Sorry, ja, but you are mistaken on many fronts here. It is certainly not a "moot" point, it is an extremely important point. Who exactly was Yeshuwa' asking his Father to forgive? You have to have knowledge of the meaning of the true scriptures, reasoning power and Holy Spirit in order to answer this essential question. I agree with your last statement. But if a scripture does not say something than asking why it doesn't does not prove the point Philip is trying to make. It may mean research & study, but it does not mean that the truth can't be found or that special revelation is needed or that it is a matter of interpritation. You also need to address the issue of why you have the "Bible" on your bookshelf in the form that it is in. Who decided which books to include and which to exclude, particularly from the so-called "New Testament"? You will find that, as Nick and Philip will rightly tell you, it was the Roman Catholic Church. Their argument would then be, if the Catholic church was commissioned to decide which books should be there, it seems reasonable to presume that it would also be given the wisdom to interpret the scriptures contained therein. This aspect of Nick's argument is completely bona fide, in my opinion, and you would need to seriously address it. I am no scholar in this area but my take on this is that is was pretty well sorted out before the roman catholics put there stamp on it. God's purpose always takes place even under the noses of those gathering to oppose him. I mean I'm sure satan was real happy and working hard to ensure Christ's crucifiction, but look what happened beca use of it. Just because the catholic church takes authority it doesn't have or takes positons which are unbiblical doesn't mean that any accomplishment of thier's is invalid nor that those involved are unsaved. You also need to ask yourself why scripture appears contradictory, which it most certainly does. Do not call me either an atheist or a "liberal," but rather examine the evidence for yourself. As a simple example, consider the following: There are hundereds, maybe thousands of such things you could quote which seem contradictory. I could spend alot of time researching the answers for you as I used to do when I was evaluating such arguements against the bible. Everyone I ever researched was answered and still fell within the framework that Allen presented for you in understanding scripture. (Mat 27:38 KJV) Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. (Mat 27:39 KJV) And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, (Mat 27:40 KJV) And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. (Mat 27:41 KJV) Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, (Mat 27:42 KJV) He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. (Mat 27:43 KJV) He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. (Mat 27:44 KJV) The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. as opposed to: (Luke 23:39 KJV) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. (Luke 23:40 KJV) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? (Luke 23:41 KJV) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. (Luke 23:42 KJV) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (Luke 23:43 KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. As for your, "It is an arguement that does not contradict the point he is trying to contradict," what can I (or anyone else) say?! Your arguement seems to be a better choice in making Philips point, but his original still does not. However, I will study this particular one and see if I can give a satisfactiory answer within Allens' framework. I can give one answer without looking into it; the account of the theives speaking is not contradictory if one thief spoke one way and then changed his mind and then spoke the other way. You may think that's too much private interpritation but that's just off the top of my head. It is a simple way of reading the verses that satisfy's the verses so they do not contradict and requires only very simple logic. If two people wrote an account of some moment of anothers life and one said "he took the lords name in vain" and the other wrote that he "spoke well of the lord" could both statements be true? Well yes, I've heard a godly man say somet hing he shouldn't in a moment of pain or anger right after or before saying something good. "Dr. Neville Jones" <ntj005@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:j a <ja_777_aj@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: My responces are in red Philip has stated the point well regarding Bible interpretation, so I don't see a reason to add to that . His position is the same as any atheist or liberal christian. That the bible is too contradictory. The atheist uses that to say it isn't true. The Liberal uses it to excuse whatever he already wants to believe. (pardon me for using the "liberal" word but I needed some descriptor for what I was saying.) Yes, it is true that someting difficult may need research like reading other verses or looking up definitions for words in original languages or perhaps some othe rmethod. But Phillips point of trying to determine who "they" were is moot. It is an arguement that does not contradict the point he is trying to contradict. If the verse does not say who they are than it doesn't say. If some other scripture elsewhere in the bible describes the same event and says who they are, than it do es. What is so difficult about that? How does that violate reading the scriptures as plainly as possibly? Sorry, ja, but you are mistaken on many fronts here. It is certainly not a "moot" point, it is an extremely important point. Who exactly was Yeshuwa' asking his Father to forgive? You have to have knowledge of the meaning of the true scriptures, reasoning power and Holy Spirit in order to answer this essential question. You also need to address the issue of why you have the "Bible" on your bookshelf in the form that it is in. Who decided which books to include and which to exclude, particularly from the so-called "New Testament"? You will find that, as Nick and Philip will rightly tell you, it was the Roman Catholic Church. Their argument would then be, if the Catholic church was commissioned to decide which books should be there, it seems reasonable to presume that it would also be given the wisdom to interpret the scriptures contained therein. This aspect of Nick's argument is completely bona fide, in my opinion, and you would need to seriously address it. You also need to ask yourself why scripture appears contradictory, which it most certainly does. Do not call me either an atheist or a "liberal," but rather examine the evidence for yourself. As a simple example, consider the following: (Mat 27:38 KJV) Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. (Mat 27:39 KJV) And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, (Mat 27:40 KJV) And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. (Mat 27:41 KJV) Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, (Mat 27:42 KJV) He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. (Mat 27:43 KJV) He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. (Mat 27:44 KJV) The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. as opposed to: (Luke 23:39 KJV) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. (Luke 23:40 KJV) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? (Luke 23:41 KJV) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. (Luke 23:42 KJV) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (Luke 23:43 KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. As for your, "It is an arguement that does not contradict the point he is trying to contradict," what can I (or anyone else) say?! Neville. --------------------------------- Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com