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Do you accept the Bible? If not, explain why.

Reptillian

Hamburgler Extraordinaire
Accept it as what? An influential book in the history of western civilization? Yes... As a great work of literature? Yes... As the inerrant word of God Almighty? No...

In my opinion reading the Bible is like panning for gold, you have to sift through a lot of $#!^ to find anything of value.
 

Madhuri

RF Goddess
Staff member
Premium Member
Nope. Besides the fact that the Bibles portrays existence in quite a bleak and horrible manner, I find no good reason to take it seriously. It also requires me to put blind faith into a bunch of dudes I don't know.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Do you accept the Bible? If not, explain why.
No. Cash only. Don't you know that the Gideons are giving those things out for free? :D

Seriously, it depends what you mean by "accept". I certainly don't accept it as an authority. I do accept it as evidence of the beliefs of the people who wrote it, but I don't accept it as evidence that the supernatural events it described actually happened.

Going by what I think you probably mean by "accept"... there are parts of it that I think are okay, but I don't accept it in general. Here's why:

- some of its factual claims seem reasonable to me; others seem unreasonable.
- some of its teachings seem morally good to me; others seem immoral.

Without accepting the Bible as a whole, I can pick out the things that seem reasonable and morally good and accept them on their own merits. However, if I accept the Bible - the whole Bible - then would boil down to accepting the parts I view as unreasonable or immoral.

Basically, I see "accepting the Bible" as something with absolutely no upside and quite a bit of downside. The only reason I'd see to do it is if I thought it was written by someone whose wisdom was so far above my capabilities that I felt I could safely defer to his or her judgement even though it "felt" wrong to do so... but I've seen absolutely no reason to think that this is the case.
 
A

angellous_evangellous

Guest
How can you assert that when it is full of historical and scientific fallacies?

History and science can only address historical and scientific truths. The bible - as with other arts like literature, art, and music communicate another truth about ourselves that is only partially accessible through the scientific/historical methods. Literature, art, and music do not need to be factually true to communicate truth.
 

tumbleweed41

Resident Liberal Hippie
History and science can only address historical and scientific truths. The bible - as with other arts like literature, art, and music communicate another truth about ourselves that is only partially accessible through the scientific/historical methods. Literature, art, and music do not need to be factually true to communicate truth.
That would be a wholly subjective truth.
 

Reptillian

Hamburgler Extraordinaire
No, but I accept Moby Dick.

A great book to be sure. Who would think to look for philosophy in a fictional work about whaling?

"I. A Fast-Fish belongs to the party fast to it.
II. A Loose-Fish is fair game for anybody who can soonest catch it....

What are the Rights of Man and Liberties of the World but Loose-Fish? What all men's minds and opinions but Loose-Fish? What is the principle of religious belief in them but a Loose-Fish? What to the ostentatious smuggling verbalists are the thoughts of thinkers but Loose-Fish? What is the great globe itself but a Loose-Fish? And what are you, reader, but a Loose-Fish and a Fast-Fish, too?" - Moby Dick, Chapter 89
 
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angellous_evangellous

Guest
That would be a wholly subjective truth.

Ever hear of philosophy? It is "wholly subjective" but entirely governs our interpretation of science and history, rendering them helplessly subjective.

Proudly lifting up science and history above literature, art, and music on the basis of artificial objectivity is a monumental intellectual incongruency.
 
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