Now, you said you don't care how old the earth is. Bravo! THat is EXACTLY what I said before.
No, you definitely care about the age of the earth and how it's older than six thousand years.
I don't remember if it was in this thread. But a christian should never preach that the earth is 6000 years old if he doesn't know it.
And there's another example of "caring" about the age of the earth. Presumably, a Christian could be allowed in Beebertianity to preach that the earth is seven billion years old.
It simply doesn't matter for the faith. And that was my whole point.
Your whole point is that it does matter for the faith if it's not the answer you approve.
Now I don't like Tertullian, but wasn't he the one who said the he believed because it is absurd? It IS absurd to believe that God, the maker of this infinite universe, was incarnated by being born by a virgin, died on a cross and raised from the dead again. Now. That is absurd. That is absurd for what? For our reason.
I don't trust your reading of Tertullian or anyone else, so you're going to have to prove your point about absurdity.
That is why one can not simply "believe". God's grace, a miracle, is required. To say otherwise is stupid.
You're right. But I never said that God's grace wasn't required. My contention is that "faith" is reasonable.
Is it regular that a man can raise other men from the dead, heal the sick and the blind etc? No. In order to have faith in the miracles and everything in the bible, you must in some way go against your natural reason. What is so strange about that? That it appears absurd doesn't mean it isn't true.
Why do I have to go against my natural reason? My ancestors were baptised by the Apostle Thomas. They believed his testimony about Christ to be sufficient for them to do something as counter-cultural and radical as converting. They didn't think they were doing something "non-reasonable", something contradicting their natural reason. They had to feel it was reasonable enough to justify taking the risk. I believe their testimony because it has remained consistent for two thousand years. That's reasonable. It's not against natural reason. It's not absurd. It's just not CCTV footage of downtown Eden.
Regarding your comments on that I would have People preach the age of the earth : No. It is not important to me. I am not a Dawkins. Even though though sometimes understands Why he is irritated by people who are to spiritually and intellectually analphabetic to understand that the earth doesnt stand on a turtle. But: If we go on that road I would rather do it like Wittgenstein and say there is a great chance that there in fact is a dinosaur under my bed. I dont care what People Believe. I would never do as the catholic Church did and burn heretics. Nor would I do like many Southern Baptists and preach hatred towards homosexuals. What I despise is 1. Oppression. 2. Herd mentality. 3. Intellectual dishonesty. Those three are what I consider the roots of all evil. And most people belong to at least one of those three. I have a tendency towards intellectual dishonesty for example, which I despise. "The Earth is 6000 years" is not an answer to anything btw. I allow you to Believe it, But it is very very probable that it is a lie and a great one. And pure imagination. Otherwise, I too Believe that there are dinosaurs under my bed. Now... Don Quijote wasn't so unique in his delusions efter all. Perhaps he saw giants instead of windmills because he was right.
Credo quia absurdum is a Latin phrase that means "I believe because it is absurd." It is a paraphrase of a statement in Tertullian's work De Carne Christi, "prorsus credibile est, quia ineptum est", which can be translated: "it is by all means to be believed, because it is absurd".The context is a defence of the tenets of orthodox Christianity against docetism:
Crucifixus est Dei Filius, non pudet, quia pudendum est;
et mortuus est Dei Filius, prorsus credibile est, quia ineptum est;
et sepultus resurrexit, certum est, quia impossibile.
— (De Carne Christi V, 4)
"The Son of God was crucified: there is no shame, because it is shameful.
And the Son of God died: it is by all means to be believed, because it is absurd.
And, buried, He rose again: it is certain, because impossible."
That is one of few good things Tertullian ever said that I know of.
Now to say how much I believe the common man and often also the prieats and preaches have distorted true christianity : 1. Priests and preachers have often been oppressors and preached an oppressive God. Jesus Said he came to free the oppressed and he condemned the oppressors. And suddenly many christians turned Christ himself into an oppressor! That is really blasphemy if anything. 2. The herd. Christ said he would gather his flock. His flock is supposed to be people who are couragous enough to follow his painful path. The herd made it Into something comfortable, and helped the preachers to oppress those outside the true Faith because they, in their group mentality, couldnt or wouldnt see things clear and instead joined the oppressors. 3. All of this is intellectualy dishonest.