Dinosaurs in the Bible? (Part 6)

 

Are we missing something?

 

Every Christian learner must ponder these questions. Why do we think the Bible has been written for? To teach us how to do scientific experiments? To reveal us who’s going to be the next president of US? To make us rich so that we can live a life of luxury? Why? Is the Bible given for us to study physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, sociology, economics, law, etc.? Is it written to analyze every species of animals and give their taxonomical details which lived since the creation of life on the earth? Or is it on our hand to help us do some business and earn lots of money to sustain life?

What is our view on the language of the Bible? Is there any obligation to read every passages literally? When Jesus said he is Son of God then did he mean God also has female consort? When Psalms 19:6 talks about rotation of the Sun, is it conveying us that the earth is at rest and the Sun at motion? How do we think we can interpret the book of revelation? How would we interpret the nation where milk and honey flows? What do we understand when the scripture says God’s arm, God’s voice, God’s face, etc.? Is God a physical being like us with skeleton and muscles? Is Jesus a literal door when he says I am the door? Have a pondering on this issue.

It seems almost absurd if a person asks what does the Bible has to say about kangaroo. Does the Bible support the scientific formula of water as H₂O? What does the Bible say us about robots and UFOs? There are many questions people do ask in these ways. Maybe they are willing to seek answers because they trust the Bible. However, they must also not forget that what the actual intent of the Bible is. Maybe typical Christians would rather say it is an escape approach. Well I agree but also, I disagree. Let me assume that even if they get the answer what the next step then? Okay. they found amazing verse that verifies H₂O is the molecular formula of water. They got so happy! Now what the next? They will go and hug their chemistry book and start to read and solve numerical taking a breath of joy? Or if they found Bible mentioning about dinosaurs, mammoths, mastodon, dodo, etc. then are they planning to accept to study the biology books? Sometimes our question might bring tears in God’s eyes! I am not talking about the tears of pain but the tears that comes looking at this absurdity.

One of the reasons for these questions is the teaching that we must believe in the Bible only. Are they teaching that The Bible is Word of God or they are teaching that the Bible is an Encyclopedia? Sometimes Christians hear from their neighborhood religious adherents that the Vedas have science in it, the Gita has science in it, and the Quran has science in it. Now the person becomes anxious, runs to the Pastor’s home and starts asking bullets of questions. Hang on! Relax… Why are they out of their breath? I see they have problems with trustworthiness of the Bible. Now here I do not say they have lack of faith! Yeah, it’s good they came up with these questions but it is also essential for them to learn the actual purpose of the scripture. It might not matter them if the Bible doesn’t talk about Tyrannosaur or Bermuda triangle but it matters for them if the Bible fails to give answers to the questions of our life: Who are we? Why are we here? Where did we come from? How shall we live your life? Where shall we go after the death? What’s our ultimate destination? If the Bible fails to answer these then I think it brings lightening to our choice and our faith.

A hospital is never built for punishing the criminals nor is a truck driven to give you a lift. We do not ask mathematics problem to our English teacher nor do we search who was Krishna in the Harry Potter series. This is happening today with the Bible indeed. People now began to force the scripture to answer their query on science, humanity, law, sociology, economics, psychology, etc. What is then the value of so many researches and discoveries if we are forcing the Bible to answer these questions? The question must be addressed in correct way to the correct field.