jsanford108 said:
1.) In what way does my theory "destroys the purpose of Christ's physical death and resurrection?" You keep saying that, but are providing no reason or logic behind your statement.*
Remove those hands from your eyes. Myself and others have explained that if death existed before sin, and God called it "very good", then Christ did not need defeat physical death. Your belief system means Christ died in vain.*
Even atheists understand that if they can get people to compromise on Genesis, the gospel becomes meaningless. Just yesterday I read an article showing how some atheists have posed as theistic evolutionists, encouraging Christians to become theistic evolutionists.*
Since you did not read previous posts explaining how your beliefs destroy the gospel... here is one of the previous posts ... I will try condense it for you.
A Theologian Answers
According to the Bible, there was no death until there was sin. The creation is cursed only after Adam sinned (cf. Genesis 3;*Romans 5:12–21;*8:19–25). *If there was blood and violence in the creation before Adam sinned, the theological structure of the biblical message would appear to suffer considerable dislocation"
An Atheist Answers
"if Adam and Eve and the Talking Snake are myths, then Original Sin is also a myth, right? Well, think about it.
"Jesus’ major purpose was to save mankind from Original Sin.Original Sin makes believers unworthy of salvation, but you get it anyway, so you should be grateful for being saved (from that which does not exist)Without Original Sin, the marketing that all people are sinners and therefore need to accept Jesus falls moot.
"All we are asking is that you take what you know into serious consideration, even if it means taking a hard look at all you’ve been taught for your whole life. No Adam and Eve means no need for a savior. It also means that the Bible cannot be trusted as a source of unambiguous, literal truth. It is completely unreliable, because it all begins with a myth, and builds on that as a basis. No Fall of Man means no need for atonement and no need for a redeemer. You know it."
A Christian Apologist Answers
“Since the doctrines of Creation, the Fall and Redemption stand in an absolute historical continuum, we get a distorted worldview when we play games with Genesis.
“The apologist seeks to present biblical truth with coherence. In my experience, one cannot even formulate a compelling response to classic questions like the problem of evil and pain without a clear stand with Scripture on the creation issue.
“I have never been able to see how anyone who wants to defend the faith and proclaim the Gospel can compromise the foundation stones of that defence and then expect clear-thinking people to find a proclamation of salvation in Christ compelling.”
A Prof / PhD Biblical Studies Answers
*"Often, people will use the old argument that we should concentrate on preaching the Gospel, rather than get distracted by ‘side-issues’ such as Creation. But if we cannot believe the record of Creation, then why believe the record of the New Creation (‘if anyone is in Christ, he is a New Creation; the old is gone, the new has come’—2 Corinthians 5:17)?”
A Biologist Answers
"Many Christians have compromised on the historical and theological importance of Genesis. If Adam and Eve aren’t real people who sinned in the Garden of Eden, and as a result we are all not sinners, then Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was useless. ...the literal truth of Genesis is so important to the authority and truthfulness of Scripture. It is the very foundation of the Gospel."