Given that the Universe is a relative system, there is no proof that the Earth is not immovable.
Anyway, I'm just try to raise a point based on relativity. Even my devoutly evangelical quasi-girlfriend would cite the listed passage a one that's metaphorical. I'd love to whip out other passages to back up my points, but I'm not a scholar of the Bible. Nor am I a literalist.
...and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle...
The Greek word for corner being used here is: gonia (go-nee'-ah); which means an angle, a corner, or a quarter.
How is that metaphorical?
Quote:
Job 28:24:
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven...
Omnipotence, or a flat Earth with God in the sky?
Quote:
Psalm 104:5:
Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
?Forever? meaning about five billion more years; when the Earth is engulfed by the sun.
Quote:
Job 38:4-6 :
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof...
That?s probably metaphorical...
Quote:
I Samuel 2:8:
...for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them.
Another metaphor!
Quote:
In Matthew 4:8:
Again, the devil taketh him [Jesus] up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them...
How would this be possible if the earth wasn?t flat? Yes, I know; one could argue that The Devil? revealed these kingdoms to Jesus in a ?vision? of some sort; but why then was it necessary to be on top of that ?exceeding high mountain?? Better reception or something?
?It?s still a little fuzzy there Satan, try moving your arm a little to the left.?
Quote:
People gave ear to an upstart astrologer [Copernicus] who strove to show that the earth revolves, not the heavens or the firmament, the sun and the moon. Whoever wishes to appear clever must devise some new system, which of all systems is of course the very best. This fool (or 'man') wishes to reverse the entire science of astronomy; but sacred Scripture tells us that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth.
In my opinion, it all boils down to this: saying that these type of passages are metaphorical is a cop-out. Just like the phrases ?God works in mysterious ways? or ?There are still so many unexplained things in this world.?
The bible is transparently human. It?s not special in any major way. It has ups, downs, wisdom, foolishness, it?s good, & sometimes it?s very bad. Just like the men who wrote it. And sometimes I have trouble understanding why people hold it in such high regard (other than those motivated by fear, nostalgia, or some deep inability to look at the text objectively; while being subconsciously motivated by this culture, and it?s apparently inherited advocacy for the Bible.)
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Anyway, I'm just try to raise a point based on relativity. Even my devoutly evangelical quasi-girlfriend would cite the listed passage a one that's metaphorical. I'd love to whip out other passages to back up my points, but I'm not a scholar of the Bible. Nor am I a literalist.
Revelation 20:8 :
...and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle...
The Greek word for corner being used here is: gonia (go-nee'-ah); which means an angle, a corner, or a quarter.
How is that metaphorical?
Job 28:24:
For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven...
Omnipotence, or a flat Earth with God in the sky?
Psalm 104:5:
Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
?Forever? meaning about five billion more years; when the Earth is engulfed by the sun.
Job 38:4-6 :
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof...
That?s probably metaphorical...
I Samuel 2:8:
...for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them.
Another metaphor!
In Matthew 4:8:
Again, the devil taketh him [Jesus] up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them...
How would this be possible if the earth wasn?t flat? Yes, I know; one could argue that The Devil? revealed these kingdoms to Jesus in a ?vision? of some sort; but why then was it necessary to be on top of that ?exceeding high mountain?? Better reception or something?
?It?s still a little fuzzy there Satan, try moving your arm a little to the left.?
People gave ear to an upstart astrologer [Copernicus] who strove to show that the earth revolves, not the heavens or the firmament, the sun and the moon. Whoever wishes to appear clever must devise some new system, which of all systems is of course the very best. This fool (or 'man') wishes to reverse the entire science of astronomy; but sacred Scripture tells us that Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and not the earth.
- Martin Luther
The End. for now
The bible is transparently human. It?s not special in any major way. It has ups, downs, wisdom, foolishness, it?s good, & sometimes it?s very bad. Just like the men who wrote it. And sometimes I have trouble understanding why people hold it in such high regard (other than those motivated by fear, nostalgia, or some deep inability to look at the text objectively; while being subconsciously motivated by this culture, and it?s apparently inherited advocacy for the Bible.)
Or maybe I?m just an iconoclast.