Answer by John Mackay and Diane Eager The “harmful” gases being referred to are methane and carbon dioxide. Neither of these are dangerous to the environment – they are part of it. We also need to note that cows are a minor source of these gases in the overall ecosystems of the world. Both gases […]
Posts by John Mackay
John Mackay
How can we know Moses wrote Genesis? Part 1: Is it in the record of Babel?
The original question was: Why do people say Moses is the author of Genesis when the book doesn’t even mention his name? Answer by John Mackay Moses is certainly mentioned in four of the first five books in the Old Testament i.e. Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. Since his death and burial are recorded in […]
How can we know Moses wrote Genesis? Part 2: Is it in the name Shinar?
The original question was: Why do people say Moses is the author of Genesis when the book doesn’t even mention his name? Answer by John Mackay and John Osgood In Genesis 11:1-2 we read; ‘And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from […]
How can we know Moses wrote Genesis? Part 3: Is it in Psalm 90?
The original question was: Why do people say Moses is the author of Genesis when the book doesn’t even mention his name? Answer by John Mackay There is more evidence concerning Moses’s authorship of Genesis that we can consider! The Hebrew Scriptures have always included an introduction to Psalm 90 advising us that Moses is […]
LIVING IN EDEN: Do we know how long Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden?
Answer by John Mackay and Diane Eager The short answer is that we are not specifically told in terms of days, months, or years, however, there are clues, which strongly indicate it wasn’t very long. The most obvious one is that Eve was not pregnant at the time they were sent out of the Garden. […]
TIME IN EDEN: The Bible doesn’t say how long Adam & Eve were in the Garden. Does this allow an old earth?
Answer by John Mackay It’s true that some old earthers do argue that since we are not told how many days or weeks Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, this leaves the door open to allow the possibility of an old earth. However, here is one aspect that most people do not […]
HOMOSEXUAL SIN: If homosexuality is sin, why isn’t it sin to eat shellfish, shave beards and work on Saturday?
The original question was: If you claim homosexuality is a sin, then why don’t you refrain from eating seafood, working on Saturdays, shaving your beard, and all the other things found in the Old Testament law? Answer by John Mackay This question is referring to the Law of Moses concerning homosexuality, where it is forbidden […]
MAN FROM DUST? My sceptical friends say it is impossible for God to create Adam as a living adult from non-living dust.
The original question was: I’m trying to obtain some information/evidence that could prove that God created an adult man (Adam) from dust. I’m also trying to get information on answering the sceptics. They ask how could God create living Adam out of non-living dust? It is not possible they say. Answer by John Mackay There […]
FLOOD FISH: If the rain for Noah’s Flood was fresh water, then how did saltwater fish survive?
Answer by John Mackay and Diane Eager There are two issues here: was the original water in the sea salty; and if so, how could salt water fish survive in freshwater? Flood Water The water in Noah’s Flood came from three main sources. The first was the water that had been created on day one […]
POLEMIC? The early chapters of Genesis are a moral polemic against ancient pagan stories, so why do they have to be real history?
The original question was: My evangelical theological college teaches the early chapters of Genesis were written as a moral polemic against the multi-god, violent, and sexually immoral creation stories of the pagans, therefore we don’t need to regard Genesis 1-11 as real history. What do you think? Answer by Diane Eager and John Mackay To […]