when God destroyed the earth with water, there was still life in the sea. and then the water, though it flooded the earth, was still life giving when it receeded.
when God destroyed sodom and gomorrah with fire, there was nothing left but ashes ~ all death; no life. nothing life giving.
perhaps that's more an answer to which is more destructive. as to which is more powerful? hummmm ... the force of water is incredible and consuming. the force of fire is fierce and suffocating - feeding off the oxygen and sucking it from all life.
hummmm ... i'm not sure i can separate more powerful from more destructive - i think i'd go with fire - but then again, it would probably also be subject to which one is most susceptible to, you know?
I had a whole "sermon" typed out and Blogger flaked on me...hmmm...anyway..that is a very good question...first reaction is water since water puts out fire...but depending on the fire is that a good thing?? Then again fire has its own strength and power...and both fire and water have their destructive qualities...though if water is directed like a river it can be a good thing, unlike a flood. Fire is also the same...if it is directed and contained and burns for the right reasons it can be a good thing...like our fire inside as Christians...we should never let that go out...however if fire is not contained it can be disatourous...good question...not sure that I have the perfect answer but definitely makes one think...
Cool question. My first reaction is that it depends on how much of each there is. A bucket may put out a campfire, but an ocean would disappear before a sun. And since there's more fire in the universe than water... In equal amounts, though, they could wipe each other out, right?
jThey're equal I'm thinking...water puts out fire, but a good fire will evaporate water. Water becomes other things, like steam and ice, while fire creates other things, like carbon, coal and liquid steel. Both destroy, but both are blessings. We fear and revere them equally,and need them both equally to live..water to drink and clean, and fire to stay warm and cook. As an adjuster, I've done million fire losses and million dollar water losses. The desert is hostile because it lacks water. The arctic is hostile because it's nothing but frozen water. WOW...great question! Thanks for getting my brain cells going this morning!
I think I have to go with Ame. My first reaction was the same as bjk, the whole water extinguishes fire thing, but after consideration, I think I have to say water. It sustains life. It is the major component not only of the earth, but of our bodies. My chemistry education also supports the water answer. It tells us that watcer can take on 12 different phases, not just the basic 3 we all know and love. But fire can be replaced by light, or electricity. Any chemist will tell you water is probably the most amazing substance on the earth.
I would love to come up with my own insightful answer on this one....but Ame got me to thinking....water has always been presented as life-giving and fire as all-consuming....I would have to go with both...water as the most powerful in a postive sense and fire as the most powerful in a negative sense...does this make sense????
fire -- because it transforms (almost) everything it touches from one thing into another. deep, chemical reaction takes place and there's no way to go back to the original substance. Water is just a temporary problem. It flows over you and then disappears. You dry, you go on with life. But fire? there's no going back.
Ooooo, love these. Hmmmm. Water. Freezes, seeps under things, expands, evaporates, condensates, mighty waves, water pressure, heavy. Lots of components, lots of states of being, most versatile. My vote is water.
Water - definitely. It is a relentless, cannot be squeezed smaller, force that has the strength of being a long term effect on the rock around it. Fire is quick and immediately showy, but can be blown out and is as changeable as the wind.
19 comments:
hard to say...I would think that in a lot of ways they are equaly as strong...
hummmm ... interesting ...
when God destroyed the earth with water, there was still life in the sea. and then the water, though it flooded the earth, was still life giving when it receeded.
when God destroyed sodom and gomorrah with fire, there was nothing left but ashes ~ all death; no life. nothing life giving.
perhaps that's more an answer to which is more destructive. as to which is more powerful? hummmm ... the force of water is incredible and consuming. the force of fire is fierce and suffocating - feeding off the oxygen and sucking it from all life.
hummmm ... i'm not sure i can separate more powerful from more destructive - i think i'd go with fire - but then again, it would probably also be subject to which one is most susceptible to, you know?
Water is LIFE.....
Kind of like Rock Paper Scissors??? Water puts out fire....
I like where Ame headed...will think on it some more.....
I had a whole "sermon" typed out and Blogger flaked on me...hmmm...anyway..that is a very good question...first reaction is water since water puts out fire...but depending on the fire is that a good thing?? Then again fire has its own strength and power...and both fire and water have their destructive qualities...though if water is directed like a river it can be a good thing, unlike a flood. Fire is also the same...if it is directed and contained and burns for the right reasons it can be a good thing...like our fire inside as Christians...we should never let that go out...however if fire is not contained it can be disatourous...good question...not sure that I have the perfect answer but definitely makes one think...
Cool question. My first reaction is that it depends on how much of each there is. A bucket may put out a campfire, but an ocean would disappear before a sun. And since there's more fire in the universe than water...
In equal amounts, though, they could wipe each other out, right?
jThey're equal I'm thinking...water puts out fire, but a good fire will evaporate water. Water becomes other things, like steam and ice, while fire creates other things, like carbon, coal and liquid steel. Both destroy, but both are blessings. We fear and revere them equally,and need them both equally to live..water to drink and clean, and fire to stay warm and cook. As an adjuster, I've done million fire losses and million dollar water losses. The desert is hostile because it lacks water. The arctic is hostile because it's nothing but frozen water. WOW...great question! Thanks for getting my brain cells going this morning!
I think I have to go with Ame. My first reaction was the same as bjk, the whole water extinguishes fire thing, but after consideration, I think I have to say water. It sustains life. It is the major component not only of the earth, but of our bodies.
My chemistry education also supports the water answer. It tells us that watcer can take on 12 different phases, not just the basic 3 we all know and love. But fire can be replaced by light, or electricity. Any chemist will tell you water is probably the most amazing substance on the earth.
I would love to come up with my own insightful answer on this one....but Ame got me to thinking....water has always been presented as life-giving and fire as all-consuming....I would have to go with both...water as the most powerful in a postive sense and fire as the most powerful in a negative sense...does this make sense????
I have no idea which is stronger, I couldn't even remember to tip my hairdresser... more importantly, what are you working through?
I am cracking up at the comment above me! I think they are equal (how's that for a safe guess)
Refiner's Fire ... purify my heart (Oh, where'e my Bible?) You will end the suspence, YES, NO???
I think water is stronger... it persists... fire can change it into steam, but eventually, it'll be water again..
Fire however is transient... dependant on a fuel source.. it may yield other things as it consumes them, but once the fuel source is gone, so is fire.
Thanks for an interesting metal excersize this morning!
fire -- because it transforms (almost) everything it touches from one thing into another. deep, chemical reaction takes place and there's no way to go back to the original substance. Water is just a temporary problem. It flows over you and then disappears. You dry, you go on with life. But fire? there's no going back.
Ooooo, love these.
Hmmmm.
Water.
Freezes, seeps under things, expands, evaporates, condensates, mighty waves, water pressure, heavy.
Lots of components, lots of states of being, most versatile.
My vote is water.
i vote water.....but thats probably b/c i almost drowned when i was 14. God sent angels to save me!!!
so i would say angels are stronger than both.
Okay, Cheryl, so what are you working through???!!!
Water - definitely. It is a relentless, cannot be squeezed smaller, force that has the strength of being a long term effect on the rock around it. Fire is quick and immediately showy, but can be blown out and is as changeable as the wind.
Hey Cheryl,
Water has a limit to how cold it can get. Fire has no limit to its temperature.
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