In Genesis 11, it tells the story of the tower of Babel. God made multiple languages so that the people couldn't continue making the tower.

"Gen 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."

So we can infer:

1) The people were capable of building a tower that could reach heaven (nothing will be restrained from them...)

2) God was willing to interfere to ensure the tower was not completed.

My question: Why does God allow space programs such as NASA? Did he move heaven out of our reach? If so, why didn't he just move heaven and let the people build their stupid tower and realize they couldn't reach heaven? Why confuse the people of Babel for trying to build a tower to heaven (and he stated in verse 6 that it was a real possibility), yet allow us to completely leave the planet?

[This message has been edited by Elephantitis Man (edited 04-27-2006).]

I think this was resolved in the Belinda Carlisle song, "Heaven is a place on Earth".

Maybe because they'd keep building and never find anything.

NASA wasn't made to find heaven, so he said alright (even though he didn't say anything at all, considering he isn't real).

What's it say in verse 6?

quote:Originally posted by Merlinman2005:

Maybe because they'd keep building and never find anything.

Maybe because the bible is a crock of shit.



[This message has been edited by Adrenochrome (edited 04-27-2006).]

On one hand, God is not the author of confusion: "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints," (1 Cor. 14:33).

The context of this verse is dealing with the gift of tongues as were spoken in Christian churches in its early years. Foreigners would attend these churches and hear their own languages being spoken.

There would often be interpretations of these tongues. Also, Christians would be over eager in their use of various tongues and this would often lead to confusion as people did not do things in order.

Therefore, in the immediate verses prior to (1 Cor. 14:33), Paul had just given instruction on the proper use of the tongues in the church, a use which stated order and sequence. The goal was not to produce a confusion among the hearers so that they would not understand the gospel. Instead, it was to produce an orderly service of worship.

The context of the Tower of Babel is quite different. The people of the earth were attempting to build a tower that would "...reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." (Gen. 11:4).

The sin of the people was their great pride. They were seeking to remain one group in one location under their own efforts. Ultimately, this was a defiance of God's proclamation to fill the earth (Gen. 9:1).

God wanted them to spread out. "So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.

Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth," (Gen. 11:6). Therefore, there is no contradiction since each is a different context and a different subject. I don't think the issue was the tower itself, so to speak.

As for NASA and such discussion... I'm of the personal opinion that the galaxy is either intended as proof of God's creation, a method in which to light the sky at night, or a natural entertainment for us to gaze and awe at... Or all of the above. So, hardly wrong to go up and find out more about these amazing things. It'll be a long time before NASA attempts to rocket in to heaven. A useless feat, really.

[This message has been edited by Jacobjac (edited 04-27-2006).]

quote:Originally posted by Jacobjac:

On one hand, God is not the author of confusion: "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints," (1 Cor. 14:33).



"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1 Cor. 1:27)

Got it out of the same book, just for you. http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif)

Anyway, back on topic.

quote:The sin of the people was their great pride. They were seeking to remain one group in one location under their own efforts. Ultimately, this was a defiance of God's proclamation to fill the earth

Haha. Ok, this, you are not going to like...

God did order them to spread througout the earth, just like you said. He slipped up and gave his reason for this command in the verse I quoted:

"And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."(Gen 11:6)

Haha. I didn't realize it until you pointed it out. "When the people are one, nothing will be restrained from them, which they imagine to do."

In other words, straight according to God, "humanity, when united, is unrestrained, unstoppable!" According to verse, he keeps us seperate because together, we can achieve anything we imagine.

Humanity FTW. http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif)

quote:Originally posted by Elephantitis Man:

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1 Cor. 1:27)

Got it out of the same book, just for you. http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif)

This may be a translation error... Another version says this of my quote:

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord's people.

quote:

Haha. Ok, this, you are not going to like...

God did order them to spread througout the earth, just like you said. He slipped up and gave his reason for this command in the verse I quoted:

"And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do."(Gen 11:6)

Haha. I didn't realize it until you pointed it out. "When the people are one, nothing will be restrained from them, which they imagine to do."

In other words, straight according to God, "humanity, when united, is unrestrained, unstoppable!" According to verse, he keeps us seperate because together, we can achieve anything we imagine.

Humanity FTW. http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif)[/b]

Two scenarios spring to mind from what I've read in these passages.

1: They weren't applying themselves according to his plan... God seemed to have wanted diversity, however these people wanted to stay as one. I don't think the tower is the issue. They were building this tower to make a name for themselves to they would not be scattered around the earth. They were building it for greed, it seems.

2: Or God actually gave them the power to accomplish their dreams, and they used the power for selfish purposes.. And God said that the reason they are able to do anything is because they speak the same language.. so He mixed their languages. This may of also been part of the plan for diversity.

I'll have to look in to this some more.

[This message has been edited by Jacobjac (edited 04-27-2006).]

basicly, It's gods reason for why we can't all come together, because no one understands eachother. If we did we would have peace on earth and well, god wouldn't exist.