I don't know why you bothered with the rest as you've jumped to your (pre-defined) ending anyway:
<I hate to confuse you with logic and facts but if you are not a Creationist you can't be a Christian, and if you are a Christian you must be a Creationist. >
This is neither logic OR fact... it's "The world according to Greg or e". As I said, in normal parlance MOST Christians DONT consider themselves "creationists":
catholicintl.com
hprweb.com
There is reams of discussion on the topic you can read about. So are you saying Catholics aren't Christian? Just want to get that straight.
OK, just want to comment on the rest, even though you seem to have some outcome already made up in your mind:
<Note the Personal pronouns and that this personal God is the creator and sustainer of the universe.>
And that's what all the fuss about "personal God" is all about!??? ROFLMAO!! Guy, 'personal pronouns' are part of language! It's a way of communicating.
The Pope:
<<Those who search out the intention of the sacred writers must, among other things, have regard for “literary forms.” For truth is proposed and expressed in a variety of ways, depending on whether a text is history of one kind or another or whether its form is that of prophecy, poetry, or some other type of speech. The interpreter must investigate what meaning the sacred writer intended to express and actually expressed in particular circumstances as he used contemporary literary forms in accordance with the situation of his own time and culture. [8]>>
"Pronouns" (or any other grammatical inclusions) not withstanding, I certainly have no problem with those passages, although your "accept or reject" premise is ignorant... a rational person could still easily want to talk about how literal and in what context you want to use... but I'll pass on that. I WILL note the particular beauty in the New Testiment vs the old.
I also want to point out you included is a passage those of the "mystical" (God immanent) bent would point out, although you didn't seem to appreciate my last post on that:
<<For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.>>
Wow, takes your breath away.
<You have only two options. You can reject these statements which would exclude you from being a Christian.>
Well, I'm still a Christian!
DAK |
