There are a lot of different reasons. The creation story sounds like a parable to me, it is written like one. But I don't feel the same way about other stories in the bible.
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Is it a Christian's job to enforce their interpretation of the Bible on others?
- Thread starter Reverend Rick
- Start date
There are a lot of different reasons. The creation story sounds like a parable to me, it is written like one. But I don't feel the same way about other stories in the bible.
Rainbow Mage
Lib Democrat/Agnostic/Epicurean-ish/Buddhist-ish
The creation is a traditional story. Two traditions, matter of fact. Genesis 1 and 2 are two different accounts based on two different traditions.
I have heard of other creation stories, that sound somewhat similar to the ones in Genesis. I heard about them in my Physical Anthropology class. Pretty interesting stuff.
Katzpur
Not your average Mormon
Excellent question. An even better one might be, how do Christians decide which passages to interpret literally and which ones to interpret figuratively? My religion interprets pretty much anything literally that would make sense to interpret literally, and keep the figurative interpretations to a minimum. We're probably more that way than most Christian denominations. People say that it's dangerous to take the Bible too literally. While I can understand that objection, I believe it's just as dangerous to take it too figuratively. As soon as you start saying, "Well, that's only figurative," or "That's merely symbolic," you open the flood gates. If we can't rely on the Bible literally most of the time, we can hardly expect to agree on anything, since figurative interpretations can go as many different directions as there are people doing to interpreting. If Christians would simply stick to what the Bible says, in the language in which the Bible says it, we'd agree on a whole lot more than we do as things stand.
Well, remind them that there are a lot of Mormons out there. If anything will unite them against a common enemy, it would be that.
rafi
Rafi
I think that's definitely true, but I also think what you're describing is Utopia. The circumstances that you outlined would never realistically happen because it would strip power from every religious individual on Earth who has come to what he/she believes to be the "real" meaning of the Bible.
As an atheist I strongly believe that the Bible itself was written as a tool to control the masses, institute a certain one-track mind in the general public, and to give a strong majority of the power in society to an exclusive minority of people. That's also why I believe your vision of a perfect society would never exist, because people are too eager to misquote and mistranslate the book in order to elevate some personal agenda. It's unfortunate, but it's also the history of the Bible. My personal views aside, there's no doubt that the Bible has been grossly mistranslated over the centuries in order to accord with whoever is in power at the time.
Katzpur
Not your average Mormon
I think we can agree on that.
I.S.L.A.M617
Illuminatus
I believe the Bible is written the way it is for the purpose of people being able to manipulate what the unclear parts mean in order to bring in more profit. It is easier to draw in people who can't extract a meaning from a part of the Bible. It's the same reason car dealerships buy a bunch of the same car in different colors. They want to bring in more customers who might not like a certain color for that car. This way the dealership can maximize on profit. Organized religion and business, they aren't very different at all.
rafi
Rafi
True. I think many religious individuals would even agree with that, because it isn't necessarily the fault of the follower, but those they're choosing to follow.
LittleNipper
Well-Known Member
ALL christians do not just go after one failing. My own son has received a spanking or two in his life --------- it sure beats stoning.
I.S.L.A.M617
Illuminatus
Which is exactly my philosophy and the reason I'm a 5 percenter.
davidthegreek
Active Member
Just because we carry the name "Christian". Doesn't automatically make us Godly.
People who condemn instead of forgiving, and people who hate instead of loving aren't Godly. Godly people, no matter how sinful they maybe, they don't condemn anyone, neither hate anyone.
davidthegreek
Active Member
exactly. Always go out and preach the Gospel. If necessary use words. People who are good observers however, will get it even without them.
davidthegreek
Active Member
that may be true.
davidthegreek
Active Member
Indeed. Jesus did not favor one against the other. Nor did he condemn one, while the other was blessed for not being gay. Jesus treated everyone equally. He loved them. We don't love each other, we just say we do. Jesus however, said it and proved on the cross. we are a bunch of idiots. He is a gentleman, and this gentleman loves us, no matter what.
Muffled
Jesus in me
Yes. We are commanded to love our neighbor.
I believe there is no injunction against remarriage after divorce. I realize that some have a different interpretation of the Bible but that does not mean that their interpretation is correct and I do believe in correct interpretations.
I never read of an engorged person killing another person with his automobile because he couldn't see straight to drive.
I believe that the law has prohibited people from correcting unruly children and the latter is not directly connected.
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Muffled
Jesus in me
I don't believe this means that jesus accepts the evil that men do but that He seeks what is best for us because that is what love does.
Muffled
Jesus in me
I believe wherever there is a community there must be laws. However I believe in the USA the govenment can't dictate religion. So I believe no-one can force his faith on another but with free speech one can promtoe one's beliefs.
I believe this is only your opinion and greatly lacking in supporting evidence.
It appears to be human nature to attack something that you are not a part of and ignore what you are doing yourself. Kind of like a man with a cigarette in his mouth badmouthing a person with a few extra pounds or an alcoholic attacking a drug addict. We call it hypocrisy- all walks of life, religion, culture, etc. have these kind of people. We can either ignore it or call the person on it. Hypocrisy is not a good quality and I don't think for a second that God approves of it. But I think we all might do it every so often- we just hope we don't and if we do we stop ourselves.
Student of X
Paradigm Shifter
You're in error, and your error is compounding throughout your entire understanding of life, the universe, and everything.
Religion at it's very base is a response to stimuli. Stimuli that atheists can't possibly grok.
"So, apart from just commending these phenomena to your attention, I'd like to point out that, as atheists, our neglect of this area of human experience puts us at a rhetorical disadvantage. Because millions of people have had these experiences, and many millions more have had glimmers of them, and we, as atheists, ignore such phenomena, almost in principle, because of their religious associations—and yet these experiences often constitute the most important and transformative moments in a person's life.
Not recognizing that such experiences are possible or important can make us appear less wise even than our craziest religious opponents."
-Sam Harris
Indeed.
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