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Some tales from the Bible sound a bit like (or a lot like) fantasy. Here are a few examples.
Samson – kill 1000, push down a large building
Parting of the sea
Six day creation tale
A tree of knowledge in a magical garden
Worldwide flood 'to the tops of mountains'
Earth stopping rotation ('sun stood still for a day')
Sun stop shining at 'resurrection'
Water magically turning into wine
Walking on water
Reanimation of long dead corpses (Jesus, Lazarus, 'many saints')
Star stopping over Bethlehem
Killing firstborn of a nation
Have any of these things been observed to happen in the real world? Have they been verified by sources other than the tales themselves?
If similar tales were told in non-religious books, they would likely be regarded as flights of imagination and/or fantasy. Why treat them any differently in a religious tome?
Fantasy land
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Fantasy land
Post #1.
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
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Post #2
Another self fulfilling narrative thread . A contrived putting together of 'odds and ends, some Christian ,some shared, and a mystifying attempt in self convincing, nothing more. Let's throw the honesty of proper enquiry out with this contamination of Biblical bathwater.
"A loaded gun"
"A loaded gun"
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Post #3
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Correction: Another thread that calls attention to biblical fantasyThomas Mc Donald wrote: Another self fulfilling narrative thread .
'Odds and ends' like the 'resurrection', 'miracles', Genesis, birth narrative – just little stuff from Christian mythology.Thomas Mc Donald wrote: A contrived putting together of 'odds and ends,
Correction: a presentation of ideas for readers to considerThomas Mc Donald wrote: some Christian ,some shared, and a mystifying attempt in self convincing, nothing more.
Pick any of the tales mentioned and show readers (with 'the honesty of proper inquiry') that it is a truthful and accurate account to events that actually happened in the real world.Thomas Mc Donald wrote: Let's throw the honesty of proper enquiry out with this contamination of Biblical bathwater.
"A loaded gun"
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Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
- amortalman
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Post #4
Thomas Mc Donald wrote:I'm sure many Bible believers would love to throw these fantastical events of fairytale out of the bible, but I'm sorry, you're stuck with them. Two characters in the Old Testament were especially talented at producing mumbo-jumbo: Elijah and Elisha, the fantastic duo.Another self fulfilling narrative thread . A contrived putting together of 'odds and ends, some Christian ,some shared, and a mystifying attempt in self convincing, nothing more. Let's throw the honesty of proper enquiry out with this contamination of Biblical bathwater.
"A loaded gun"
The following list is from Agape Bible Study.com
Elijah's 8 miracles
Miracle Reference
1. Shut up the heavens causing a drought 1 Kings 17:1
2. Multiplied flour and oil for a widow 1 Kings 17:14-16
3. Raised the widow's son from the dead 1 Kings 17:22-23
4. Defeated the prophets of Baal with fire from heaven 1 Kings 18:25-38
5. Brought rain to end the drought 1 Kings 18:41-45
6. Destroyed 51 soldiers with fire and lightening 2 Kings 1:9-10
7. Destroyed another 51 soldiers with fire and lightening 2 Kings 1:11-12
8. Parted the waters of the Jordan River 2 Kings 2:8
Elisha's 16 miracles
Miracle Reference
1. Parted the waters of the Jordan River 2 Kings 2:14
2. Purified water 2 Kings 2:19-22
3. Sent bears to ravage his attackers 2 Kings 2:23-24
4. Caused a flood to save Israel and to foil the Moabites 2 Kings 3:14-25
5. Made a miraculous flow of oil for a widow 2 Kings 4:2-7
6. Gave fertility to the woman of Shunem 2 Kings 4:8-17
7. Raised a child from the dead 2 Kings 4:32-37
8. Purified poisoned soup 2 Kings 4:38-41
9. Multiplied loaves to feed a large crowd 2 Kings 4:42-44
10. Healed Naaman of leprosy 2 Kings 5:1-19
11. Gehazi cursed with leprosy 2 Kings 5:20-27
12. Made an iron axe head float 2 Kings 6:1-7
13. Struck the Aramaeans blind 2 Kings 6:18
14. Prophesied the end of the Aramaean siege 2 Kings 7:1-20
15. Prophesied the death of Ben-Hadad and the rise of Hazael 2 Kings 8:7-15
16. Prophesied Israel would defeat Aram 2 Kings 13:14-19