The grass is looking greener on the other side...

[Ecurb Noselrub]

We try to focus more on just learning to have a close fellowship, being there for one another, and putting Jesus' teachings about love into practice.  We try not to get tripped off on too much doctrinal stuff.

One day, I might have to visit ur church. What's the name of it, might I ask?

River Place Fellowship.  Very small.  You would have to travel a long way and look hard to find us.

[not your typical...]

But I can't prove that any more than anyone else can prove how the universe got here.

Yet...

haha. Yes, Tank. Yet. *evil grin*
And what state is that in? (Or country?)

[Ecurb Noselrub]

And what state is that in? (Or country?)

If that was directed to me, I live in Belton, Texas.

[Stevil]

How does your congregation feel about that interpretation? As far as I know, going beyond the literal and more secure interpretation (face value, no interpretation required) can be difficult...

They are warming up to it. Besides, I let them know that no one is required to agree with my interpretations. We try to focus more on just learning to have a close fellowship, being there for one another, and putting Jesus' teachings about love into practice.  We try not to get tripped off on too much doctrinal stuff.

With Christianity, if you don't have the knowledge or the answers, you are always free just to make stuff up.

[DeterminedJuliet]

Hmmmm. Interesting theory you have there, about evolution being true, but also believing in the whole Adam and Eve thing. And does creation still fit into this?

When I was Christian I viewed the Adam and Eve story as metaphorical.

[AnimatedDirt]

How does your congregation feel about that interpretation? As far as I know, going beyond the literal and more secure interpretation (face value, no interpretation required) can be difficult...

There are many Christians that have this same or almost same belief.  Genesis is not the science part.  It is not intended to convey exactly how God...but THAT God did something.  While I may believe it in a more literal sense, it's not too much 'outside the box' thinking or interpretation.  Many of us Christians have no problem accepting the evolutionary claims.

[Stevil]

Its interesting though, isn't it?
That the all knowing timeless god decided to write his/her/its book in such a way that the knowledge of the book was kept to the constraints of knowledge known to humankind at the time. When depicting absolutes, like the formation of the universe or sun or earth or life, it all just one big meaningless BS story, containing no intellectual or factual content whatsoever. Some Christians say, well although the story is total BS, it shows us that god created everything, but doesn't necessarily have any relation to the how or actual events.

The parts that Christians would no doubt say are to be taken literal are simply anecdotal stories. Stories that cannot be proven because they contain no absolutes, just mind numbingly silly stories.

The take aways from the bible are:
God created everything
God is good
God is perfect
Jesus is god's son
Jesus is god  ???
His mum was a virgin 
Jesus was a virgin  ???
Jesus died as a blood sacrifice to god (himself) for our sins   
Worship Jesus, go to heaven, have unimaginably happy afterlife
Don't worship Jesus, go to hell, have unimaginably tortured afterlife

Everything else from the bible is open to interpretation. Just make shit up, however you see fit. This is the biblical "Truth"