Scriptural Evidence

[Jehoshaphat]

Is scriptural evidence neccesary for every belief we hold as Christians? And to hold a belief about something that is morally nuetral what then? In the discussion of theistic evolution Christian said that it sounded nice but couldn't be trusted/believed in because of no scriptural support. This is a good example of something that I think is not a salvation issue so I don't neccesarily need scriptural support for it.


Discuss

[Christian A.]

In the discussion of theistic evolution Christian said that it sounded nice but couldn't be trusted/believed in because of no scriptural support.

I said no such thing. I only stated a fact: It sounds like a beautiful concept, but there is no Scriptural support for it. I made no statement about my ability to accept something even when Scripture doesn't speak to it.

[Jehoshaphat]

That's true. I just drew the logical conclusion for a Sola Scriptura protestant.

[bookworm]

I made no statement about my ability to accept something even when Scripture doesn't speak to it.

Didn’t you?

Sounds like a beautiful concept. Only it has not a single piece of evidence for it in Scripture. That would be my only problem with it. =P

Seems to indicate that the reason you don’t accept the idea was only because it wasn’t expressly found in Scripture.

[Christian A.]

Hmm. I suppose I need to word this differently.

It is a beautiful concept. That fact gives it validity in my mind. Obviously no one would have suggested it if it were preposterous. However, it has no support from Scripture, therefore all I can say is that it's beautiful, not that I'm going to accept it as a viable explanation. I wouldn't say that absence of support from Scripture destroys its validity or my ability to accept it. But it doesn't help anything either. So, in that sense, I do have a "problem" just outright accepting the idea. But I can accept facts about chemistry and physics and biology that aren't in Scripture, so the problem isn't that it's not found in Scripture; it's that I believe there are passages of Scripture that contradict it. But, obviously, that's up for debate.

[John Chrysostom]

Can something be beautiful and false?

[TigerintheShadows]

-pops head in-

I think Christian is saying that the concept sounds nice in theory, but sounding nice and being theologically consistent are two different things.

[John Chrysostom]

Sounding nice and being beautiful are two very different things

[Christian A.]

Can something be beautiful and false?

Very valid point. I think the word nice would have been a better choice.

However... why do you believe it's impossible to have a beautiful concept that's false? I mean, it's a beautiful concept to Muslims that their afterlife consists of endless bliss and constant access to 42 virgins... But obviously we know that to be false, Scripturally. I could come up with any number of beautiful concepts that are merely imaginative or speculative but not ultimately true.

[John Chrysostom]

I don't think that afterlife is very beautiful to the virgins. But I mean truly beautiful, can something be truly beautiful and not reflect some aspect of God?

[Christian A.]

I haven't given it enough thought, so I honestly wouldn't feel comfortable making any further comment.

[Jehoshaphat]

I don't think that afterlife is very beautiful to the virgins. But I mean truly beautiful, can something be truly beautiful and not reflect some aspect of God?

I would say no. Because God made everything and therefore everything truly beautiful would relfect him in some way.

[Knight Fisher]

I don't think that afterlife is very beautiful to the virgins. But I mean truly beautiful, can something be truly beautiful and not reflect some aspect of God?

I would say no. Because God made everything and therefore everything truly beautiful would relfect him in some way.

Isn't this argument broken due to the counter point if God made everything, everything truly horrible would reflect him?

[John Chrysostom]

No, because evil is a corruption or twisting of good. It has no existence in of itself and was thus not created.

[Knight Fisher]

That seems to be a rather convenient loophole.

[John Chrysostom]

Um, okay, I mean it's just the way things are

[Moontide]

No, because evil is a corruption or twisting of good. It has no existence in of itself and was thus not created

Does this imply that one can not do evil as it doesn't exist? One would be only failing to do good.

(I am not trying to accuse you. I just want to understand your position better.)

[Jehoshaphat]

Yes, sin is failing to do the good.