Galatians 3:26]. This is also something that you cannot understand with your human understanding. You have to understand it spiritually.

The Word of God is simple and plainly revealed. But people suffer a lot because they don't believe that it can be that simple. They try to complicate the Word of God unnecessarily. You should be careful not to be one of the people that try to complicate the Word of God. You shouldn't be like the very people that you are talking about... the so-called "translators of the bible" and "custodians of the religion." Jesus said in John 16:25 that "Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this language, but I will tell you plainly about my Father." That time has come, so we no longer need to try to find hidden meaning in what is written in the Word. 2 Corinthians 4:2 says "Rather we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, NOR DO WE DISTORT THE WORD OF GOD. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."

The point of this discussion is to bring to light things in the bible the people often read through without absorbing. I think we deviated very much from it... You should begin a different discussion on your interpretations of the Bible. I'll be happy to comment there. I love you with the love of Christ. Stay blessed.

I will not give an answer to the invectives such as Pharisees and hypocrite you have used for me in your comments. You said I sound like one. However, I will say one thing that you applaud miracles, which are replete in the Bible. Miracle is a crutch with which the foolish attack the wise to prove that they are not idiots. Let me tell you miracles do not produce a lasting faith.

The book of genesis has given us a story of creation; much wanting in corroborative details in terms of cosmology in use at the time of the writer. However, Church has clarified that in the beginning the motive of sacred scriptures had simply been to declare that God had created the world. The Church then added artistic colors to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative; and thus, gave the story an appearance of being true and real. Today to those who have the privilege to live in this wondrous age of change and progress, the creation event, as written in the book of genesis is no more than an obsolete trifle, utterly insensible and a false knowledge. The Bible today is an immense collection of volumes of history of all ages, many of which is now forgotten; and most of which are seldom read. For propagating their doctrine, the theologians still glean the knowledge from such sequestered pool of obsolete literature to a point where it has actually turned into an object of ridicule. Why so much of truth, under ancient obsolete vesture could not change with times? The Church does not want a change because religions thrive on miracles; and miracles thrive on religion. They strike at emotions rather than the intellect.

It is true that at one time in history of man men need miracles to create a faith in God. That alone is the purpose and nature of miracles. Faith alone can support a religion like an arch but not the miracles. Ecstasies after all come and go. Miracles cannot produce a lasting faith; but faith can produce a miracle. If Church strives to shape the lives of the believers by faith alone; then there is no reason why the faith should ever be lost. Faith in God can be strengthened only if the Church allows Christ to rise above all as crystal symbol of faith.

Another fear totally unfounded is that the religion would die if it were proved true. They think that if every man is satisfied that there is such a thing as truth; then they would ask no questions. To hold its power long in this age of enlightenment and democracy; the Church must confine its teachings only to Religious doctrines. It must include in its dogmas that part of the bible, which deals with only general relations between man and God and between man and man.

Shaping life is a process, which is continuous. We may continue to shape it all our life and yet we know we would never be perfect. If one tries to shape it without any help from religion then it is sure to end up in chaos. Before setting out to shape the life of its followers, the church must give its dogmas and doctrines some kind of shape and meaning. Can the Church take more than handful of confusion and disparate things that are irreconcilable from Old and New Testament both; and then provide its own view of a meaning?

In New Age of enlightenment the Church should be able to answer a simple question such as who Jesus was; why was he different to Adam; why did he come; why did he die and why would he come again.

My goodness! I really don't get you, achilles. Are you Christian, or are you not? Do you believe in God or do you not? Do you believe in Christ, or do you not? Clearly, you don't believe in miracles. And you believe that the Bible is a mere fabrication of man or rather, it's the Church's artistic and colorful addition to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative. This means to me that the "bald and unconvincing narrative" part of the Bible is the true word of God, and the rest is just the Church trying to "help God along" by adding flavor to the words God put down. Am I right in this hypothesis? If not, please elaborate.

You say that the only purpose of a miracle is to create faith in God. I agree with you somewhat on that. But then you say "Miracles cannot produce a lasting faith; but faith can produce a miracle." When I analyze your logic, you're saying that faith can produce [or create] a miracle, whose only purpose is to create faith [in God], however miracles cannot produce [or create] a lasting faith. Can you see how these statements go around in a loop? So what exactly are you saying about faith, miracles and faith in God? Please clarify.

