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Is the Bible Good For Us?

nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
sun rise said:
By your standard the Quran, Gita, Ramayana, Adi Granth, books by atheist psychologists and psychiatrists are good for us.

So you've in effect asserted the Bible is nothing special.
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Sorry. I'm not following.
What do you mean by "nothing special", and how does the fact that Panadol relieves a headache, make a life free of stress induced headaches "nothing special"?

If the Bible helps millions to cope because they have hope, what does that have to do with the guys who choose to go bungee jumping to help them to cope? :shrug:
 
sojourner

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
nPeace said:
m1703.gif
Sorry. I'm not following.
What do you mean by "nothing special", and how does the fact that Panadol relieves a headache, make a life free of stress induced headaches "nothing special"?

If the Bible helps millions to cope because they have hope, what does that have to do with the guys who choose to go bungee jumping to help them to cope? :shrug:
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I maintain that it’s not merely the Bible in a vacuum that imparts hope. It’s more due to relationships that are built than it is due to the texts, themselves.
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
Altfish said:
I don't know why you bring scientists into this.

People (Like the one you show) use Jesus/The Bible/Qu'ran/etc to make money and scam usually poor people
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Scammers use people's credit card, id, etc. to make money. So what? :shrug:
I recall some news item showing people had dressed as cops, and robbed and kidnapped people. Maybe you think that makes cops bad? :shrug:

(Matthew 7:22, 23) 22 Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’

(Matthew 24:5) . . .for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

(Matthew 24:9) . . .“Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name.

So what? :shrug:
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
Heyo said:
Exactly. And that is why you can't cherry pick to make an evaluation. You don't look at knifes only from the number of people who got hurt with them. You don't look at cell phone only from the number of bad messages you received through them.
And you can't evaluate a book by what it does to one single person.
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I agree. I did none of the above.
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
Shadow Wolf said:
Amd yet I demonstrated it's not as good as claimed. Especially as it's not impressive when so many things claim that. Even trendy fad diets make the same short sighted claims.
And we can take another route, and discuss all the homeless LBGT youth who are that way because the Bible was so horrible for their parents that it poisoned their mind into kicking out their own children and disowning them.
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Wait. Something is missing here.
I get the impression that we are on two different planets talking about two different things.
What's the Bible's hope Shadow Wolf?
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
Unveiled Artist said:
I found out why, actually. Vegetables don't trigger the brain to process dopamine for us. So the reward system in our brain doesn't click (as it does sugar) that "this is good." That's why children and some adults don't find veggies delicious (without the butter, salt, next to a fine dish) because it doesn't hit the spot.

Relate that to the bible. Say the bible (in your example) are the veggies. Some people like veggies and some don't....but the dopamine doesn't come into affect for some non-christians because they don't have experiences (salt, butter, etc) and interconnection with those experiences to make
the bible worth while. Maybe the veggies they care for is the Quran or maybe they rather practice experiencing god by Hindu tradition than reading about it. Some like corn. Some like broccoli.

So, it's not that children won't eat their veggies. Parents can present veggies with other food that makes the sacrifice worth taking. It's the default brain position. So, if one is an atheist (which is the default), they wouldn't be interested believing any god-scripture because to them there is no dopamine spike since god doesn't exist. If they're not indoctrinated, they would no nothing about god. They can either eat corn instead of green beans or find another nutrient that does just as much.

My question is why do many christians don't see alternatives of getting the same nutrition somewhere else? We can't blame the brain from doing its job and children for not liking corn... it really depends on the parents and what the brain is attracted to salt or no salt at all.

(That was a fun write)
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Very creative too. I like it actually. It contains a lot of good points.
Just one thing though ... personal experience.
No matter how it's done, some children object.
I know children who refuse to eat pizza if it has certain vegetables they don't want to eat. Image that. :dizzy:
It's not just vegetables. Fruit also.

It's not an automatic or natural brain process, as you often tend to suggest. It's a trained mind.
 
Altfish

Altfish

Veteran Member
nPeace said:
Scammers use people's credit card, id, etc. to make money. So what? :shrug:
I recall some news item showing people had dressed as cops, and robbed and kidnapped people. Maybe you think that makes cops bad? :shrug:
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As my Mum used to say, "Two wrongs don't make a right"
 
Shadow Wolf

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
nPeace said:
Wait. Something is missing here.
I get the impression that we are on two different planets talking about two different things.
What's the Bible's hope Shadow Wolf?
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Abandon all hope unless you believe in a god so cruel, vicious, and blood thirsty he sent his own alleged son to be tortured to death (which is somehow all our fault, and he did this for us). That is what the Bible teaches.
Of course there is some good messages and some people claim it's been the best thing ever for them. Many have said the same thing about Scientology despite it being an abusive and corrupt organization.
Or look at this way. In medical studies one group gets the real medicine, the other gets a placebo sugar pill. Remarkably, group who takes the sugar pill (patients are unaware of which group they are in while the research is in progress, with researchers themselves often (and ideally) being unaware), some of these people undergo the same thing as those who received the real medication. And this placebo effect we are witnessing becoming more common in research. But nothing is going on. Much like with the Bible. Of course people will say it's good and does all this wonderful stuff. Even members of suicide cults claim the same thing. It is in the long term and in general trends we must look, and the Bible does no better than people who believe a rabbit's foot can bring good luck.
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
Windwalker said:
People find hope in other religions too. Are you supportive of and extol the virtues of following those as well, because they are good for those who practice them? If the being good for you is the measure of the truth of something, then certainly you must believe in them as well?
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Yes, people do join other religions and they express that they find hope in the teachings which may or may not be based on the Bible.
What does that have to do with whether the Bible is good or not? ...and why must I believe in them for the reason they believe?

