I take the book of Genesis as generally having an historical intent and talking about real events. But no it does not mean I have to take everything literally and certainly doesn’t mean I have to accept your understanding of it. Genesis 1, for example, only means God created all things and has no intention of explaining how God created them.
Incorrect. You have equated presence with control.
YES we can learn about God in all situations.
But no, this does not equate to God being responsible for everything that happens.
I don’t think so.
John 5:39 You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
Jesus does not limit God to the scriptures.
Your privileged time and location does not accurately reflect the reality of the world and its history. It is a history of conquest, and that is just one way in which people exert power over other people. We all hope this is changing. But if so it is very slow with many setbacks.
As for the rest, I can only repeat myself, so there is no point in doing so. We disagree and my saying nothing certainly doesn’t mean I think you have changed this in any way.
If God is equally present in everything, then the actions of an arsonist tell us as much about God as the scriptures do, which means that setting fire to other people’s stuff is as valid a way to honor God as singing a Psalm.
Then God is more present in things He makes happen, e.g. the scriptures.
Exactly – they recognize that God is alive.
And Jesus notes that the scriptures bear witness to Him; He doesn’t say that about everything.
Recognition of the possibility of “privileged time and location” is sufficient to negate the assertion that “in the world, everything is indeed about power”.
Nonsense. That does not follow. In no way does God being present in something equal God being honored by it. Frankly I think the kind of irrational rhetoric your are pushing now points to dictating/controlling God and dispense Him as your personal gift to the world.
No it was about Pharisees thinking that being experts on the scriptures made them the masters of God Himself, and boy that sound a lot like you.
Well since I have been saying that God is in the world and God is not about power, then this is certainly true. But that is not what Christians mean when they say things like this, calling Satan the god of this world, and Paul in Ephesians 6:12 about contending against powers and world rulers. And I am certainly not advocating a separation from the world with a battle mentality that sees the devil in every aspect of culture. That is the whole point of seeing God everywhere and not just in scripture – that you don’t have to restrict your search for God to scriptures and religion alone.
It is scripture which tells us that everything bears witness to God.
The stupidest argument EVER! Jesus didn’t say that things evolved, or that galaxies and quarks exist. That which Jesus said is finite. That which Jesus did not say, but which is true is infinite (and I can prove it). That Jesus didn’t say something proves ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
OK! Now we are getting somewhere! (with a little modification) Scripture is the referee and measure with regards to the teachings of Christianity. It is not the referee and measure with regards to everything. It is not even the referee and measure with regards to God because claiming Christianity has all possible knowledge of God is absurd!