The Hermit wrote:
<<You've got to remember, the book of Matthew wasn't written until AD 70 or thereabouts -- fully 37 years after the event. Matthew (the name we have given to the anomous writer) himself wasn't there. Besides, Matthew's Gospel has a number of other confirmed instances of lying -- not the least of which is his earthquake and darkness stories. In short, Matthew made a few "pious exaggerations" to help his cause along -- the very same type of lies that St. Augustine later wrote two entire books about in an attempt to make them stop. (Early Christians are not known for their honesty... heck, even current Christians are not known for their honesty... witness the Creation "Scientists")>>
Snow Leopard Pack responds:
Well, I’ve been told to make my response a little more positive, so, in response to your comment, Hermit, referring to the honesty of Christians, I guess, to a degree I have to agree with you. There are a lot of liars who call themselves Christians. There’s nothing that angers me more than watching a “Christian” tell a lie. But I can’t be responsible for what some people who claim to share my beliefs do, and I’m sure there are more liars who aren’t Christians than lairs that are. Now, “historical” evidence contradicts itself. What you may think looks wrong may be right. I respect your insistence to find the truth, and I’m learning to respect that you’re not looking for The Truth. Please bear with me.
Also, I might add that I know evolution happens, as in variations within a species at a very slow rate. I don’t believe that the big bang could’ve randomly produced a perfectly balanced life-supporting planet. It seems to take a lot more faith to say that a bunch of random molecules produced simple, protein structures that happened to be all together at the right place at the right time. Of course, that very “simple” cell, only a couple thousand times more complex than human technology, didn’t make some fatal error before it divided. Of course, it already “knew” how to divide. Eventually, a mistake didn’t kill one of tem, and this “new and improved” version survived, multiplied etc. This isn’t even mentioning a fossil record about as error-ridden as the Bible. Examine your beliefs, as you ask me to examine mine. Both of are stories are incredible.