Oh, I get it.
So you are saying that those religions have teachings that gives people hope and helps people to avoid and reject the vices, along with the problems that go with them. Hence, I should accept them because they are good.
Did I understand correctly?

It's a very good point and sounds very interested. I'm interested in seeing these teachings and the experiences..
I do acknowledge that there are some teachings among Hindus and Muslim, and I suppose, likely Buddhist, that gives good discipline.
Just the same, I acknowledge that there are institutes that give good advice that helps people, and gives them hope.

I like the noble endeavors of the producers of "Super Book", and think they have done an excellent job, in giving children and possibly adults, hope, and good moral direction.

The OP was not made to compare.
However, what I am getting from your argument, is that a few things don't make something good overall, and I think that's a good point.

So in that case, my question here would follow...
I'm opened to the experience of others.
What proof can you give to show the Bible is bad for us?

I'm not an expert on the Qur'an, but maybe people with more experience can give their side on there being proof it is good for us... although I am not denying that, or supporting it.
Are you in a position to do so?
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
sojourner said:
The saying actually goes: the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Which proves your point wrong. “The Bible” is neither a good or bad thing. It’s just a thing. It’s the way in which it’s used — either responsibly or irresponsibly — that counts. The Bible was never meant to replace sound counseling, love and support shown by neighbors and qualified care providers — and it cannot replace them. It’s not magic, and it’s not a nostrum. It’s a collection of some ancient writings. The “proof” isn’t in the Bible itself. The “proof” is in how it’s consumed.
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When you eat vegetables, whether they benefit you or not, isn't dependent on how you eat them.
It depends on the vegetables themselves - what's in them. Is that not so?
I believe the same applies to the Bible. It's good for us, because of what it contains.

It's true though the contents of the Bible is not physical food, but spiritual. So how we process these "foods" will be quite different, in receiving the benefits. Don't you agree?
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
sojourner said:
I maintain that it’s not merely the Bible in a vacuum that imparts hope. It’s more due to relationships that are built than it is due to the texts, themselves.
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That doesn't add up.
Is it not what is contained in the Bible, that gives people hope, and moves them to act in accordance with what they read... in the Bible?
 
ChristineM

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
nPeace said:
You cherry picked Joe. Maybe you are unaware of anything else I wrote besides what you cherry picked.
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Sheesh? You, not me.

Yes i read your op so no need for the sarcasm, i am not the only one who mentioned your cherry picking.

You began by providing a video, said a few words about iraq, a country that is almost exclusively muslim. Then threw in a single story about joe. You actually admitted it was just one of many (i.e. cherry picked) and now you gripe because i (and others) mentioned it.

Sounds to me as thought you are trying to avoid any negatives about the bible by griping about people noting that you actually admitted you cherry picked.
 
danieldemol

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
nPeace said:
Please name one bad thing that people derive hope from.
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Maybe they are not bad, maybe things like belief in an immortal soul and/or reincarnation are good.
Also please show why the bible is bad for us.
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It depicts an immoral God, and emulating an immoral God is bad for us.

Also at some point I have to say the Bible is simply not true and as such, claiming something which is untrue to be true is not good for us most of the time in my opinion.
 
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nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
ChristineM said:
Sheesh? You, not me.

Yes i read your op so no need for the sarcasm, i am not the only one who mentioned your cherry picking.

You began by providing a video, said a few words about iraq, a country that is almost exclusively muslim. Then threw in a single story about joe. You actually admitted it was just one of many (i.e. cherry picked) and now you gripe because i (and others) mentioned it.

Sounds to me as thought you are trying to avoid any negatives about the bible by griping about people noting that you actually admitted you cherry picked.
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*Sigh* This is just one of millions of real life experiences ...
:facepalm: Oh boy. Maybe I should have bolded that... or maybe put it in red. *Sigh*. Or maybe I need a sledge hammer... Would that even work... *Sigh*
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
danieldemol said:
Maybe they are not bad, maybe things like belief in an immortal soul and/or reincarnation are good.
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Maybe.

danieldemol said:
It depicts an immoral God, and emulating an immoral God is bad for us.
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Immoral to whom? People with varying morals who can't agree on what's moral? How does that work?

danieldemol said:
Also at some point I have to say the Bible is simply not true and as such, claiming something which is untrue to be true is not good for us most of the time in my opinion.
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Well this thread is not discussing whether something is true or not, but I believe there is evidence the Bible is true.
 
Shadow Wolf

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
nPeace said:
I'll give you just one of many.
https://www.researchgate.net/public...le_Students_in_Jamnagar_City_of_Gujarat_India
Youth in Crisis
The Bible gives practical guidelines about family life, and many other areas of life, including drug abuse, which helps millions who apply those principles to give clear proof of its benefits.
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The Bible says a husband can sell his daughter into slavery. It's says you're to cast the first stone if someone in your family goes apostate. That's a terrible guide for family. Whacked up, wrong, and misogynist tests of virginity that is on the parents of the bride to prove? How did anyone ever get this is a good idea to follow? A "righteous man" offering his daughters to be gang raped? That makes him evil, not a model husband and father.
 
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