You say that the book of Genesis gives us the story of creation, much wanting in corroborative details in terms of cosmology. (By the way, what came first, the creation of the world or cosmology? Did God Almighty need to create the universe according to the rules of cosmology, of does cosmology try to explain how God created the universe?) And that the only scripture there ever was, was of God creating the universe... the rest of the bible are just colorful and artistic additions to this otherwise bland and unconvincing narrative. Now, I ask you if you believe in Jesus. If you do, then by your own admission, you believe in the colorful and artistic additions, not so? And if you don't, then you cannot be a Christian by virtue of the fact that a non-Christian is one who does not believe in Christ.

So, if the Bible is lies and fabrications, then do tell... what IS the truth? I'd really like to know...

Christian means being Christ like, a kindly and a humane person. The person believing in distorted version of the ‘Word of God’ is not a Christian. I do not believe in this distorted version, though I do believe in ‘Word of God’. I do not claim to be Christ like either. Thus, you may draw your own conclusion as to whom or what I am.

Further, the church is not trying to ‘help God along’; as you say. They are only helping themselves in making others believe in the distorted version of the ‘Word of God’. God is busy sifting grain from chaff; these people however in their penchant to have a huge following have been mixing chaff into the grain God has kept aside. They are not working for God but in fact are working against God. I see you are supporting them. You are not with God; but you are with them.

Before I proceed to explain how ‘faith can create a miracle’ let me first tell you what the ‘Word of God’ is. Read John 1.1, there it is written, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. Preachers go gaga explaining the meaning of it, though they themselves do not even know what the ‘Word of God’ is. John did not say this, but those who translated these words have altered this. The original words John wrote were, “In the beginning God gave his word (promise), He kept his word (promise) and He himself came as His own Son to abide amongst us”.

Please do not let the words; "Miracles cannot produce a lasting faith; but faith can produce a miracle" confuse you. It simply means that generation after Abraham’s faith in God’s redemptive plan had produced a miracle. Their faith in God’s word had produced Jesus. Jesus was born out of sinful generation of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38); and out of another sinful Generation of Lot (Genesis 19:30-36), which itself is a miracle. Read the whole thing to know how God had grafted the scion of Boaz (descendent of Abraham) on the wild stock of Lot (Ruth the Moabite) to make possible the birth of Christ.

You too like so many other seems to be fascinated by things in the Bible, which are irrelevant. What difference it makes whether God created this world in six days or six hundred million years. What difference does it make if Adam and Eve thought they were naked or they simply thought they had not hair in their body? They did not cover their nakedness with fig leaves but custodians of the religion are trying to cover up the whole truth with fig leaves. Author of book of Genesis wrote those things just to let us know the difference between Adam and Jesus. Everyone still after reading the whole Bible still seem to be confused between Son of Man and Son of God. I see still many ask this question, whether Jesus was the Son of Man or he was the Son of God. The generations of Adam were the Sons of Men; but Jesus alone was the Son of God. People still do not know the difference between Man and human. Man has an animal like nature but he is one stage above animal. Human are kind, sympathetic, loving, caring, patient and tolerant. They are Christ like; therefore, they are one-step above men. Adam was the first person of the bygone age; Jesus is the first person of this age. Adam transmitted his nature to the generation that came after him through his seed. Jesus gives his nature to this generation through belief in Him. As Holy Spirit, he comes and abides in our memory to protect us from our own sinful nature.

Discussion on Creation event, cosmology, Baptism, immersion, Angel Gabriel, Star of Bethlehem, Jesus walking on water, end times, etc., will not bring you closer to God, but it will only draw you away from Him. I know only Jesus Christ and this is the only truth. Rest everything else is just a melodrama to me.

I hear you ... though I disagree with you on most things you have said. there are some things that i agree with you on.
just 2 questions I need you to answer, and I think I'll give this discussion a rest:
1. what is your reference for the original John 1:1? I would like to know where you found that out.
2. How do you know Jesus? Where did you hear about Him? And how do you maintain a relationship with Him (as in how and how often do you communicate with Him)?

Amorelife1 please remember Jesus is the word of God, and I communicate with Him through words. It was just a discussion. Please be my friend.

Of course. it was a good discussion... I believe we've come to understand each other a bit. And I love you with the love of Christ...

Thank you.

WOW!!! lol.

I won't say anything on what you two said up there.
I only want you all to know that the bible opens up differently to different people, and that it also opens up differently at different times to the same people.

That is the uniqueness of the bible.

Now good luck to you both!
It's still an endless journey ahead....

Starchaser I thank you for going through our exchange of views on this topic. I agree to what you said. Good luck to you as well

You're welcome! :)