Beliefs about apologetic harmonizations

Getting to know more about a specific belief

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Difflugia
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Beliefs about apologetic harmonizations

Post #1

Post by Difflugia »

I'm not exactly sure how to ask this, but I'm trying to get a feel for why people believe apologetic harmonizations reflect what's actually true.

This stems from a discussion about the nativity stories of Matthew and Luke. Matthew and Luke describe what I see as two completely incompatible narratives. Apologists claim that a combined narrative that essentially alternates events explains them. While I understand such explanations in the "it's not impossible" sense, I can't believe that they reflect history. Why do others disagree?

Other examples are harmonizations of the two deaths of Judas, Jesus cleansing the temple both at the beginning and end of his ministry, and sermons on both the mount and plain.

Are the Bible authors aware of both events when they write about one or the other? Did God mean for them to be puzzles? What do you think the relationships are between history, the biblical authors, and God?

I posted this here in the non-debate section because I'm interested in having answers included that might be based on gut feelings or maybe just not supportable in a logical or rigorous way. If I question answers, it's because I'm looking for clarification and not argument.

Thanks in advance.

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Post #11

Post by JehovahsWitness »

[Replying to post 10 by JehovahsWitness]

The above principle applies to both the gospels but also for any other bible teaching. It's importance cannot be over emphasized.

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INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Post #12

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Double. My apologies.
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Post #13

Post by otseng »

[Replying to post 9 by Divine Insight]

There are plenty of justifications that I can give for what I've asserted. But, this is not the place to do it. I really should go and write those books....

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Post #14

Post by ttruscott »

otseng wrote: [Replying to post 9 by Divine Insight]

There are plenty of justifications that I can give for what I've asserted. But, this is not the place to do it. I really should go and write those books....
Not quite either of the fear of writing phobias – Graphophobia or Scriptophobia...maybe we need to coin a new phobia including the word atelophobia which refers to the fear of being imperfect, :)
PCE Theology as I see it...

We had an existence with a free will in Sheol before the creation of the physical universe. Here we chose to be able to become holy or to be eternally evil in YHWH's sight. Then the physical universe was created and all sinners were sent to earth.

This theology debunks the need to base Christianity upon the blasphemy of creating us in Adam's sin.

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