Christianity questions

[ElberethVarda]

Oh, I am so sorry! I totally forgot about this thread! I'll get to answering now.

Well I think there's a definate feeling these days that we've been abandoned by God, obviously I am not speaking for everyone, so those of you who have that amazing ability to have blind faith in Him, please please don't get insulted, (I tend to go off on rants because I don't get this whole Allmighty thing. That doesn't mean I do or don't believe, but still, I do think that people today have this feeling of resentment.
But anyways, my question I'll forget, so I'm posting it now to save me staring at my screen in a few days time racking my brain for it.
I just want to know what exactly the religious view of the Devil is, because I've read a lot about his name being translated to 'The Accuser' which to me (and from what I've read) seems like a good thing. I'm confused, so please go ahead, sort 'fact' from 'fiction' if such a thing is possible

You mean you want to know who the Devil is? He's gots tons of names (want them?), but from what I know about the Bible, is that he was an angel, but he challenged God's authority and was thrown out of Heaven. So now he hates God and does all that he can to cause problems for us on earth. Not just the Christians, but everyone. I see Cenerue answered too. Thanks!

if man is Adam and Adam is man and therefore the original sin is something we are born into, how is this free will? Why don't we start off with a clean slate and have the choice to screw it up if is our will to do so?

Since Adam was the first man, and Eve was the first woman, when they sinned for the first time, God put a curse on all their descedants. Anyone can read about this in the first or second chapter of Genisis, if they so please. So, I guess that's just the way it is.

And Nurumaiel, I guess it's fine if you want to help, but as I am not Catholic, I do not believe in the Catechism, much prefering to go straight to the Bible myself. But you're fine.

[Lossentilien]

I was wondering the other day...if all Christians believe in Adam and Eve, (?) do they not believe in evolution and the big bang? I have a vague recollection that this was actually mentioned in the 7 deadly sins topic, and willl no doubt be in the Religion vs Science topic, but I really just wondered if to be Christian you had to cast aside the scientific answers. Simple. I hope...

[Elentari]

Many Christians don't take the creation story to be literal. 7 days was more like 7 "time periods", which could mean generations or billions of years. Some Christians believe that the Big Bang happened, but was caused by God, and some do believe in evolution (though micro-evolution not macro-evolution).

| tari

[Istawen Aeros]

but I really just wondered if to be Christian you had to cast aside the scientific answers.

Actually, Lossie, there is really no strong scientific proof for evolution. However, there are many Christians who believe in Evolution. Their choice. It's not believing the Bible, but it's not a hell worthy offense either.

[Wren]

A true Christian will be believe in the Bible, and since Adam and Eve are in the Bible along with the story of creation that would all be part of our beliefs. I do know that some Christians believe that when God says seven days, he is meaning something else, but this just isn't the case. He truly means 24 hour days.

I don't see how intelligent people can believe in evolution. It is a theory that makes no sense. The most believable course of events is for there to have been an eternal being to set everything in motion.

After that things can get controversial.

[Elentari]

Liberal Christians don't take the Bible to mean exactly what it says, but instead believe that the stories, such as Creation, are stories to get a point across. Therefore these Christians believe that the creation story doesn't actually mean everything was created in 6days and that there were two people looking after a garden. The names Adam and Eve are very similar in hebrew, Adam meaning man, so these names could just have been writen to mean "man and woman", meaning humans.

| tari

[GaladrielOlden]

Adam does mean man in Hebrew, but it came from the biblical Adam being the "first man", not vice versa, I believe.

-Menelien

[Istawen Aeros]

If the Bible is just stories to get a point across, why believe it?

[GaladrielOlden]

...exactly.

-Menelien

[ElberethVarda]

I was wondering the other day...if all Christians believe in Adam and Eve, (?) do they not believe in evolution and the big bang?

Tari's doing a great job of answering these questions from a very unbiased view, so I'll be a little more here...

Not all "Christians" believe in the Bible-some actually think it's a bunch of myths. Some, like Tari said, believe God authore the Big Bang, or evolution, or that creation was more like seven million days, than just seven. But the Bible is very specific. It says, "There was evening, and there was morning, the (whatever number) day." To be a true Christian, you must believe the Bible, because it is the Word of God, and it is almost only through that that you can learn what you need to.

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking and training in righteousness. 2 Corinthians 3:16-17

but I really just wondered if to be Christian you had to cast aside the scientific answers

That is one of the most excellent questions I've heard, and I'll answer loud and clear. NO! You can be a scientist and still be a Christian! My science book is written by a Christian and it is just amazing some of the proof he comes up with for Christianity. I can get one of those for you guys, if you like. Just and awful lot to type. ;D

[Elentari]

*Ahem* GotO:

www.behindthename.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?terms=adam&nmd=n&gender=m&operator=or

This is the Hebrew word for "man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew adam meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Assyrian adamu meaning "to make". According to Genesis in the Old Testament Adam was created from the earth by God (there is a word play on Hebrew adamah "earth"). He and Eve were supposedly the first humans, living happily in the Garden of Eden until Adam ate a forbidden fruit given to him by Eve.

I think it's pretty self explanitory.

| tari

[GaladrielOlden]

Hmm... well, at my old school, we had a long discussion about the name "Adam" once in Hebrew class (god... we had to do it in Hebrew... the torture! ) and our Hebrew teacher told us that Adam most likely came from the word adamah (as your site said, earth) ("Ashes to ashes... etc), and that only afterwards the word "adam" for man came along...

-Menelien