The Jews of Exodus wandering in the desert described God who led them as a 'Cloud of Smoke' by day and a 'Pillar of Fire by night'.......How would one of us interpret the same 'fact' were we to view it with today's understanding of reality? It'll be amazing to find out.
, they prefer to adhere to ancient vague mystical accounts from scripture as being the absolute unquestionable truth....they are not much different to those people of today who still believe mirrors and photographs can steal their soul...and will refuse to consider a rational scientific explanation.
Belief doesn't change absolute fact. .
(or simply blind to facts that are obvious), humans will tend to create all sorts of misguided convenient beliefs.
I have a rational and enquiring mind, though diminished by usage and misusage,
despite 21st Century scientification. Though science has certainly advanced to the point of further explaining certain facts we previously understook only incompletely or not at all, it too often suffers self idolotry evidenced by considering its work in terms of 'always', 'never', 'absolutely', 'impossible', etc. when these terms are 'absolutely' inappropriate. I do not deny this extends to some scientific studies of Biblical origin and history, even truth. However this does not diminish my acceptance of the reality of God. I can wade thru the muck out pretty well.
There is never the absence of fact or, perhaps more accurately, truth. But as stated previously fact (truth) can interpreted correctly, incorrectly, or in an incomplete version of either, possibly both simultaneously. There are so many instances in scripture of real people trying their best to accurately describe what they are seeing, thinking or dreaming when there is simply not enough data on the hard drive to give a fully accurate description of the truth they have observed or experienced. Our actions and beliefs today can be critiqued in the same manner.
Many can and do look at Biblical accounts with the attitude of 'absolute' disbelief. How can a dead man possibly live? How can water gush from a rock? How can a people be fed daily in a desert devoid of food by an invisible entity they call God? Well, perhaps these are truths the lack of data on the hard drive prevents us from accurately interpreting. Who is man to say he is all knowing? Only thru arrogance is this voiced. We can't begin to know what we don't know or how to compensate for our ignorance. I am convinced reality extends into realms the human mind has not yet begun to understand. I see an analogy of walking into a dark room with your dog. Suddenly it is light. Dog MIGHT recognize that change has something to do with you, after all it doesn't get light with just him there. Then try to explain to him the perfect logic of it all; "fire burns the coal, which heats the water to steam, which turns the rotors, yada yada yada, then all I do is flip the switch". If dog could reply he'd probly ask "What's a switch". OK, when it comes to fully understanding the power of God, we're the dog. Nice conversation. Thanks.
