The Bible: A Book For Those People? (Jesus, reject, Moses)

[Hope]

Originally Posted by Somkid

Actually I think the Romans did the nailing and the poking with the spear the Jews just agreed however; my point was now with our current intellect and technology and lack of superstition, with our knowledge of recording word for word so there is no need for interpretation why not come now.

Perhaps because of humanity's arrogance?? What makes you think that just because we might be a little more knowledgeable and advanced in certain areas now, that the people back then were complete idiots? That kind of assumption always irritates me. Basic human nature never changes. And a deity that can see all of history and knows the hearts of man certainly knows the best time to enter into human history.

How can anyone have faith in something that is so hard to believe that even the followers disagree with one another. The people in question 2,000 years ago didn't know how to wipe their own behinds with out spreading the plague and I'm to take their word about something as big as god that would just be silly.

Again, I find such arrogance disturbing.

People believe what they want to believe because it makes them feel good to spite any evidence contrary of their belief they continue to justify what they believe by saying it is faith.

The first part of that statement is pretty accurate. And applicable not just to Christians (whom it seems you are directing that statement to). Jesus, who claimed to be God, probably wouldn't have been crucified if the Jews had been willing to accept the evidence He presented that was contrary to their precious, tightly-held beliefs. And if Jesus came to walk this earth today, claiming to be God and doing miracles, I doubt people such as yourself would let go of your precious, tightly-held beliefs to embrace Him either.

I would be willing to believe and do what god requires if god would only give me a logical reason to and show itself to be capable of more love, compassion and mercy than I am.

It's easy to say that. But quite another to follow through on. Because we all have our own ideas and presuppositions that could hinder us from seeing the truth when the truth is right in front of us.

Whether 2,000 years ago, or today, human hearts remain the same. God has walked this earth and shown Himself to mankind, and if He did again today, I doubt the results would be much different than they were 2,000 years ago.

[sojourner]

How can anyone have faith in something that is so hard to believe that even the followers disagree with one another. The people in question 2,000 years ago didn't know how to wipe their own behinds with out spreading the plague and I'm to take their word about something as big as god that would just be silly.

This coming from one who was reared in a time when our best scientists thought that giving Thalidamide to pregnant women was a good idea...

[Somkid]

We are a lot more knowledgeable today then people were 2000 years ago it is not even possible to debate that rationally. As far as people being idiots 2000 years ago I'm sure in 2000 years history will judge us the same perhaps something like "all the power, resources and technology to cure disease but they found better ways to fight wars and kill each other instead".

Human nature does change as we learn and grow superstition fades so do labels and prejudiced. Just look at American history 200 years ago and look at it now, a man who would be property is now running for the Democratic position to be president of the Unites States.

I think the Native Americans said it best to the missionaries when they arrived "how can we believe you when you all have a book and can not agree on it yet we have no book and we all agree". (Chief Joseph)

As far a Jesus goes he was a Jew its that plain and simple, what the Jews followed in their minds was the word of the one true God they did as God commanded now to be damned by the Christians who have twisted original Christianity into what it is today and broken just as many laws. This is not limited to Christianity, Buddhists have done the same thing, the Buddha said "do not turn my teachings into a religion, do not build big temples or images of me".

If God presented itself to me to scientists and commanded something logical of course I would follow, its not hard to believe, I am a Buddhist because what the Buddha said was logical and true, he even said, don't believe anything I say but know it for yourself then follow what you know to be true, righteous and correct if it is good for all and has benefit for all.

Perhaps our scientists have made mistakes as have we all that is part of learning and growing the difference in science is when something is proved wrong it is accepted and corrected.

One of the most important things I can tell you about what I believe is God simply doesn't matter as God has no effect on anything I am not saying there is a God and I am not saying there is not, I can assume through philosophy and logic there is not however I don't label myself as an atheist or agnostic because that is thinking too much. When the Buddha was asked about the (Hindu) gods he said it doesn't matter, what have they to do with you.

[Shiloh Levi]

If I may interject momentarily, this entire discussion seems to be focused mor on attacking Christian beliefs then it does on finding a solution to the question that was posed so well by the creator of this thread.
What intrigues me is the fact that the bible is seen as a book for 'those people' and not something that you can read to see what its about.
Admitedly there are several theories and parables within the bible that do not seem to make sense to us in todays society.
Science has done all it can to disprove the bible, and it seems as though people put more credence on what other prophets say rather than what the Scriputure is really saying. We must not forget that the Bible's original language was Aramaic and Hebrew and Greek and that through time it has been translated over and over again.
The issue with woman can be adressed simply by saying read between the lines and realize that many times when it says 'man' it is referring to both of us as a species. Not man over woman.

The Bible can and must be taken literally even today, most of the laws and rules are there to help us. and really its no problem with the rules becasue there is a freedom and a peace that comes form knowing Christ as your personal saviour.

Why is it so hard for people to believe in the unseen. I mean yes as a Christian I speak about faith in an unseen being, however I see it as this, you can't see the wind but you can feel it. Its the same with God, you can't see him but you can feel his power and him in the surrounding world.

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't take everything at face value, look into it and remember we make mistakes as humans becasue we don't know everything.

[Sunstone]

I think it's pretty obvious that legends grew up around Jesus after his death just like legends have grown up around Elvis after his death. That Jesus rose from the dead is no more creditable to me than that Elvis has been seen in recent years shopping in Las Vegas supermarkets.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Shiloh Levi

Science has done all it can to disprove the bible...

Not so. There is much more that science could do to disprove the Bible. It just doesn't matter.

[Somkid]

Originally Posted by Willamena

Not so. There is much more that science could do to disprove the Bible. It just doesn't matter.

Yes, I agree it doesn't matter not one bit. It is a wast of time and valuable resources when the evidence is self evident. The answer to the question in Buddhism is "it doesn't matter" reason being even if it were true it has no effect on us.

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Somkid

...a wast of time and valuable resources when the evidence is self evident.

A very unscientific premise.

[wednesday]

Originally Posted by Darkness

Somkid said that God should come right now, not two-thousand years ago. Now, there is hardly any evidence that Jesus even existed.

And we did not nail Jesus to a tree. The Jewish leaders did!

He was recorded in Roman history during the time of Nero (Emperor). It is very difficult to find the primary source on this (high percentage has been destroyed) but if its any consolation to Jesus Nero was the most pathetic Emperor of the Roman Empire rivalled only by Caligula.