MY BROTHER WAS RIGHT—SORT OF.

MY BROTHER WAS RIGHT—SORT OF…

 

A long time ago my brother and I argued over science and faith,

He tried to explain combining the two won’t work and wasn’t safe…

Having argued and argued and argued the point

In science, theology, nose out of joint,

I see that he’s right—sort of.

–

A long time ago I thought it could be done, to interconnect the two,

After seeing the effect of circular reasoning, it’s stupid to do…

Any kind of scholarship predicates

Its answers on fact that relates,

Only to what is fact—at that time!

–

Only what has been seen, dug up, observed, will be classed

With primary sources unabashed…

To be “FACT” in that age

And may become all the rage,

But is limited to what is known only by then.

–

Christian scholars over centuries have talked

And are used by other religions to stalk…

Christians weak in their faith

With “FACTS” unsafe,

To unhinge the faithful from their god.

–

By “god” I mean the “facts” 

Related to unreliable human acts…

Claiming “God’s word”

Hasn’t changed is absurd,

Considering multiple translators’ impacts.

–

The “most reliable KJV”

Itself has been in flux frequently…

Most editions don’t disclose

The  revisions enclosed,

With no disclosure clause noted in between.

–

My point is that human effort

Doesn’t dent the meaning export…

But to argue phrase and verse

As “reliable” is adverse,

To the faith ground we stand on and exhort.

–

Circular arguing theologic manuscript evidence

Like philosophy or science is immense…

One reads only part of the line

And thinks his argument sounds fine,

While the other (to themselves) think the first’s brain is “dense”*.

–

All fact, science, will change,

New translations of Scripture may rearrange…

The occasional word,

To argue THAT is absurd

So take some ground to stand on by faith, for a change!

–

The basic concepts of the Bible have not changed,

Although our understanding often has…

Perhaps you’ll be so kind

To settle your own mind

On belief and let debaters and scientists catch up at last.

 

(Not very regularly poetic is it?)

—Opinion based on experiences of  Jonathan Caswell

***Dense—Another way of saying someone doesn’t get it, doesn’t see the point I’m trying to make…even if it is (obviously) in the very next phrase or verse or manuscript THEY chose not to read or reference.  A synonym of “dense” would be “blockhead”…but that isn’t as polite!