Noah , Babel, Peleg

[VRSpock]

Only problem is, we're not that third party - and if we have any contact with that third party, it will be through our fallible senses, and also any understanding we gain through that interaction will be interpreted and understood by our framework of logic and epistemology.

So, whatever way you look at it, we will always be relying on our own epistemology and our own understanding and our own experience for any philosophical position whatsoever, including theology, science, whatever else.

You mean....our own faith. For it is our choice as to where we put our faith, in God's Word or in our own understanding.

Not so lcuky either, there are as many interpretations of this as there are people also - and as many arguments about it. Furthermore, there are wider arguments about exactly what the word of God is, and how many God's there are! Again, these are subjects on which we have to rely on our intellect, experience and evidence gathering abilities to make decisions on.

Indeed, there are...so many interpretations. But most of those variations in interpretation are in different legalities of various doctrines. The greatest truth in the Bible can be found in the gospels when Christ was hanging from the cross. One of the thieves on a cross next to him saw the horrific way in which He was being treated and the way in which He continued to pray for them despite the way they treated him and realized that this was indeed the Son of God. Christ then reassured him that he would see Christ in paradise. From a thief on a cross to spiritual salvation, merely from acknowldging Christ for who He was. No special acts were required, no special prayers, no nothing except simple acknowedgment. Man has a very bad habit of overcomplicating things.

God does not give us His Word to confuse us. It is our own unique ability to read too much or too little into what is being said that creates confusion and thus various interpreations.

For example, a mother saving her child from a burning building at great risk to herself may seem irrational if we assume that everyone's primary preference is self-interest and self-preservation. However, love is often a stronger preference, and therefore the mother saving her baby is actually acting rationally, given her ranking of preferences.

Yes, there is an assumption that leads to an incorrect rational view. So, someone who holds the Word of God as truth who claims that God indeed does exist may seem irrational to others. Yet there is something very rational about it and perhaps, just perhaps, the one viewing it as irrational has reached an incorrect rational view as in the example above.

[artsylady]

Indeed, there are...so many interpretations. But most of those variations in interpretation are in different legalities of various doctrines. The greatest truth in the Bible can be found in the gospels when Christ was hanging from the cross. One of the thieves on a cross next to him saw the horrific way in which He was being treated and the way in which He continued to pray for them despite the way they treated him and realized that this was indeed the Son of God. Christ then reassured him that he would see Christ in paradise. From a thief on a cross to spiritual salvation, merely from acknowldging Christ for who He was. No special acts were required, no special prayers, no nothing except simple acknowedgment. Man has a very bad habit of overcomplicating things.

God does not give us His Word to confuse us. It is our own unique ability to read too much or too little into what is being said that creates confusion and thus various interpreations.

Excellent VR!